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James Whitfield Verified profile

James Whitfield

Available within 30 days

FCIArb · London

Experience
28 yrs
Appointments
160
As presiding
70
Seat
London
Law
England & Wales USA
Focus
Energy Maritime / Shipping
Rules
LMAA LCIA
Langs
English — native

01Biography

Updated Oct 2026

Former master mariner and solicitor, now a full-time maritime arbitrator with over 160 LMAA appointments.

James went to sea at eighteen and commanded product tankers for a decade before qualifying as a solicitor. Twenty years of charter-party and casualty work in the City followed, and since 2012 he has sat as arbitrator full time.

He is known for reading a logbook as closely as a clause, and for awards that engineers and lawyers can both follow.

02Representative matters

Confidential · party names withheld

  • Maritime / Shipping 2023

    Unsafe-port claim following grounding on departure; apportionment between owners, charterers and the terminal.

    Sole arbitrator LMAA · England & Wales
    $9.8M

  • Energy 2022

    FPSO charter dispute over off-hire during a shutdown attributed to a defective turret bearing.

    Presiding arbitrator LCIA · England & Wales London seat
    $62M

  • Maritime / Shipping 2020

    Cargo contamination claim under a voyage charter; cause of contamination and the burden of proof on tank cleaning.

    Sole arbitrator LMAA · England & Wales
    $3.4M

03Qualifications & memberships

Admissions & appointments

  • 1996 Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales
  • 2005 LMAA Full Member

Education

  • 1990 Master Mariner Certificate of Competency

Professional memberships

LMAA Full Member Baltic Exchange