Truong Cong Hong (Benjamin) is a Vietnamese-qualified lawyer with significant expertise in litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution. With extensive experience in handling cases across various sectors such as maritime, shipping, commercial, energy, and international trade, he has become a trusted advisor for clients navigating complex legal challenges in both court and arbitral proceedings.
Mr. Hong is particularly well-regarded for his work in maritime and shipping law, including cases involving ship collisions, arrests, and releases, as well as claims for salvage, wreck removal, and groundings. He has successfully represented clients in disputes concerning contracts for the sale of goods, insurance policies, facility and mortgage agreements, share transfer agreements, lease agreements, and joint ventures. His pragmatic and commercially driven approach ensures that his clients receive efficient and practical solutions to their legal problems.
Recognized for his diligence, efficiency, and strategic insights, Mr. Hong was named a Future Star in Commercial and Transactions by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific in May 2024 and was highlighted as a Leading Associate in Litigation by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific in January 2024. He is frequently appointed by businesses and individuals involved in high-stakes, cross-border disputes and is praised for his quick, proactive handling of complex legal matters.
Arbitration & Enforcement
1. Acted on Represented the claimant in a complex ad-hoc Singapore arbitration involving a logistics dispute, skillfully navigating jurisdictional challenges and securing a favorable outcome;
2. Supported the Lead Counsel in a complex JCAA (Japan Commercial Arbitration Association) arbitration involving a complex dispute arising from the high-stake sale contracts and shareholders of some affiliated companies;
3. Supported the Lead Counsel in a complex arbitration at the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (SHIAC) concerning complex shareholder disputes;
4. Acted for an Italian investor in a share transfer dispute with a Hong Kong-based entity, involving a Vietnamese company;
5. Acted on behalf of a Chinese company in a dispute concerning the non-delivery of goods;
6. Defended a multinational dairy producer in a distribution agreement dispute with a local distributor;
7. Represented a British architecture firm in enforcing an arbitral award against a state-owned bank, successfully defending against attempts to set aside the award;
Maritime & Shipping Disputes
8. Advised a barge owner regarding the insurance claim following the incident which caused the barge TO sunken;
9. Acted for an individual and her insurer regarding a claim of compensation for a collision that occurred between a truck and the vehicle of the local travel agency;
10. Acted as leading counsels for various parties, i.e., the jetty owners, shipowners, the charterers, the salvors, tug companies, pilots, cargo owners, and their underwriters in marine incidents to deal with local MPAs, claimants, and other involved parties;
11. Acted for clients in various charterparty disputes;
12. Acted for charterers in five cases arising out of a container-collapse incident;
13. Drafted and advised on various charterparties and all forms of documents for carriage of goods by sea;
14. Assisted various IG P&I clubs and their members to handle cargo claims, crew claims, bunker claims, charterparty claims, oil pollution claims, and other 3rd parties’ claims;
15. Acting for various carriers, shippers, and consignees on disputes arising from a late/failure to deliver goods, delivery of goods without surrender of the bill of lading, cargo damages/losses, exemption of carrier’s liability under local maritime laws and international conventions, and limitation of liability to the carrier under Hague-Visby Rules and Hamburg Rules;
16. Advised and represented various clients in vessel arrest proceedings in Vietnam, including securing the release of several detained vessels;
17. Acted on behalf of an insurer in defending the assured’s claim for total loss in Vietnamese courts;
18. Advised a reinsurer on liability issues under a marine cargo reinsurance policy;
19. Assisted shipowners in filing claims against cargo interests in a general average dispute, providing guidance on international enforceability and settlement;
Arbitration & Enforcement
20. Acted on Represented the claimant in a complex ad-hoc Singapore arbitration involving a logistics dispute, skillfully navigating jurisdictional challenges and securing a favorable outcome;
21. Supported the Lead Counsel in a complex JCAA (Japan Commercial Arbitration Association) arbitration involving a complex dispute arising from the high-stake sale contracts and shareholders of some affiliated companies;
22. Supported the Lead Counsel in a complex arbitration at the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (SHIAC) concerning complex shareholder disputes;
23. Acted for an Italian investor in a share transfer dispute with a Hong Kong-based entity, involving a Vietnamese company;
24. Acted on behalf of a Chinese company in a dispute concerning the non-delivery of goods;
25. Defended a multinational dairy producer in a distribution agreement dispute with a local distributor;
26. Represented a British architecture firm in enforcing an arbitral award against a state-owned bank, successfully defending against attempts to set aside the award;
Banking & Finance
27. Represented a Singaporean factory in a high-stakes dispute involving a facility agreement with two of Vietnam’s largest state-owned banks, with dispute values exceeding USD 50 million;
28. Assisted a Japanese company in structuring and executing a foreign loan agreement worth over USD 9 million with a Vietnamese company, ensuring compliance with international financial regulations;
Commercial & Corporate Disputes
29. Represented a Hong Kong-based investor in a complex shareholder dispute with a Japanese-based investor, involving litigation across three jurisdictions: Vietnamese courts, Japanese arbitration, and Shinhan arbitration;
30. Represented a German cryptocurrency company in a multi-million-dollar dispute over distribution rights following the launch of digital assets, resulting in a favorable arbitration outcome;
31. Acted for a Singaporean energy firm in a debt recovery dispute linked to loan-conversion-to-capital agreements in solar energy projects, involving intricate bankruptcy proceedings;
32. Represented a French logistics company in a contractual dispute concerning breaches in an offshore wind energy project;
33. Defended Swiss investors in a share transfer agreement dispute with a Vietnamese real estate developer;
Real Estate & Construction Disputes
34. Represented a U.S.-owned company in a lease dispute involving industrial land, and provided advice on lease extension, and successfully negotiated favorable terms through court proceedings;
35. Acted on behalf of a Japanese development owner in a dispute over construction quality and project delay;
Corporate Transactions & M&A
36. Advised a Hong Kong corporate group in the acquisition of 99% shares in a Vietnamese logistics company, managing the structuring and regulatory compliance of the transaction.