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Contact with chambers should be made through the Practice Management Team. They are happy to discuss client requirements and provide further information on such matters as the expertise and experience of individual members, fees, working practices and languages spoken. We have members able to work in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Greek and Chinese (Mandarin).

Outside working hours, a member of our team is always available to be contacted on matters of an urgent nature. Contact should be made using the Chambers main number or email.

Visiting Twenty Essex: Our London premises welcome guests at No 23 Essex Street. Step-free access is available via Milford Lane, with elevator access to all floors in No 23.

Singapore office: For client enquiries please contact our Head of BD, Asia Pacific, Katie-Beth Jones, and for all other queries please contact Lynn Quek. Out-of-office-hours calls will automatically be diverted to our practice management team in London.

London

20 Essex Street
London
WC2R 3AL

[email protected]
t: +44 20 7842 1200

Singapore

28 Maxwell Road
#02-03 Maxwell Chambers Suites
Singapore 069120

[email protected]
t: +65 62257230

Contact

Contact with chambers should be made through the Practice Management Team. They are happy to discuss client requirements and provide further information on such matters as the expertise and experience of individual members, fees, working practices and languages spoken. We have members able to work in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Greek and Chinese (Mandarin).

Outside working hours, a member of our team is always available to be contacted on matters of an urgent nature. Contact should be made using the Chambers main number or email.

Visiting Twenty Essex: Our London premises welcome guests at No 23 Essex Street. Step-free access is available via Milford Lane, with elevator access to all floors in No 23.

Singapore office: For client enquiries please contact our Head of BD, Asia Pacific, Katie-Beth Jones, and for all other queries please contact Lynn Quek. Out-of-office-hours calls will automatically be diverted to our practice management team in London.

London

20 Essex Street
London
WC2R 3AL

[email protected]
t: +44 20 7842 1200

Singapore

28 Maxwell Road
#02-03 Maxwell Chambers Suites
Singapore 069120

[email protected]
t: +65 62257230

< Back To News
09/02/2026

Court of Appeal awards Sahara US$77m for “Undisputed Claims”

The Court of Appeal has awarded US$77m in favour of Sahara Energy Resource Ltd against Sonara, the state-owned oil refinery of Cameroon, overturning the judgment of Cockerill J (as she then was).

The Court of Appeal ruled that “Undisputed Claims” in a Joint Report signed in September 2019 following settlement meetings meant that Sonara had accepted liability for those claims. Despite the word “Undisputed”, Sonara disputed liability, and Cockerill J had agreed with Sonara.

The claims arose from the delivery of crude oil cargoes to Sonara between 2013 and 2016, for which payment was significantly delayed. As a result, Sahara suffered substantial losses by way of interest and foreign exchange.

The two judgments also deal with various other interesting legal questions, such as whether default interest clauses are exclusive remedies, the interpretation of indemnity clauses, and the running of limitation periods for claims under indemnity clauses.

Timothy Young KC and Stephen Du acted for the successful appellants, together with Joseph Rich at 7KBW, instructed by Alexander Sandiforth at Reed Smith LLP.

Copies of the judgments at are available below:

Relevant members
Timothy Young KC Stephen Du
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