Greece and China strengthen arbitration links

Led by Piraeus Association for Maritime Arbitration (PAMA) and the Shanghai Arbitration Commission the two agreed at a recent meeting at the Piraeus Marine Club to implement provisions according to a signed protocol.

The two sides agreed the ongoing success of the concession held by Cosco Pacific to operate two container terminals in Piraeus and the heavy Greek new building orderbook in Chinese shipyards underline the necessity to define a practical framework of relations between the parties and establish ways to support cooperation in order to achieve common objectives.

The parties will regularly exchange information on arbitration issues and practices in both Greece and China with a view to promoting arbitration as a means of settlement to all disputes arising between the business sector establishments in both Greece and China.

Both parties shall encourage the business sector establishments in their territories to incorporate an arbitration clause in their agreements and contracts and shall exert their best efforts to assist in making arbitration awards issued by the other party enforceable in their territories.

Headed by Xu Qiang, chairman of the Shanghai Arbitration Commission, the Chinese party of Lu Chunwei, deputy secretary general Shanghai Arbitration Commission, Wang Yongjian, Xu Qingsheng, Guan Lijuan and Jiang Ying, all of the Office of Shanghai Municipal People's Government, exchanged information and views with PAMA directors, Antony Tsavdaridis, Jenny Pournara, Mary Pothitou and Dimitris Capaitzis.

Capaitzis, who is also president of the Hellenic Marine Technical Consultants Association, briefed the Chinese delegation on how HMTCA members could play an important role by successfully providing expert representation of the Greek and foreign shipping communities in their relationships with shipyards, insurers, financial institutions, classification societies, national and international authorities, maritime courts and arbitrations.