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Hanjin plan to unload ships in S'pore - local court stay order needed to avoid arrests

While plans have been announced to unload some of Hanjin Shipping's stranded containerships in Singapore it still needs to obtain a moratorium on legal action in the country’s courts to avoid vessel arrests.

Marcus Hand, Editor

September 6, 2016

1 Min Read
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With 61 containerships stranded around the world, many floating outside the 12nm territorial limits of countries or slow steaming, plans have been announced to dock vessels in the ports of Singapore, Hamburg and Busan.

While in Busan Hanjin would be covered by the recognition of court receivership in its homebase of Korea the same does not yet apply to Singapore or Hamburg. “There is no automatic moratorium on legal proceedings against Hanjin in Singapore notwithstanding the South Korean courts’ grant of the receivership order,” Felicia Tan, a director at Incisive Law, told Seatrade Maritime News.

“That said, if and when Hanjin obtains from the Singapore court a moratorium on legal action against Hanjin in Singapore, after persuading the court in favour of recognition of the South Korean court order, then from the date of the court order of a moratorium Hanjin should then be able to berth and offload its ships.”

If the moratorium is granted by the Singapore courts it would also put a stay on proceedings against the Hanjin Rome, which was arrested in Singapore on 30 August, the day before Hanjin Shipping filed for receivership in the Seoul courts.

Hanjin is seeking stay orders in 43 countries to protect its vessels from arrest. Last week the Hanjin Montevideo was also arrested in California.

Incisive Law is the Singapore law alliance of international shipping lawyers Ince & Co.

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About the Author

Marcus Hand

Editor

Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia.

Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation.

In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology.

Marcus is the founder of the Seatrade Maritime Podcast that delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics.

Conferences & Webinars

Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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