The ICC has released its 2025 dispute resolution statistics.
For those working in energy and infrastructure, a few of the statistics stood out:
- London remains one of the world's leading arbitral seats, ranking second only to Paris (82 vs 78 arbitrations).
- It was encouraging to read that an increasing number of different cities have been selected as seats for ICC arbitrations (up from 107 to 123). This signals an enhanced reliability and efficiency of seats outside the most common jurisdictions, making arbitration more accessible globally.
- English law retains its position as the most frequently chosen governing law, appearing in 113 newly registered cases (joint first with the law of a US state).
- There were 881 new ICC arbitrations filed in 2025, making it one of the institution's busiest years, while the number of pending cases reached a record 1,869. Interestingly, this correlated with a reduction in the average amount in dispute from USD130 million to USD50 million, perhaps evidencing fewer mega project disputes and a stronger appetite to go through with arbitration proceedings over smaller value disputes.
- Construction and energy disputes continue to dominate the caseload, together accounting for 43% of new filings. We note the number of construction disputes increased (from 193 to 246 new cases) but the number of energy disputes registered decreased (from 170 to 128 new cases). This may well be attributable to the increasing impact on construction projects of supply chain disruption arising from geopolitical events – and parties’ willingness to seek relief for the same in formal proceedings.
- The United States was the most frequent party nationality (284 parties), followed by Brazil (212), Spain (141), France (122), and China, including Hong Kong SAR (102). These statistics, coupled with the choice of law and seat of arbitration figures, show the growing dominance and importance of Latin America as part of the arbitration landscape.
- The statistics also suggest a continued emphasis on procedural efficiency. The ICC administered 169 new cases as expedited arbitrations, while 65% of expedited awards were delivered on or around the stipulated six‑month timetable.
Perhaps most encouragingly, the steady progress in arbitrator diversity continues. Women accounted for 29.6% of all confirmations and appointments in 2025, compared with 10.4% a decade ago.
Taken together, the figures reinforce three broader trends: sustained demand for international arbitration globally and with more diverse options available to parties; continuing confidence in London as a dispute resolution hub and in English law as a governing law; and increasing pressure on institutions and tribunals to deliver proceedings more efficiently without compromising quality.
