Shardul Thacker

The firm has a large, well established maritime law practice in India with a worldwide reputation as specialists in all aspects of shipping laws.

Mr. Shardul Thacker heads the maritime practice, with a special focus on ship finance, banking, international arbitration & insurance/ reinsurance law.

He has extensive knowledge of the oil & gas and offshore industry and acts for various Indian and international rig and ship owners in relation to tenders, contracts and arbitration matters against ONGC. He has recently advised owners of a foreign FPSO on contracts /tenders of ONGC.

SHIP FINANCE PRACTICE

He acts as Indian Counsel to international lenders. He has handled over 300 ship finance deals in the last decade. He has acted recently for (a) a consortium of international lenders in the financing, structuring and chartering of LNG Tankers chartered by Petronet LNG into India; (b) for charterers of India’s first FPSO vessel owned by Reliance; and (c) Bank of Nova Scotia Asia, DBS, Bank Ltd., Axis Bank and consortium of other banks, in relation to a loan facility of USD 140,000,000/- to Greatship Global Energy Services Pte. Ltd for financing the acquisition of one jack-up drilling rig under constructed at Keppel Fells Shipyard.

ARBITRATION PRACTICE

He combines the above with his arbitration practice having handled over 50 arbitration matters under the LCIA, ICC, LLMA, SIAC and ICA Rules. These relate to charterparties, shipbuilding, EPC, oil & gas exploration, cryogenic gas contracts, oil/gas drilling contracts with ONGC.

He has given expert evidence on affidavits on Indian law relating to shipping & marine insurance in Courts in Hong Kong, Greece, London and Huston.

He is a fellow of SIAC and an Arbitrator on the panel of Construction Industry Development Counsel of India, a member of Arbitration & Maritime Law Committee of IBA and IPBA. He has presented papers at IBA and other international conferences.  In April 2013 he presented papers at the 5th AMLC Conference at Singapore on “The Future of Compliance And its Increasing Impact on Shipping and Insurance” and at SIAC and CII Conference at Mumbai on “Trends and Developments in Arbitrating Shipping Disputes”.

He has contributed to the India chapter in Euromoney’s Banking Year Books, Shipping Finance Annual; Law Business Research’s Banking Regulation Review 2012 and International Arbitration Review 2012 India section in Cross-Border Security, Norton Rose, Butterworths publication, India Section in ‘Maritime Law Handbook’ by Kluwer Law.

He is India correspondent for Lloyd's Maritime & Commercial Quarterly.

He has been chosen as the winner in the category of “Best Shipping Lawyer of the Year 2012-2013” by Legal Era.

His recent accolades include –
• Top 100 International Advisors for 2013 by Finance Monthly;
• Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year 2013, India by Corporate INTL;
• Maritime Law Firm of the Year 2013, India by Corporate INTL;
• Country Award Winner 2013 in the category of Shipping & Maritime Law Firm of the Year– India by DealMakers;
• Global Awards 2013 in Shipping & Maritime Law Firm of the Year, India by Finance Monthly, Lawyers World, Corporate LiveWire & ACQ;
• Leading Lawyer 100 in Banking Law 2012 by Lawyer Monthly;
• Leading Lawyer in Banking and Finance and Shipping 2012 by Chambers Asia Pacific;
• “Leaders in their Field” for Banking & Finance 2012 by Chambers Asia;
• Leading Lawyer Award from Asia Law Publication for Dispute Resolution and Shipping & Maritime 2003 - 2012.
• Indian Law Firm Awards 2012 in Shipping & maritime by India Business Law Journal.