The SIArb-SCMA Maritime Arbitrator’s Fellowship Course (“Course" or "MAFC”) will be offered by the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (“SIArb”) in conjunction with Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (“SCMA”).

The Course will comprise SIArb’s Fellowship Assessment Course (“FAC”) which will be held in a hybrid format, in conjunction with SCMA’s Maritime Arbitrator Accreditation Programme (“MAAP”) which will be held in person.

This Course is suitable for current and aspiring maritime arbitrators.

COURSE SYNOPSIS

Fellowship Assessment Course (FAC)

This Course consists of 6 modules with a total of 9 lectures, 6 practical workshops and an Award Writing Examination:

• Module 1 will cover the basic concepts and principles on the sources of law, the law of contract, the law of tort, and the treatment of evidence. Candidates who have obtained a degree in law from a university or other tertiary institution recognised by the SIArb (or such other legal qualifications as the SIArb may in its absolute discretion accept) are exempted from Module 1. All other candidates are required to attend Module 1 and attend Practical Workshop 1.
• Module 2 relates to (i) the acceptance of an arbitral appointment, covering topics such as conducting conflict checks and making disclosures before or when accepting an appointment; (ii) dealing with jurisdictional challenges; and (iii) emergency arbitrations.
• Module 3 covers (i) case management in conducting an arbitration; (ii) techniques for controlling time and costs in an arbitration; and (iii) drafting procedural orders.
• Module 4 covers (i) dealing with interlocutory applications; (ii) drafting discovery orders; (iii) dealing with costs of interlocutory applications; (iv) dealing with extension of time applications and guerilla tactics; and (v) dealing with preliminary issues.
• Module 5 covers the conduct of the evidentiary hearing.
• Finally, Module 6 covers the practical aspects of actually writing the Final Award.
• In the Practical Workshops, lecturers and tutors will address questions from candidates and show practical examples of an arbitrator’s work product such as procedural orders, Redfern Schedules, discovery orders and interim awards. In Practical Workshop 6, the lecturer of Module 6 will dissect a sample award to see how it should, or should not, be written.
• In the Award Writing Examination, candidates will be required to write an enforceable final award.

---

Format and Delivery

For the first-time in its history, SIArb will conduct FAC in a *hybrid format as follows:

• Each lecture will be delivered online by way of a Zoom webinar recording which can be accessed remotely and on demand during the period specified in the Course Schedule below. Each candidate is required to view each lecture in sequence and in its entirety. The first lecture is preceded by an Introductory Video by the Course Director. The total scheduled duration of all lectures is about 13.5 hours. Each Practical Workshop will be led by one or more Workshop leaders in a live interactive class which can either be attended:
  1. In person at the Workshop venue; or
  2.  Virtually on SIArb’s Zoom meeting platform. Practical Workshop 1 will be conducted virtually.
• Each candidate is required to attend the full duration of each Practical Workshop, the dates of which are specified in the Course Schedule below. The total scheduled duration of all 6 Practical Workshops is 10 hours. The Award Writing Examination is an open-book examination which will be conducted virtually on SIArb’s online course portal and/or on the Zoom meeting platform over a period of 3.0 hours on the date specified in the Course Schedule below. Each candidate is required to sit for and pass this written examination by writing an enforceable final award within the time and based on the facts given.

For more details on the FAC course coverage, please click HERE.

For more details on the FAC Faculty, please click HERE. 

---

 Completion of FAC

 To complete the FAC successfully, a candidate must:

 (a)   Achieve 100% attendance at all the Practical Workshops; and

(b)   Pass the open-book Award Writing Examination.

Criteria for Admission to FAC

Admission to the FAC is open to:

1. Lawyers with at least 10 years involvement in litigation/dispute resolution; or who have been active arbitrators, and can provide documentary evidence of such experience; OR

2. Non-lawyers who have at least 10 years of involvement in dispute resolution or who have been active arbitrators, and who can provide documentary evidence of such experience; OR

3. Those who have successfully completed the International Entry Course conducted by SIArb or such other equivalent course as may be recognised by SIArb.

---

Maritime Arbitrator Accreditation Program (MAAP)

SCMA’s MAAP will be held in-person on 14 October 2022 and consists of 2 workshops and a Written Assessment.

• Module 1: The Legal Framework: Litigation & Maritime Arbitration – 2.5 hours

  This module will cover an overview of maritime arbitration and issues specific to maritime arbitration, in particular, a discussion on various ADR solutions (costs and time frames), litigation (why it is less suited to commercial parties), and arbitration (advantages and disadvantages of arbitration in a maritime context, fundamental features of maritime arbitration and others).

• Module 2: The SCMA Framework – 2.5 hours

  This module will cover the SCMA framework for maritime arbitration and will include the SCMA Model Arbitration Clauses, the Expedited Claims Procedure, the Expedited Arbitral Determination of Collision Claims (SEADOCC), managing arbitration and legal costs, and managing the arbitration procedure.

See MAAP outline HERE for the detailed programme structure.  

For more details of the MAAP Faculty, please click HERE.

To complete the MAAP successfully, a candidate must:

FAC Lectures
Lecture videos (and the Introductory Video) will be accessible remotely and on demand during this self-study period	9.00am on 7 September 2022 to 6.00pm on 7 November 2022

FAC In-Person or Virtual Practical Workshops (candidates choose to attend all workshops either in-person or virtually via Zoom)
Date	Time	Workshop
7 October 2022	10.30am - 12.00pm	Workshop 1 for Module 1
4 November 2022	9.00am - 9.10am 9.10am - 10.40am 10.40am - 11.00am 11.00am – 12.30pm 12.30pm – 1.45pm 1.45pm – 3.15pm 3.15pm - 3.30pm	Course Director’s Opening Remarks In-Person or Online Workshop 2 for Module 2 Break In-Person or Online Workshop 3 for Module 3 Lunch In-Person or Online Workshop 4 for Module 4 Day 1 Wrap Up
5 November 2022	9.00am – 10.30am 10.30am – 11.00am 11.00am - 1.30pm 1.30pm – 2.00pm	In-Person or Online Workshop 5 for Module 5 Break In-Person or Online Workshop 6 for Module 6 Course Director’s Closing Remarks & Briefing on Online Examination
7 November 2022	10.00am - 1.00pm	Online Award Writing Examination

NB: SIArb reserves the right to allocate candidates to groups for the Practical Workshops. Candidates should ensure they are available for the full day on both dates.

 MAAP Schedule: 

14 October 2022	9.00am – 9.15am 9.15am - 10.30am  10.30am - 10.45am  10.45am - 12.00pm  12.00pm - 1.15pm  1.15pm - 2.30pm  2.30pm - 2.45pm 2.45pm - 4.00pm  4.00pm - 4.30pm	Registrations Module 1: The Legal Framework: Litigation & Maritime Arbitration  Break Module 1: The Legal Framework: Litigation & Maritime Arbitration (Cont'd) Lunch Module 2: The SCMA Framework Break Module 2: The SCMA Framework (Cont'd) Closing Remarks & Briefing on Written Assessment
17 October 2022	10.00am - 12.30pm	Online Written Assessment

 

ASSESSMENTS

• The FAC Award Writing Examination is an open-book examination which will be conducted virtually on SIArb’s online course portal and/or on its Zoom meeting platform over a period of 3.0 hours on 7 November 2022, 10.00am – 1.00pm (login at 9.30am sharp). Each candidate is required to sit for and pass this written examination by writing an enforceable final award within the time and based on the facts given.  
• The MAAP Written Assessment is an open-book examination which will be conducted virtually on SIArb’s online course portal and/or on its Zoom meeting platform on 17 October 2022, 10.00am - 12.30pm. Each candidate is required to sit for and pass this Written Assessment.

CERTIFICATE(S) GRANTED UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION

1. A candidate who successfully completes both FAC and MAAP will be awarded a“Certificate of Fellowship in Maritime Arbitration” jointly issued by SIArb and SCMA.  A candidate who has successfully completed the Course may, subject to satisfying other relevant criteria, apply for admission as a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators.
2. A candidate who successfully completes only FAC will be awarded SIArb’s “Fellowship Assessment Course Certificate”.  A candidate who has successfully completed FAC may, subject to satisfying other relevant criteria, apply for admission as a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators. 
3. A candidate who successfully completes only MAAP will be awarded the SIArb-SCMA  “Certificate of Completion of the Maritime Arbitrator Accreditation Programme”.
   
   

**COURSE FEES 

HYBRID FAC FORMAT (IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS, ONLINE LECTURES & EXAMINATION) + In person MAAP

Member of SIArb or SCMA	Non-Member
S$4,700 (All Modules of FAC plus MAAP)	S$5,200 (All Modules of FAC plus MAAP)
S$4,100 (Modules 2,3,4,5 & 6 of FAC plus MAAP)	S$4,600 (Modules 2,3,4,5 & 6 of FAC plus MAAP)
S$1,400 (MAAP only)	S$1,600 (MAAP only)

FULLY ONLINE FAC FORMAT + In person MAAP

Member of SIArb or SCMA	Non-Member
S$4,300 (All Modules of FAC plus MAAP)	S$4,800 (All Modules of FAC plus MAAP)
S$3,700 (Modules 2,3,4,5 & 6 of FAC plus MAAP)	S$4,000 (Modules 2,3,4,5 & 6 of FAC plus MAAP)
S$1,400 (MAAP only)	S$1,600 (MAAP only)

 **MCF Training Grant is available for eligible course participants. Please refer here for information on the MCF Training Grant.

For enquiries, please contact the SIArb Secretariat:

---

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

To properly participate in the hybrid or online course, you will require the following which must be put in place before the virtual Practical Workshops and Online Examinations (no exceptions will be entertained) :

1. A laptop or computer (as typing will be required during the virtual Practical Workshops and Online Examinations, accessing via mobile phone or other mobile devices is not encouraged)
2. Stable Internet access from the same laptop/computer– a wired connection is recommended (this is especially important for taking the online written assessment)
3. An Internet browser on the same laptop/computer
4. A video camera (either external or built-in to your laptop or computer) to participate in the virtual Practical Workshops and Online Examinations
5. Zoom Client for Meetings
   If you have not used Zoom before, click HERE to download the latest version for security reasons. Even if you already have Zoom installed, we recommend that you check to ensure you have updated to the latest version due to frequent security upgrades and to ensure that your laptop/computer meets the minimum requirements for the use of Zoom.

 

REGISTRATION, REFUND & CANCELLATION POLICY

1. Places are limited and can only be allocated in order of priority upon receipt of registration and any payment due.
2. Acceptance or rejection of an application for admission is at the sole discretion of SIArb.
3. The closing date is 1 September 2022.  In-person places are limited and placement is on a first-come-first-served basis.
4. Registrations received on or before the closing date are confirmed upon RECEIPT OF FULL PAYMENT.
5. SIArb reserves the right to change the content of the programme and/or the faculty without prior notice.
6. SIArb is committed to staging a successful programme.  However, we reserve the right to cancel the programme in which case refunds will be given, but otherwise, no refunds will be made for cancellations or no-shows by those who registered.
7. SIArb reserves the right to change the venue or format of MAFC or MAAP (to either purely virtual or purely in-person), or amend any of the other details published.

 

	SILE CPD Points  Practice Area: Alternative Dispute Resolution  Training Level: Advanced  Public CPD Points:  MAAP only - 5.5 Public CPD Points  MAAP and FAC Modules 2 to 4 (4 Nov 2022) - 10 Public CPD Points MAAP and FAC Modules 5 to 6 (5 Nov 2022) - 8.5 Public CPD Points
	RICS:  MAAP Formal CPD Hours (TBC) Module 1: Formal CPD Hours (TBC) Modules 2 to 4: Formal CPD Hours (TBC) Modules 5 to 6: Formal CPD Hours (TBC) RICS members can obtain and submit CPD hours for attendance of this event. More details HERE.	BOA-SIA: TBC SPM: TBC PEB: TBC

This year, SIArb will resume awarding a prize for the best arbitral award written by a candidate in the Fellowship Assessment Course. The winner of the prize will be announced at SIArb’s Annual Dinner on 30 November 2022