This is an edited version of a paper delivered at the twenty-first International Congress of Maritime Arbitrators (ICMA XXI), held in Rio de Janeiro from 8 to 13 March 2020. ICMA was established in Moscow in 1972 by a group of maritime arbitrators from various jurisdictions, including the legendary Cedric Barclay, a former CIArb president. It brings together arbitral institutions, arbitrators’ associations, lawyers, and shipping professionals from around the world. This paper draws attention to ad hoc arbitration, still the most popular form of international commercial arbitration for the resolution of shipping disputes. English Commercial Court judges treat ad hoc as the norm but thought leaders in international arbitration, the legal press, universities, and national legislatures are increasingly dismissive and even hostile towards it. This was a call for solidarity in the international arbitration community to protect ad hoc arbitration and to promote dialogue and understanding.