Linos Choo

Linos advises on marine disputes, with expertise in charterparties, cargo claims, shipbuilding, and ship sale. He has acted in high-value LMAA arbitrations, Commercial Court proceedings, and complex international shareholder disputes.

• Advised owners in a high-value LCIA arbitration against charterers concerning the carriage of asphalt cargoes from Venezuela.
• Advised charterers in high-value LMAA disputes relating to delays in the delivery of coal to ports in China.
• Advised UAE owners and their P&I club in LMAA proceedings (and concurrent proceedings in the High Court against guarantors) following disputes arising from the carriage of coal to Mozambique.
• Advised a Middle East national petroleum corporation on a contamination dispute on a cargo of base oil shipped to Belgium.
• Acted for a leading international cargo insurer in LMAA claims brought in the name of its assured for unauthorised deviation and misappropriation of cargoes in China under a contract of affreightment.
• Acted for an UHNWI owner in a superyacht construction dispute against leading Dutch shipyard.
• Acted for owners and a P&I club in a successful LMAA Arbitration arising from quarantine restrictions at the Port of Mumbai.
• Successfully defended owners in an LMAA arbitration concerning enforcement of a Swiss garnishee order by charterers.
• Acted for Danish owners of offshore supply vessels in a complex SUPPLYTIME 2005 LMAA arbitration.
• Successfully defended a global Malaysian energy company in Commercial Court proceedings commenced by owners for alleged losses arising from the detention of a vessel by the Thai Customs Authorities.
• Advised on a construction dispute of a yacht heralded as one of the world’s fastest Super Yacht.
• Acted for a leading Saudi Arabian marine services company successfully defending an anti-suit injunction in the Commercial Court and later an LCIA arbitration in relation to a US$20m minority shareholder and unfair prejudice dispute arising under a shareholders’ agreement with a major international shipping line.

Linos advises on commodities disputes, including GAFTA/FOSFA arbitration and Commercial Court proceedings. His expertise spans all manner of international sale contracts, letters of credit, demand guarantees, and complex international claims concerning physical commodities.

• Acted for Egyptian buyers of French durum wheat in a GAFTA arbitration concerning rejection of documents tendered under a CIF contract.
• Acted for South Africa-based sellers of copper concentrate in Commercial Court proceedings following a contractual dispute relating to specification for purity.
• Acted for the Singapore trading arm of a US-based large multinational in FOSFA arbitrations concerning the mis-delivery of a cargo of crude palm oil to third parties without production of bills of lading in India.
• Represented a large US-based agricultural trading company in a GAFTA dispute concerning soybeans sold from CFR Vietnam.
• Represented a large US-based agricultural trading company in a FOSFA dispute relating to failures of open letters of credit for cargoes of palm oil shipped from Indonesia.
• Represented a large US-based agricultural trading company in a GAFTA dispute relating to cargoes of fishmeal unlawfully rejected by Italian buyers.

Linos advises on trade finance disputes, including letters of credit, demand guarantees, and performance bonds. He has acted in high-value Commercial Court proceedings for leading international banks across multiple jurisdictions.

• Instructed by a leading Pakistani multinational commercial bank in Commercial Court proceedings against a leading German trade finance house in relation to US$7.5m of debts owed under a funded and unfunded participation agreement.
• Successfully defended a leading UK bank in Commercial Court proceedings under a confirmed irrevocable letter of credit which had been opened following an alleged fraudulent misrepresentation.
• Represented a Netherlands bank in emergency proceedings to prevent the mis-delivery and misappropriation of a cargo of petroleum products in Gibraltar destined for the Port of Rotterdam and financed under a stand-by letter of credit.
• Assisted a UK bank in a dispute concerning a US$24m security for costs guarantee.

Linos advises on disputes across the spectrum of shipbuilding and ship finance including restructuring and enforcement to ship sale and purchase. He has acted for leading international lenders in Commercial Court proceedings, vessel arrests, and LMAA arbitrations.

• Acted for the UK branch of a South African bank in its capacity as lender, agent and security trustee to recover a loan under a US$38m loan facility used to finance the acquisition of six vessels which were encumbered with claims unknown to the lender.
• Acted for the UK branch of a Middle East bank in Commercial Court proceedings to recover a loan under a Sharia-compliant Murabaha facility for the financing of a superyacht following defaults by the borrowers.
• Acted for one of Canada’s leading alternative capital providers in a complex ship financing dispute and action to foreclose on two Hong Kong registered ship mortgages. The vessels were arrested in Panama and Texas. The lender was also successful in an LMAA arbitration to claim back unpaid bareboat charter hire and associated losses from charterers who had unlawfully repudiated bareboat charters.

Linos advises on civil fraud disputes, including fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duties, conspiracy, dishonest assistance, breach of trust and knowing receipt, His cases have involved investment fraud, bribery, asset misappropriation, Ponzi schemes, and fraudulent loans. He has acted for funds, banks, and executives in complex, high-value Commercial Court litigation.

• Acted for two BVI funds in legal proceedings to recover US$375m worth of investments misappropriated under a Ponzi scheme.
• Assisted a leading Greek bank successfully resisting a Commercial Court set-aside application in relation to a £9.1m judgment debt following fraudulently procured loans on properties located in the UK.
• Defended a London-based Legal and Compliance Officer in a £1.5 billion civil fraud claim commenced by the Danish Customs and Tax Administration.

Linos advises on corporate transactions in shipping and energy, including acquisitions, asset deals, and sale and leaseback structures. He has acted for banks, investors, and corporates on multi-jurisdictional deals.

• Assisted a South Korean equity investment group in acquiring a controlling stake in a leading South Korean shipping company.
• Assisted a Singapore-based shipping company in an asset deal with major British transportation business with assets in Germany, Australia, and Argentina.
• Assisted a Singapore-based ship finance house in a sale and leaseback of 21 Singapore flagged vessels from Maersk.
• Instructed by a leading US bank in the acquisition of a 100% shareholding of a leading Norwegian owner and operator of harvest vessels and live fish carriers.
• Represented a leading Italian energy company with the acquisition of the world’s first LNG fuel bunkering vessel.

Linos has appeared in numerous reported cases spanning letters of credit, bills of lading, charterparties, performance bonds, civil fraud, and international arbitration, including matters before the Commercial Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court.

• DCD Factors Ltd v Habib Bank AG Zurich [2008] Bus LR 654 (Letter of Credit)
• Antiparos ENE v SK Shipping Co Ltd [2008] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 237 (The ‘Antiparos’) (ASBATANKVOY)
• GMAC Commercial Finance v Mint Apparel Ltd [2010] All ER (D) 58 (Bills of Exchange)
• Fortis Bank SA/NV v Indian Overseas Bank [2010] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 227 and [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 33(Letter of Credit- Preclusion UCP 600)
• Glory Wealth Shipping Pte Ltd v Korea Line Corporation [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 370 (The ‘Wren’) (Measure of Damages)
• In the matter of Armada Shipping SA sub nom COSCO Bulk Carrier Co Ltd v (1) Armada Shipping SA (2) STX Pan Ocean Co Ltd [2011] 2 All ER (Comm) 481 (Maritime Cross Border Insolvency)
• Stemcor UK Ltd v Indian Overseas Bank [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 190 (Bills of Lading)
• AB Bank Ltd v Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC [2017] 1 WLR 810 (Norwich Pharmacal)
• DTEK Trading SA v (1) Sergey Morozov (2) Incolab Services Ukraine LLC [2017] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 126 (Section 44 Arbitration Act 1996)
• National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine v Public Joint Stock Company Gazprom [2019] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 20 (Section 103 Arbitration Act 1996)
• Shapoorji Pallonji & Co Pvt Ltd v Yumn Ltd [2021] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 59, [2022] 1 All ER (Comm) 1202 (Performance Bond)
• Skatteforvaltningen (The Danish Customs & Tax Administration) v Solo Capital Partners LLP [2020] 4 WLR 98, [2021] WLR (D) 246, [2022] 2 All ER 563, [2023] UKSC 40, [2024] AC 539 (Civil Fraud)

Ranked by Chambers UK for Shipping 2025 – 2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Shipping 2025-2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for International Arbitration 2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Commodities Disputes 2026

Recognised in Lexology Index: Transport – Shipping

Thought Leaders – Transport – Shipping 2025

Member of the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA)

Member of the Federation of Oil, Seeds and Fats Association (FOSFA)

Pro Bono Legal Advisor to The Royal Foundation United for Wildlife Transportation Task Force