Hakirat S. H. Singh is a Master Mariner, who following a career at sea obtained his Master of Laws degree in maritime law. He is regularly instructed in matters involving hull and machinery insurance, protection and indemnity clubs and transport liability claims.

He is the founder of Maritime Affairs Private Limited, and acts as a consultant to a number of international and domestic marine claims management service providers. He has acted in over 150 marine casualty investigations on behalf of marine insurers and protection and indemnity clubs. He acts as arbitrator, casualty investigator, claims consultant, expert witness and surveyor. He attends to matters involving admiralty, charterparty and legal liability claims.

His seagoing service began onboard Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) container ships followed by product tankers on international trade routes. He was then transferred to the NOL subsidiary, American Eagle Tankers, and served as deck officer in the U.S. oil trade onboard Aframax (100,000 DWT) tankers to the rank of Chief Officer. Obtained his Class 1 Master Mariner’s Certificate of Competency issued in Singapore and was on a fast track to command prior to taking study leave to undertake university studies. 
 

With experiences amassed in the maritime industry, he has contributed towards the shipping industry from the time he was a navigating officer plying worldwide trading routes and later by taking on numerous appointments that include roles as marine surveyor; P&I Club  representative; second-party ship auditor on behalf of charterers; claims consultant; loss adjuster, risk management consultant engaged in assessing ships and port facilities; transport liability claims manager; party representative in international arbitration and mediation matters; representative during passing of property under ships’ sale and purchase agreements; hull and machinery insurers’ representative on board stricken vessels following the signing of a Lloyd’s Open Form salvage contract; primary witness of fact in Lloyd’s salvage arbitration; insurers’ representative in settlement and recovery negotiations; author; and expert witness in court and arbitration cases.

As an author he has contributed to Halsbury’s Laws of Singapore 2006 Ed., Shipping Volume 17(2), with chapters on Masters, Officers and Crew; Safety and Health; Pilotage and Towage. He is also the main contributor to Halsbury’s Laws of Singapore 2011 Ed., Shipping Volume 17(3), with a re-issue of chapters from the 2006 Ed. and contribution of a new chapter on Navigation. At the 19th International Congress of Maritime Arbitrators at Hong Kong, held in May 2015, he presented a paper titled: “A Fusion of Principles and Rules: Expedited Arbitral Determination of Collision Claims and its Potential Application in Cases involving Ships Crossing the Singapore Straits”.

He graduated with a Master of Laws degree in maritime law before obtaining a Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration.  He is also a graduate of Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma in Nautical Studies and Advanced Diploma in Maritime Transportation. 

He has served as an arbitrator in disputes involving insurance claims, bill of lading shortages, ship building representation, charterparty and agency agreements. His arbitral appointments include sitting as sole arbitrator, party appointed arbitrator and tribunal chairman.