London Arbitration 18/26

The dispute concerned a voyage charterparty arbitration clause requiring arbitrators to be “commercial men and no lawyers”. The disponent owner challenged the charterer’s nominated arbitrator, a non-practising former solicitor, as ineligible due to their legal background. The third arbitrator upheld the challenge, interpreting the clause as excluding former lawyers whose experience was acquired in the legal field, even if they were no longer practising. The challenge succeeded, with the disponent owner entitled to its recoverable assets.