When is a contract legally binding? Surprise surprise, it all depends on the facts of the case.

In this month’s edition of Notes from the Bar, we discuss the Court of Appeal decision of China Coal Solution (Singapore) Pte Ltd v Avra Commodities Pte Ltd [2020] SGCA 81 (the “Judgement”), where we acted for the successful appellant, and the implications of this decision on the determination of when is a contract binding on the parties. Read More

Hedging costs recoverable as damages in commodities transactions

In this month’s Notes from the Bar, we discuss the High Court in Apex Energy International Pte Ltd v Wanxiang Resources (Singapore) Pte Ltd [2020] SGHC 138 which provides a helpful guide as to the calculation of damages that are recoverable by the seller when the buyer breaches the contract of sale. Read More

Unusual times call for unusual means – when the English Courts decides on security for a vessel arrested in Singapore

In this month’s Notes from the Bar, we discuss the case of the “Miracle Hope” [2020] EWHC 995 (Comm) where the English Courts, in an unusual situation, had to decide on security for a vessel arrested in Singapore. Read More

COVID-19 (Temporary measures) Act 2020 – Kicking the can down the road?

In this month’s edition of Notes from the Bar, we will examine the implications of the freshly minted Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 on businesses and individuals in Singapore in the context of the deferment of contractual obligations. Read More

Notes from the Bar – Arbitration, rules of natural justice and gating of witnesses

One advantage of international arbitration in Singapore is that the Final Award is final and not subject to any appeals.  Parties know that once the Final Award is issued, the Final Award will not be subject to the uncertainties normally associated with appeals to an appellate court.  But what happens when the manner in which the arbitration was conducted was unfair to one party?  This is where the national court of the seat of the arbitration steps in and exercise its supervisory function as shown in the recent Singapore High Court decision of CBP v. CBS [2020] SGHC 23 Read More

Notes from the Bar – COVID-19, commodities and charterparties

The COVID-19 epidemic is by now well known to all around the world and has caused significant disruption to our everyday lives.  To a commodities trader, apart from inconveniences to his daily routine, COVID-19 may have also caused disruptions to his commercial operations.  In this edition of Notes from the Bar, we examine some of… Read More