Michelle Yong
Partner
Michelle is a Partner and senior member of our Maritime, Trade and Offshore team, trusted by clients to find pragmatic and swift solutions to their most complex disputes.
Partner
Michelle is a Partner and senior member of our Maritime, Trade and Offshore team, trusted by clients to find pragmatic and swift solutions to their most complex disputes.
Language - English
Jurisdictions - Singapore, England & Wales
Michelle is a dual qualified lawyer in Singapore and in England and Wales, and leading Maritime, Trade and Offshore specialist.
Michelle has a well-established practice of over two decades. She is regularly instructed by reputable vessel owners, charterers, traders and banks in multi-jurisdictional disputes as well as the most high-profile restructurings and enforcements in the industry. She has represented clients in SCMA, SIAC, HKIAC, LMAA, LCIA and ICC arbitrations and mediations.
Michelle's non-contentious work includes reviewing and negotiating complex shipbuilding contracts, advising sales and purchase agreements for both buyer and seller, reviewing financing arrangements, charterparties, ship management agreements and supply contracts involving various commodities.
Michelle is recognised as a Senior Accredited Specialist in Maritime and Shipping Law (Singapore Academy of Law) and appointed to the Specialist Mediator Panel (Singapore) with the Singapore International Mediation Centre. She also serves as secretary on the committee of the Singapore chapter of the Women's International Shipping and International Trade Association.
Shipbuilding
Advising clients throughout the performance of the shipbuilding contracts for new build dual fuel powered hopper dredger vessels constructed by a local shipyard and for potential warranty claims for defects in the vessels.
Insolvency
Acting for and advising Standard Chartered Bank in relation to the well-publicised collapse of Hin Leong Trading (HLT), a well known Singapore oil trader, its related vessel ownership group Xihe Holdings and its related entity Ocean Tankers (OT), a significant oil tanker owner and charterer, with an exposure of well over US$500 million to the Hin Leong group’s shipping, trading and terminal arms.
Shipping
Acting for a bank in bringing a misdelivery claim against the owner of a vessel, arising from the issuance of a letter of credit in respect of a cargo of gasoil, which was secured by bills of lading.
JOLCO financing dispute
Acting in a LMAA arbitration for multi-jurisdictional disputes arising out of a JOLCO financing provided by a Japanese financier in relation to several vessels.
Multi-party arbitration
Acting in substantial multi-party arbitration proceedings in respect of disputes under sellers' credit agreements.
Vessel sale and purchase dispute
Regularly advising sellers or buyers in disputes arising out of vessel sale and purchase agreements, including disputes involving delay in payment or delivery, the condition of the vessel at delivery and maritime liens.
Commodities dispute
Acting for a Chinese commodities trader in an arbitration involving Force Majeure, the meaning of shipment laycan and failure to accept nomination of a vessel.
Charter dispute
Advising an owner of an oil tanker in relation to its conversion into a floating storage and offloading unit and its incident involving the breaking away from its mooring system and subsequent claims. Issues involved an analysis of the off-hire clause and knock-for-knock clause.
Acquisition and financing
Advising a Japanese cruise operator on the acquisition and financing of a cruise ship from Royal Caribbean, which included the negotiation of a co-investment documents and a bareboat charter with a purchase option.
