Andrew Chamberlain

About Andrew

Andrew is a former Royal Navy officer and specialises in “wet” shipping cases, including salvage (acting for salvors, as well owners and their underwriters), collisions, fire and explosion, total loss and wreck removal. He also advises on both civil and criminal pollution liabilities, marine insurance coverage disputes and the full range of other shipping-related commercial and contractual disputes.

Andrew served at sea with the Royal Navy and also had a stint with the Hong Kong Squadron. He left the Royal Navy in 1990 and joined HFW in 1994. He was promoted to partner in 2003 and has been heavily involved in many of the largest casualties of recent years, including “ACONCAGUA“ and “CMA DJAKARTA” (both 1999), “PRESTIGE” (2002), “PELICAN 1” (2003), “THUNDERHORSE” (2005) which remains the most valuable property subject to a Lloyds Open Form salvage agreement to date, “MSC NAPOLI” (2007), “MSC CHITRA” (2010), “COSTA CONCORDIA” (2012), “SMART” (2013), the “NORMAN ATLANTIC” (2014), “MAERSK SEOUL” (2016), “SANCHI” and “MAERSK HONAM” (both 2018), “YANTIAN EXPRESS” and “GOLDEN RAY” (both 2019), “STELLAR BANNER” (2020) and “EVER GIVEN” and “X-PRESS PEARL” (both 2021).

Andrew is consistently ranked in the top tier for Shipping in Chambers and Legal 500 and is “particularly renowned for his expertise in salvage, collision and wreck removal matters.“ (Chambers UK 2023). A client confirmed that they were “impressed by his commercial thinking and great legal instincts.”(Chambers UK 2023).

Andrew is qualified in England and Wales.