Who are members of the SMA?
Members of the SMA are commercial people of wide-ranging experience in numerous areas of the shipping industry. SMA members are presently employed in, or have worked in responsible commercial positions in the maritime industry for at least 10 years prior to being selected as SMA members. They come from varied backgrounds and have appropriate professional credentials. A number of SMA members have law degrees, but none are practicing attorneys. 4. What types of disputes are arbitrated by SMA arbitrators? The majority of disputes arise out of Charter Parties, voyage, time charter and bareboat charter parties or Bills of Lading. We also hear disputes arising under sales or purchase contracts for vessels and commodities, shipbuilding and repair contracts, government supply contracts, service and liner agreements. More recently, we have developed special rules to cover salvage arbitration for small vessels and recreational boats.
