Rajah & Tann Singapore, Tatavarty Law Chambers host high-level masterclass on maritime & trade dispute resolution

Rajah & Tann Asia, Singapore’s leading maritime law firm, and Tatavarty Law Chambers, Visakhapatnam, jointly hosted a half-day masterclass titled “Effective Methods for Dispute Avoidance and Resolution in Shipping & Trade” at the Novotel Hotel, Visakhapatnam on 21 November 2025.

The exclusive, invite-only event brought together over 75 carefully selected participants from across the shipping, ports, trade, and legal sectors, including senior representatives from Adani Ports, Arcelor Mittal, JM Baxi Group, VPA, and DCI. Designed as a high-level knowledge-sharing session, the masterclass featured expert-led presentations and panel discussions focusing on dispute trends in cargo handling, charterparties, customs, and port operations.

The masterclass, widely regarded as the first full-scale seminar by a major Singapore law firm in Visakhapatnam, featured keynote presentations and two interactive panel discussions.

The event commenced with opening remarks by Capt. Sushil Shankar, Advocate/Solicitor & Arbitrator, who set the tone by highlighting Vizag’s growing role in maritime trade and the rising need for efficient dispute resolution mechanisms.

Presentations were made by accredited specialists in maritime and shipping law from Rajah & Tann: Mr. Jainil Bhandari, Mr. V.Bala, and Mr. Divyesh Menon. Key

themes included proactive dispute avoidance in charterparties, effective handling of demurrage and cargo claims, and leveraging Singapore-style maritime ADR mechanisms for faster, cost-efficient resolution.

Mr Ragam Kishore, Managing Director, Vizag Seaports Pvt. Ltd., Capt. S. Divakar, Managing Director & CEO, Dredging Corporation of India, and Mr Srikanth Navale of Navale Arbitration took part in panel discussions that explored dispute prevention.

Participants described the event as “the best maritime law programme ever held in Visakhapatnam” and called for it to become an annual fixture.

Speaking after the event, Mr T.V.S.K. Kanakaraju, Managing Partner, Tatavarty Law Chambers said: “Bringing Rajah & Tann’s world-class expertise to Vizag for the first time is a proud moment for the region and their choice of Visakhapatnam underscores the growing importance of Visakhapatnam as a maritime and trade hub as well as its strategic importance on India’s east coast”.

Both firms expressed keen interest in continuing and expanding this collaboration in the near future. The event concluded with high tea and cocktails, providing valuable networking opportunities for participants.