Reminder – New Arbitration Ordinance In Force In Hong Kong

As with the construction of Hong Kong's international airport in the 1990s, the round of new construction projects launched by the Hong Kong Government in the last few years seem destined to result in more grievances and, therefore, delays with some of these projects. This will result in more construction disputes and, as a result, more arbitrations in Hong Kong. With that in mind, the coming into force of the new Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609) (the Ordinance) on 1 June 2011 could not be timelier. The Ordinance replaces the previous Arbitration Ordinance and is a major reform of the arbitration law in Hong Kong. In this article we take a brief look at some of the Ordinance's key provisions. Background The Ordinance will apply to arbitrations and related proceedings that are commenced on or after 1 June 2011.