John Langley

Senior Associate (Senior Marine Manager) | London, United Kingdom
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Profile

John is a Senior Associate and Senior Marine Manager in Kennedys’ London office. He trained and qualified as an Associate Member of the Institute of Legal Executives.

For over 40 years John has represented cargo and hull insurers in relation to salvage, collision and general average claims. John acts for numerous cargo insurers in investigating and defending claims for both salvage and general average as well as pursuing recoveries in contract against ship-owners, arising out of casualties at sea. He also acts for one of the world’s leading firms of professional salvors.

John began his career in marine insurance law in 1976. He regularly delivers presentations to clients worldwide on Lloyd’s Form salvage claims and general average issues. He was a speaker at the 2015 ALSUM conference in São Paulo.

John is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL).

Work highlights

  • “Ocean Crown” – advised cargo insurers on this case, which produced the largest ever award of salvage in a Lloyd’s Open Form case since the Lloyd’s Form contract was established in 1908.
  • “Norwind” – successfully claimed general average as cargo against shipowners, driving owner/hull and machinery insurers to offer early attractive amicable settlement terms.
  • “DG Harmony” – acted in the successful pursuit of a strict liability claim against the US-based manufacturer of exploding calcium hypochlorite on board the container carrier whilst on voyage. Recovered several tens of millions of US dollars for many insurers concerned with innocent cargo on the vessel.
  • “YM Green” – fire on heavily laden container vessel off Singapore. Represented a plethora of cargo insurers in many marine regions in relation to the defence of a Lloyd’s Form salvage claim advanced by professional salvors. First Lloyd’s Form case where total contributory values at risk approached US$500 million.
  • “Siteam Anja” – represented all cargo insurers in the largest Lloyd’s Open Form salvage case of 2016. Issues included negotiating amicable resolution of professional salvors’ Lloyd’s Form claim, abandonment of contractual voyage, transhipment of cargo to destination, investigating causation, defence of shipowners’ general average claim and pursuing recovery of all sums expended.
  • “MSC Flaminia” – protected the interests of numerous cargo insurers, establishing in the New York courts that general average security from cargo interests is not always unlimited as to amount. In circumstances where there is heavy damage and loss to cargo, the financial exposure under general average guarantees and bonds will never amount to more than the final delivered value of cargo, to include interest and legal costs.

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