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Practical guidance on commercial claims, debt recovery and maritime disputes, written for finance teams, operators and business owners.
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Maritime
Bunker quantity disputes: how to check what was really delivered
Soundings, temperature and density, the cappuccino effect, mass flow meters, letters of protest and the short time limits in supplier terms.
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EU ETS and charter parties: who pays for emission allowances?
Who the "shipping company" is, the scope and phase-in, BIMCO's ETS clauses and the disputes we see over emission allowances.
Read the guideLaytime terms explained: SHINC, SHEX, WWD and the rest
SHINC, SHEX, SATPM, unless used, weather working days, reversible laytime, despatch and "once on demurrage, always on demurrage", explained.
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Notice of readiness: when is it valid, and what if it is not?
When a notice of readiness is valid, what makes an "arrived ship", WIBON and WIPON clauses, and what an invalid NOR does to laytime and demurrage.
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Arresting a ship to secure a claim: what creditors need to know
Which claims qualify, the "relevant person" test, sister ships, bunker suppliers, security and the risks of wrongful arrest.
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Speed and consumption claims: how performance disputes are won and lost
The performance warranty, "about", good-weather days, weather evidence, extrapolation, owners' defences and deductions from hire.
Read the guideCargo shortage and damage claims: a practical guide
How cargo interests can build a cargo shortage or damage claim against carriers: notice, surveys, the Hague-Visby one-year time bar, limitation and choosing the right defendant.
Read the guideUnpaid freight and hire: using liens on cargo and sub-freights
How shipowners can use contractual liens on cargo and sub-freights to secure unpaid freight, hire and demurrage, and the risks of exercising a lien wrongly.
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FD&D cover explained: how P&I clubs support commercial disputes
What freight, demurrage and defence (FD&D) cover is, what it typically pays for, its discretionary nature, and how shipowners and charterers can use it effectively.
Read the guideDisputes with port agents: checking disbursement accounts
How owners and operators can reconcile port agents’ final disbursement accounts against proforma estimates and tariffs, and resolve disputed charges and unrefunded advances.
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How to write a demurrage claim letter (with a model structure)
A model structure for a clear, complete demurrage claim letter: voyage details, charter clause, laytime calculation, documents enclosed and payment request.
Read the guideDemurrage vs detention: what is the difference?
The difference between demurrage and detention in voyage charters and in container shipping, and what each means for claims, evidence and time bars.
Read the guideOff-spec bunkers: how to build a bunker quality claim
Practical steps for shipowners and charterers facing off-specification marine fuel: notice periods, samples, testing against ISO 8217, damage evidence and negotiating with suppliers.
Read the guideOff-hire under time charters: deductions and disputes
How off-hire works under time charters such as NYPE, the difference between net loss of time and period clauses, and how owners and charterers can avoid disputes over deductions from hire.
Read the guideTime bars in maritime claims: the deadlines that sink good claims
Why demurrage, cargo and charter party claims are lost on contractual and statutory time bars, and practical steps owners and charterers can take to protect them.
Read the guideThe demurrage claim checklist: what to assemble before you submit
A practical checklist of the documents and calculations owners and charterers need to present a complete, defensible demurrage claim.
Read the guideUK commercial debts
When a customer becomes insolvent: what UK suppliers can still do
Retention of title, proofs of debt, set-off, the continued supply rules, VAT bad debt relief and guarantees, for UK suppliers.
Read the guidePreventing bad debt: the credit terms that make recovery easier
Credit checks and limits, terms that actually apply, retention of title, interest, guarantees, export security and a firm collection timetable.
Read the guideLetters before action in B2B disputes: what a good one contains
What a letter before action should include in a business-to-business debt or contract dispute in England and Wales, the pre-action rules that apply, and common mistakes to avoid.
Read the guideClaiming interest and compensation on late B2B invoices
How the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 lets UK businesses add statutory interest and fixed compensation to overdue B2B invoices.
Read the guideDisputed liabilities
Disputed shipyard and repair invoices: how owners can respond
How shipowners and managers can review and dispute shipyard and ship repair invoices: quotations, variation orders, yard delay, set-off and contract notice periods.
Read the guideStatutory demands against companies: a guide for UK businesses
What a statutory demand is, the 21-day deadline and £750 threshold for companies, how a disputed debt is handled, and the risks of misusing statutory demands as a creditor.
Read the guideReceived a demand you dispute? What to do before you reply
Seven practical steps for UK businesses facing a supplier demand, legal notice or statutory demand they dispute, to protect their position and reach a fair settlement.
Read the guideInternational recovery
How to choose a B2B debt recovery partner: 10 questions to ask
Ten questions finance directors and credit managers should ask before appointing a commercial debt recovery or claims firm, from fees and regulation to client money and escalation.
Read the guideRecovering a debt from a business in another country
How cross-border B2B debt recovery works in practice: governing law, jurisdiction, local agents, enforcement and why negotiation usually comes first.
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