Private Law Theory

ABSTRACT
The UK’s Arbitration Act 2025 introduces significant enhancements to the Arbitration Act 1996, marking the first major statutory reform of England’s arbitral framework in nearly three decades. Instead of repealing the 1996 Act, the sweeping reform strengthens the foundations of the arbitral framework with particular implications for maritime arbitration. It marks the most significant legislative reform of the nation’s arbitral framework since the 1996 Act to reinforce London’s standing as a premier arbitral seat. It also introduces a default rule on the law governing arbitration agreements and refines court support in aid of arbitral proceedings. These measures are designed to modernise practice and reinforce London’s status as a leading arbitral seat. Drawing on the legislative history and comparative review, this article argues that, while the Act modernises core procedures codifying statutory duties of disclosure, summary disposals, emergency arbitrators, arbitrator’s immunity, third-party court orders, and so on, its success will depend on uptake by practitioners, judicial interpretations, and institutional adaptation. Through a sector-specific lens, the article evaluates the Act’s implications for the London Maritime Arbitrators Association’s arbitrators and the Baltic and International Maritime Council’s standard clauses, highlighting both procedural gains and transitional challenges. This whole analysis concludes that the Act represents an incremental modernisation—a pragmatic recalibration that consolidates London’s role in global maritime arbitration while leaving open questions of sector-specific uptake and judicial interpretation.

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Jannatul Shareat Disha, UK Arbitration Act 2025: modernisation, maritime arbitration, and the future of London as a global arbitral seat, Uniform Law Review. Published: 23 September 2026.