Max Lim

Partner

Max Lim

Partner

Email Max

+65 6438 4586

Singapore

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A partner in the firm’s Singapore office, Max brings a wealth of experience and strategic acumen to his specialist fields of shipping, commodities, energy, and international arbitration. He is qualified in both England and Wales and Singapore.

Max acts for shipowners and operators, sovereign states, banks, insurers, and commodity traders, as well as participants across the oil, LNG and wider energy sectors, on their most significant and challenging matters. He prides himself on the highest standards and for delivering with sophistication. He has significant experience with the courts and in arbitration.

I hold myself to the highest standards and always do my utmost, whatever the task may be. My goal is to deliver excellence and precision in every case, ensuring my clients benefit from my commitment as well as my expertise.

Max Lim, Partner

In shipping, Max’s practice covers disputes arising under charterparties and bills of lading across the full spectrum of issues. On ‘wet’ matters, he regularly represents parties on collisions, pollution, wreck, fires and other major casualties across the Asia Pacific region. Max is also actively engaged in ship building, ship sale and financing work, and sanctions and regulatory issues.

Commodities and energy are a core focus of Max’s practice.  He regularly acts in matters relating to the sale of a wide variety of goods including oil, LNG, coal, metals, fertilisers and grains, across the full trade lifecycle. Max is particularly experienced in issues arising at the interface between sale contracts and shipping. His work also extends to structured trade and commodity finance.

Max is ranked as a recommended lawyer for shipping by both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500, and is also recognised by Lexology.

Recent work highlights

Anti-suit injunction

Successfully bringing an anti-suit injunction for a shipowner before the English court against a bill of lading claimant that sued in the Singapore court, even though the bill of lading provided for the exclusive jurisdiction of the English court.

LNG market

Advising on the acquisition and time charter of a series of purpose-built LNG carriers. This is in addition to regularly handling review, drafting and disputes under sale and purchase agreements.

Trade finance

Acting successfully for a trade finance bank in the cross-jurisdictional pursuit and recovery of multimillion dollar claims in the wake of the collapse of a substantial commodities player.

Charterparty arbitration

Acting in a substantial charterparty dispute concerning a VLCC, arising out of the wrongful termination of a long-term charterparty.

Mortgage enforcement

Successfully representing a ship finance bank in a mortgage enforcement that was concluded from arrest to payment out in record time.

Crisis situations

Assisting shipowners in procuring the release of their vessel from arrest in Dar es Salaam, an example from a wide track record of successful extrications achieved in, among other places, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Russia.

Letter of credit

Acting successfully for a global commodity player in substantial claims under a letter of credit against the issuing bank, which is the leading case on letters of credit.

Shipyard dispute

Advising a shipyard on its termination dispute with buyers relating to the construction and delivery of a jack-up drilling rig valued at US$250 million.

Commodities arbitration

Acting successfully for a coal trader in an arbitration against buyers, arising out of an alleged failure to deliver a parcel of Indonesian-source cargo. The buyers however had failed to open any letter of credit, whether in time or at all.

Letter of credit

Acting successfully for a global commodity player in substantial claims under a letter of credit against the issuing bank, which is the leading case on letters of credit.

Shipyard dispute

Advising a shipyard on its termination dispute with buyers relating to the construction and delivery of a jack-up drilling rig valued at US$250 million.

Commodities arbitration

Acting successfully for a coal trader in an arbitration against buyers, arising out of an alleged failure to deliver a parcel of Indonesian-source cargo. The buyers however had failed to open any letter of credit, whether in time or at all.

What people are saying

Shrewd, commercial, well-connected and always available. Perhaps the perfect combination for an international shipping and commercial lawyer.

Chambers UK

Outstanding for his breadth and depth of knowledge and the speed and accuracy with which he applies it.

Legal 500

Gives importance to detail and tries to find a solution to a problem, rather than focusing on the problem.

Legal 500

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