Alex Ngai

Alex is a dual-qualified associate in the Hong Kong litigation and dispute resolution team.

His practice focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration. He regularly represents multinational corporations, financial institutions, state-owned enterprises and listed companies in complex international disputes, particularly in the shipping, trade and insurance sectors. He also provides coverage advice to policyholders on marine and non-marine insurance policies.

Experience

Representative matters

Acting for a major Chinese state-owned shipping company in a series of charterparty disputes involving over 30 charterparty chains and multiple sets of legal proceedings spanning Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Mainland China.

Acting for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker’s shipowners (being a joint venture between Chinese and Japanese shipping companies), defending claims of US$85 million arising from a breakdown of the tanker at an LNG terminal.

Acting for a leasing company in repossessing mortgaged vessels and setting aside a third party’s arrest of one of the mortgaged vessels in Malaysia involving allegations of sham contracts.

Acting for the Hong Kong branch of a major Chinese bank in disputes involving conflicting instructions from different directors of the corporate account holder.

Advised a state-owned Chinese bank on issues regarding Hong Kong stablecoin regulatory regime.

Acting for a high-net-worth individual defending a set-aside application against an arbitration award in respect of a US$44 million investment dispute at the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal of Hong Kong.

Acting for a Chinese state-owned company pursuing a claim for non-delivery of cargo by an international metal trading company in concurrent arbitrations involving the seller, the buyer and an intermediary.

Acting for a Chinese technology company in a Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) arbitration against its private equity fund investor regarding a redemption of shares priced at over US$ 50 million with implications on related Cayman winding-up proceedings.

Acting for the shipowners in an unsafe port claim involving parallel United States court proceedings and London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) arbitration.

Acting for the shipowners in a jurisdictional dispute in the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong in the context of a US$90 million collision claim.

Acting for the cargo owners in a cargo damage claim, including successfully arresting the carrier’s vessel in Hong Kong.

Acting for the shipowners in concurrent LMAA arbitrations against charterers and sub-charterers regarding the shipowners’ refusal to carry out an illegitimate last voyage order.

Acting for a state-owned oil company in a Singapore International Arbitration Centre-administered arbitration against the guarantor in an unusual agency sale arrangement.

Acting for a Hong Kong company pursuing a claim of more than US$10 million arising out of an oral contract for the financing of a tanker vessel.

Acting for an online shopping platform and its founder in an HKIAC-administered arbitration conducted in Chinese, concerning a dispute with the platform’s investors under a share subscription agreement.

Assisting a major Chinese state-owned oil company in drafting a tailor-made model tanker charterparty with intended widespread adoption.

Advising a ship management company in its long-term contracts with a wind turbine manufacturer relating to the construction of specialised carriers and transportation of wind turbines.