Lana Stockton
Partner | Cape Town
Contact
T: +27 21 480 7803
E: lana.stockton@bowmanslaw.com
Overview
Lana Stockton is a partner in our Cape Town office and a member of the Shipping and Logistics practice.
Lana has assisted in a number of high profile shipping litigation matters, including the recognition of foreign insolvency orders, structured and forced judicial ship sales and acting for large multinational banks and financiers. Lana has also been involved in litigation as result of the Hanjin Bankruptcy of 2016/2017, casualty facilitation on behalf of International Group P&I Clubs including collisions, main engine breakdowns, oil spills, cargo contamination and crew injury, as well as general claims, arrests and security for foreign proceedings in the High Court.
In addition to contentious work, Lana has experience in providing commercial and legal advice to various local and international clients.
Experience
- Acting for ship-owners in the acquisition of a seismic research vessel to be converted to a fishing vessel. Acting for these same owners in terms of a dispute with the ship yard and the subsequent sinking of the same vessel.
- Advising a blue-chip vessel charterer and its P&I insurers in respect of the investigation and legal consequences of the collapse of a container stack and loss of containers overboard that had occurred while the vessel was at sea within the South African Exclusive Economic Zone.
- Acting for ship owners and multinational financiers in terms of their rights in light of the acquisition of vessels owned by one of the largest Korean shipping lines which was declared bankrupt in February 2017.
- Acting on behalf of mortgagee banks / syndicated lenders and private equity funds in the enforcement of mortgage claims in foreclosure matters in both South Africa and Namibia
- Acting on behalf of a private equity fund mortgagee in the contested judicial foreclosure sale of a bulk carrier during 2020/2021.
- Advising vessel owners and their P&I insurers on legislative changes and facilitating the disembarkation and repatriation of crew and passengers shortly before and during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
- Advising a large international shipping line on the South African law consequences of claims arising out of the well-documented blockage of the Suez Canal in 2021 in the context of the limitation proceedings commenced in the United Kingdom and other proceedings commenced in other foreign jurisdictions. Acting for large multi-national commodities trader in London International Court of Arbitration (LCIA) proceedings arising out of a quality dispute.
- Advising ship owners, charterers and their insurers in respect of enforcement of international arbitration awards in South Africa and obtaining security for ongoing international arbitration proceedings.
Lana has also been involved in the following reported cases:
- The Forarun Naree: Afgri Grain Marketing (Pty) Ltd v Trustees for the time being of Copenship Bulkers A/S (in liquidation) and Others [2019] 3 All SA 321 (SCA)
- The Seaspan Grouse: Seaspan Holdco 1 Limited and Others v MS Mare Tracer Schiffahrts GMBH & Co KG and Another 2019 (4) SA 483 (SCA)
- The Agatis: Aquarius Maritime Pte Ltd v The Agatis 2015 SCOSA B551 (WC)
Awards
- Chambers and Partners ranked Lana as Up and Coming for her work in Shipping for three consecutive years (2022-2024) and as an Associate to Watch in 2021.
‘She is very clear in her advice and responsive.’ – Chambers and Partners, 2024
‘Lana Stockton is easy to work with.’ – Chambers and Partners, 2024
AREA OF EXPERTISE
Qualifications
- B.Bus.Sci (Hons) and LLB (cum laude) degrees from the University of Cape Town.
INSIGHTS
Southern Africa: A preferred destination for judicial ship (and other maritime property) sales?
Namibia: Supreme Court orders foreign interested party to provide security for vessel preservation costs
South Africa: Proposed amendments to pollution fines
South Africa: Updated draft codes of practice for bunkering and ship-to-ship transfers
South Africa: Update in relation to the treatment of stowaways
South Africa: Draft Regulations and Codes of Practice published for comment
South Africa: Recent developments relating to stowaway and trespass
COVID-19: Update on the strict approach adopted by the South African authorities in light of two recent incidents of COVID-19 positive crew
Navigating the new world of virtual hearings in the shipping and aviation space
Supreme Court of Appeal decides on the status of protective writs in South Africa
Cyber-pirates threaten shipping security
Victory in protective writ matter
The ‘ghost ship’ set to be the future of shipping
The role of a legal practitioner in a mediation process
Mediation in the shipping industry – challenges and synergies
Viking Fishing v Mutual and Federal, Round Two: Supreme Court of Appeal considers the Merchant Shipping Act Warranty
Brochures
Overview
Lana Stockton is a partner in our Cape Town office and a member of the Shipping and Logistics practice.
Lana has assisted in a number of high profile shipping litigation matters, including the recognition of foreign insolvency orders, structured and forced judicial ship sales and acting for large multinational banks and financiers. Lana has also been involved in litigation as result of the Hanjin Bankruptcy of 2016/2017, casualty facilitation on behalf of International Group P&I Clubs including collisions, main engine breakdowns, oil spills, cargo contamination and crew injury, as well as general claims, arrests and security for foreign proceedings in the High Court.
In addition to contentious work, Lana has experience in providing commercial and legal advice to various local and international clients.
Experience
- Acting for ship-owners in the acquisition of a seismic research vessel to be converted to a fishing vessel. Acting for these same owners in terms of a dispute with the ship yard and the subsequent sinking of the same vessel.
- Advising a blue-chip vessel charterer and its P&I insurers in respect of the investigation and legal consequences of the collapse of a container stack and loss of containers overboard that had occurred while the vessel was at sea within the South African Exclusive Economic Zone.
- Acting for ship owners and multinational financiers in terms of their rights in light of the acquisition of vessels owned by one of the largest Korean shipping lines which was declared bankrupt in February 2017.
- Acting on behalf of mortgagee banks / syndicated lenders and private equity funds in the enforcement of mortgage claims in foreclosure matters in both South Africa and Namibia
- Acting on behalf of a private equity fund mortgagee in the contested judicial foreclosure sale of a bulk carrier during 2020/2021.
- Advising vessel owners and their P&I insurers on legislative changes and facilitating the disembarkation and repatriation of crew and passengers shortly before and during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
- Advising a large international shipping line on the South African law consequences of claims arising out of the well-documented blockage of the Suez Canal in 2021 in the context of the limitation proceedings commenced in the United Kingdom and other proceedings commenced in other foreign jurisdictions. Acting for large multi-national commodities trader in London International Court of Arbitration (LCIA) proceedings arising out of a quality dispute.
- Advising ship owners, charterers and their insurers in respect of enforcement of international arbitration awards in South Africa and obtaining security for ongoing international arbitration proceedings.
Lana has also been involved in the following reported cases:
- The Forarun Naree: Afgri Grain Marketing (Pty) Ltd v Trustees for the time being of Copenship Bulkers A/S (in liquidation) and Others [2019] 3 All SA 321 (SCA)
- The Seaspan Grouse: Seaspan Holdco 1 Limited and Others v MS Mare Tracer Schiffahrts GMBH & Co KG and Another 2019 (4) SA 483 (SCA)
- The Agatis: Aquarius Maritime Pte Ltd v The Agatis 2015 SCOSA B551 (WC)
Awards
- Chambers and Partners ranked Lana as Up and Coming for her work in Shipping for three consecutive years (2022-2024) and as an Associate to Watch in 2021.
‘She is very clear in her advice and responsive.’ – Chambers and Partners, 2024
‘Lana Stockton is easy to work with.’ – Chambers and Partners, 2024
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