Quadrant Chambers remains the leading set for shipping matters, with formidable bench strength across silks and juniors, handling the full range of wet and dry shipping disputes. Guy Blackwood KC successfully represented the shipowners in Herculito Maritime Ltd v Gunvor International BV, marking the first detailed Supreme Court ruling on the incorporation of non-jurisdiction clauses into bills of lading, in a case in the wake of a general average claim by shipowners who paid a ransom to Somali pirates. Another significant Supreme Court case, Sharp Corp Ltd v Viterra BV, saw Chirag Karia KC leading Ben Gardner, with the court affirming the ‘principle of mitigation’ as a fundamental tenet of the English law of damages. Unled, Saira Paruk represents the owners of the Asia Ruby III in a claim against the Ever Given limitation fund; after the Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal, the Asia Ruby III suffered damage to avoid running into the back of another vessel. Andrew Stevens – Quadrant Chambers joined from 4 Pump Court in September 2025, having appeared in Amyr Trading v Eternus Group, successfully obtaining the discharge of an ex parte injunction preventing the sale of a cargo of Venezuelan oil products.
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Profile
Work Department
Commercial litigation.
Position
Ben is a commercial barrister, with a particular focus on international arbitration, commodities, shipping, energy and insurance work. Much of his work is in international arbitration, including under the rules of the ICC, LCIA, LMAA, SIAC, HKIAC and DIAC and in jurisdictions including Dubai, Geneva, The Hague, Hong Kong, Paris and Singapore. He also appears regularly in the English Courts, including in three Supreme Court cases (JTI Polska v Jakubowski [2023] 3 WLR 50, The New Flamenco [2017] 1 WLR 2581 and Versloot Dredging v HDI Gerling [2017] AC 1).
For a detailed CV, please visit www.quadrantchambers.com.
Career
MA (Cantab), LLM (Cantab), LLM (Harvard)
Called 2010; Middle Temple
Memberships
COMBAR; LMAA (supporting member); ICC YAF; TECBAR; Chancery Bar Association
Education
MA, Double First (Cantab.); LLM, First (Cantab.); LLM (Harvard).
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- "Simon Slattery leads the clerking team with aplomb, and is particularly cognisant of the needs of clients in Asia. "
- "A top set. My go-to chambers when I need an English barrister."
- "The clerks are always helpful and keen to assist."
- "Top quality and top service!"
- "Quadrant Chambers is the No. 1 chambers for shipping disputes."
- "There is no one better for shipping disputes. Their expertise covers all aspects of shipping."
- "The depth of talent within chambers is impressive, with experienced barristers providing strategic and commercially focused advice across a wide range of dry shipping disputes, including charter parties, cargo claims, and shipbuilding matters."
- "They’ve always been a strong set for shipping, with real depth and availability – a reliable set."