Lana Stockton
Partner | Cape Town
Contact
T: +27 21 480 7803
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 Global ranked Lana in Band 3 for her work in Shipping in South Africa (2025-2026) and prior to that, as Up and Coming (2022-2024) and as an Associate to Watch in 2021 for the same category.
- Legal 500 ranked Lana as a Next Generation Partner for her work in Shipping and Transport in South Africa (2025, 2026).
‘Lana Stockton is a friendly and efficient lawyer.’ – Chambers Global, 2026
AREA OF EXPERTISE
Qualifications
- B.Bus.Sci (Hons) and LLB (cum laude) degrees from the University of Cape Town.
INSIGHTS
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 Global ranked Lana in Band 3 for her work in Shipping in South Africa (2025-2026) and prior to that, as Up and Coming (2022-2024) and as an Associate to Watch in 2021 for the same category.
- Legal 500 ranked Lana as a Next Generation Partner for her work in Shipping and Transport in South Africa (2025, 2026).
‘Lana Stockton is a friendly and efficient lawyer.’ – Chambers Global, 2026
Keep up to date on the latest news
Our specialist practitioners share their knowledge and insights into a range of legal issues through various public speaking engagements, publications and media interactions. Subscribe to our legal updates to keep abreast of new developments.