Shipping Law
A substantial proportion of the international movement of goods takes place by sea and their transport is made complex by regulations, a chain of contractual relationships and the multi-jurisdictional aspects of the shipping trade.
There are two parts of shipping laws, contentious or non-contentious. In addition to those two parts, there are two further areas of international shipping law: “dry” shipping that is comprised of ‘bill of lading’, ‘contractual issues’, ‘charter party disputes’, and disputes on cargo damage. The second type of shipping law is ‘wet’ shipping which usually includes casualties (i.e. shipping accidents or collisions).
The shipping industry is recession proof because of its counter-cyclical nature. This makes international shipping law and industry an excellent avenue of investment in these tough economic times.
We represent our clients in the full range of issues arising in this sector and often undertake private client work on behalf of our shipowner clients. We are specialized in advising on:
- International trade
- Contracts relating to the transport of goods by sea, including bills of lading, charter parties and contracts of affreightment
- Litigation and arbitration (primarily under the LMAA rules) arising from charter party and cargo disputes, vessel and asset arrests, insurance disputes
- Sale and purchase of vessels
- Shipbuilding contracts
- Financing of vessel acquisitions and shipbuilding
- Vessel ownership structures including the establishment of offshore companies, tax efficiency planning, registration.
Having a sound understanding of international trade and maritime transport, our shipping lawyers offer legal advice on a wide range of contentious matters, practicing both wet and dry shipping.