Published: 2026-06-29 09:18
Recently, the Foreign-Related Maritime Tribunal of Xiamen Maritime Court issued a ruling on a case concerning confirmation of the validity of an arbitration agreement. The tribunal confirmed that the arbitration clause stipulated by the parties involved, which designates the International Commercial Dispute Prevention and Settlement Organization (ICDPASO), is legally binding. This ruling provides judicial support for parties opting for ICDPASO as their commercial arbitration institution.
The claimant, a logistics company based in Xiamen, and the respondent, a shipping company incorporated in Singapore, set forth the following arbitration clause in their Letter of Intent: “All disputes arising out of or in connection with this contract, shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the International Commercial Dispute Prevention and Settlement Organization (ICDPASO) in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of ICDPASO in force at the time of filing the application. The seat of the arbitration shall be Xiamen, China. The arbitration languages shall be Chinese and English. The arbitral award shall be final and binding on the parties.”
After review, the Foreign-Related Maritime Tribunal of Xiamen Maritime Court ruled that ICDPASO boasts a complete and sophisticated set of arbitration rules, with institutional administrative functions undertaken by the Arbitration Court. The tribunal held that the arbitration clause contained in the Letter of Intent is complete in all essential elements and legally valid. This ruling delivers clear and stable legal expectations for international commercial entities that select ICDPASO to conduct international commercial arbitration.
By HUANG Huazhen, ZHONG Yuan
