Sean Gibbons
Partner
Sean is a leading shipping, shipbuilding, and offshore disputes expert, known for strategic advice and commercial acumen in complex maritime matters.
Partner
Sean is a leading shipping, shipbuilding, and offshore disputes expert, known for strategic advice and commercial acumen in complex maritime matters.
Language - English
Jurisdiction - England & Wales
Sean Gibbons is a Partner at Stephenson Harwood, specialising in shipping, shipbuilding, and offshore disputes. He is regularly instructed by shipowners, charterers, P&I clubs, and shipyards, providing strategic advice and representation in High Court litigation and arbitration proceedings.
Sean's expertise spans disputes under charterparties, bills of lading, MOAs and shipbuilding contracts, and ship finance, where he offers both legal and practical solutions to enforce principally lenders' security.
His clients value his ability to navigate complex legal challenges with a commercial perspective, ensuring their interests are protected and their objectives achieved. Sean's extensive experience of fraud investigations in West Africa and his proficiency in obtaining freezing orders and anti-suit injunctions further distinguish him as a trusted guide in asset tracing and dispute resolution.
European shipowner
Advising European based owners of reefer vessels following a charterer’s wrongful withdrawal from long-term charterparties and early re-delivery of vessels. Dispute involved very significant loss of profits claims and led to substantial arbitration proceedings and also anti-suit and freezing orders being granted by the English High Court.
Korean Shipyard
Representing Korean shipyard in a multi-million dollar dispute with high profile European shipowner as a result of cancellation of a series of container vessels in light of non-payment of contractual instalments, including successful London arbitration to recover shortfall following sale of one of these vessels.
Scandinavian FPSO Contractors
Advising Scandinavian FPSO contractors on disputes with shipowners in relation to conversion of VLCCs to FPSOs for offshore Brazil. The dispute concerned discovery during conversion of substantial steel wastage due to pitting. The dispute led to lengthy English High Court proceedings and centred on the shipowners’ alleged breach of warranty.
Indian Refinery Operator / Charterer
Representing major high profile Indian refinery operator and charterer in disputes relating to various ROB, contamination, demurrage and other related claims in London arbitrations.
Asian Shipyard
Advising Asian shipyard in respect of multi-million dollar dispute leading to lengthy LCIA proceedings in relation to design and other construction issues concerning a specialised drilling tower for installation offshore West Africa.
European Shipowner/P&I Club
Instructed by international group P&I club to advise club and owners of bulk carrier following loading of cargo of iron ore with high moisture content at Indian port where there was a very high risk of liquefaction and listing of vessel. This matter also involved representations being made to the Ministry of Shipping in India.
Korean Shipyard
Advising Korean shipyard in relation to disputes with European and Middle Eastern shipowners following consistent failures to pay contractual instalments amounting to many millions of dollars. One dispute was resolved through negotiation and the taking of security over shares of owner affiliated companies in Hong Kong. The other dispute was ultimately resolved by the payment of the full contractual price for the vessels.
European based Shipowning Group
Representing European based shipowning group in relation to a series of High Court proceedings brought in London against high net worth individual and entrepreneur and his associated companies for payment of claims exceeding €150 million and a multi-faceted cross-border effort to enforce the clients' claims and High Court judgments against the entrepreneur/his associated companies. The claims arise in connection with the issue of high-value bonds.
Litigation strategies employed have included securing and benefiting from a very high value World Wide Freezing Order and High Court applications brought pursuant to CPR Part 71 for cross examination. Actions in other jurisdictions include enforcement proceedings in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Jersey, Guernsey and Singapore.
European based owner of RoRo Vessels
Acted for owners of two RoRo ferries chartered to an Italian shipping group on long term bareboat charters. A termination event was triggered in the bareboat charters entitling owners to immediate redelivery of the vessels and substantial termination payments. Redelivery was resisted. We assisted Owners in bringing claims in arbitration, the English High Court and the Court of Appeal for the redelivery of the two vessels together with a claim for damages, ultimately resulting in a very substantial recovery for the clients. We were instructed due to our market leading expertise in disputes under bareboat charterparties and capacity to manage major litigation and enforce awards across multiple jurisdictions.
European based shipowners
Sean has regularly advised repeat shipowner clients in relation to drafting and negotiation of shipbuilding contracts and related refund guarantees for a variety of vessels, including car carriers, container vessels, cruise ships and superyachts for construction in European and Asian shipyards.
