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Joel Cockerell is a highly experienced lawyer and mariner in the Singapore office. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the shipping industry and handles all types of maritime and shipping disputes (both wet and dry) and noncontentious shipping matters.
He has managed significant and high-value casualties (including container ship fires, collisions, groundings, wreck removal and explosions) throughout the world, with a focus on the Asia Pacific region. This involves initial response, managing clients' exposure to civil and criminal liabilities, and resolving subsequent disputes.
In addition to handling marine casualties and advising on all aspects of admiralty law, his practice covers both disputes and advisory work on all aspects of “dry” shipping, including in relation to charterparties, bills of lading, cargo claims, ship arrests, the regulation of shipping and marine insurance (both coverage and defence work).
Joel became a lawyer after spending 12 years in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as a maritime warfare officer. Following his time at sea, he completed his law degree with first class honours and was awarded the Attorney-general's Medal.
Joel’s dispute resolution expertise includes court litigation (primarily in London and Australia) and international arbitrations, including under ICC, LMAA, SIAC and SCMA rules.
Emergency and Casualty Response
- Advising on casualty response incidents, such as groundings, collisions, capsize, fire and significant cargo incidents, including on-scene response, pollution liabilities, salvage, media response, dealing with government investigations, limitation of liability claims and subsequent legal proceedings.
- Acting for owners on the highest-value collisions within the Asian region in 2020 and 2021, including initial casualty response, advising on liability, quantum, salvage, pollution and limitation issues.
- Acting for both owners and charterers following container ship fires, including initial casualty response, advising on liability and exposure to other interests (cargo interests and charterers/owners) and associated defences to those claims.
- Acting for owners and charterers in relation to groundings, advising on liability and seaworthiness, exposure to other interests and government authorities and handling subsequent legal proceedings.
- Acting for owners following an explosion on a floating power production facility, including advising on liability, exposure to claims and associated defences to those claims (including managing local correspondents).
Dry Shipping and Commodities
- Advising and representing charterers and owners in relation to charterparty disputes.
- Acting for owners and cargo interests in relation to mis-delivery claims and other cargo claims.
- Advising and representing charterers and owners on safe port/berth disputes, including navigational analysis of the relevant port.
- Acting for owners and charterers in respect of claims arising out of collisions, groundings and fire incidents.
- Advising and representing clients on arrest of ships, including charterers, cargo interests and owners.
- Advising on a broad range of spot and long-term commodities sale contracts and contracts of affreightment.
Education
- University of Southampton, Maritime Law Short Course, 2017
- Australian National University, GDLP, 2014
- University of Western Australia, LL.B., 2013
- Charles Darwin University, LL.B., 2013
- University of New South Wales, B.A., 2004
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2022
- High Court of Australia, 2015
- Western Australia, 2014