Philip Burns has more than 20 years' experience in the maritime sector.  

 

Starting his career as a solicitor, Philip worked for two well-known international law firms in London, including working in Athens for six months.  Subsequently, Philip spent a decade in the P&I industry and most recently was a deputy director and head of claims syndicate with responsibilities for P&I and FDD claims arising in Europe, parts of Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and Africa.  This has enabled Philip to gain a wealth of experience of most types of incident from piracy, pollution, cargo contamination to demurrage and off hire claims as well as ship sale and purchase matters.

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From 2008 to 2012 Philip was the claims and insurance manager for an international ship owning organisation based in Italy.  Vessels included tankers, bulk carriers, offshore and inshore tugs and a fleet of semi-submersible barges.  As part of this role, Philip was responsible for the insurance portfolio of the fleet and the claims that arose from it.  Alongside the traditional charter party claims, Philip was involved in FFA disputes and other contractual claims and had significant exposure to ship building and ship sale and purchase matters.  Philip also worked behind the scenes on commercial projects and business opportunities.  Philip participated in many face to face negotiations around the world on behalf of his principals.

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Philip is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb), a member of the Baltic Exchange, a Member of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration and is an Aspiring Full Member of the LMAA.  Philip has over 400 appointments as a commercial arbitrator under LMAA, SCMA and ad hoc terms.

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Philip has been appointed on a wide variety of references arising under many different types of contracts including charter parties, COAs, bills of lading, S&P contracts and agency agreements.  Philip has been appointed in references with wide-ranging claim values with a highest pleaded claim amount in excess of USD 150 million.

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Philip is a certified mediator with accreditation recognised by the International Mediation Institute, the Civil Mediation Council and the Ciarb.  Philip would be pleased to facilitate your mediation.