Gautam Bhatikar
Partner
Mumbai
Gautam is dual-qualified in India and England, and has 3 decades of wide-ranging experience in offshore maritime & shipping, insurance, environment, international trade, oil & gas, energy, commercial litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Gautam has acted for various large banks, shipowners, PSUs, oil companies and insurers in high-stakes and complex cross-border litigation and arbitration. He has been advising and representing domestic and international clients from a variety of jurisdictions including the UK, US, Europe, Middle East and South East Asia.
Gautam advises and represents P&I Clubs, shipowners, charterers, shipbuilding and repair yards, bunker and necessaries suppliers, dredging companies, international banks, insurers, ports and terminals, cargo interests and traders. His practice covers urgent and complex admiralty and shipping matters across the Indian coastline, including vessel arrest and release proceedings.
Gautam has represented one of the world's largest shipping companies in its joint venture dispute before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and has been regularly representing clients at the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC), London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), London Maritime Arbitration Association (LMAA), and Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA).
His experience spans both dry and wet shipping, including vessel sale and purchase, marine insurance, bills of lading, charterparty disputes, ship finance, shipbuilding and ship repair contracts, collision, salvage, wreck removal and marine pollution. He has advised terminal operators on PPP projects in the ports sector.
In offshore energy matters, Gautam represents domestic and international contractors on offshore project construction from the RFQ and bidding stages through project execution and dispute resolution in the public procurement space. His marine insurance work covers cargo, hull and machinery, P&I and offshore risks. He also advises commodities traders, shipping and energy companies on international sale of goods, letters of credit, structured trade finance, high-seas sales, customs regulatory and sanctions matters across jurisdictions.
Over the years, Gautam has been regularly featured in the 'Recommended Lawyers' list of leading publications such as Chambers & Partners and Legal500, and ranked as a 'Distinguished Practitioner' by AsiaLaw Profiles.
