Legalseas

Legal and market updates from our maritime lawyers around the world

Our shipping law insights provide legal and market commentary, addressing the key questions and topics of interest to our clients operating in the shipping industry, helping them to effectively manage risk.

The knowledge of our global shipping lawyers encompasses every aspect of shipping law, including admiralty and marine-related matters. We provide the information charterers, marine insurance providers, ship financiers and shipowners need in order to navigate the changes and challenges facing the industry, including new environmental regulations and ship safety standards, the latest developments in shipping finance, and the move towards digitalization.

Recent insights

USTR announces significant fees on Chinese and other vessels

On April 17, the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) released its Notice of Action and Proposed Action in Section 301 Investigation of China’s Targeting the Maritime, Logistics and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance, Request for Comments (the Notice).

Global | Publication | April 21, 2025

<em>Hapag-Lloyd v Skyros</em>: Calculation of loss (if any) caused by charterers late redelivery

Hapag-Lloyd v Skyros: Calculation of loss (if any) caused by charterers late redelivery

Despite the late redelivery of the vessels at a time when the market rate was higher than the charter rate, the Commercial Court held, on appeal from two arbitration awards dealing with the same preliminary issue, that the owners were only entitled to recover nominal damages from the charterer, and not substantial damages.

Global | Publication | March 04, 2025

A new year ahead for shipping – environmental and regulatory compliance

Much like 2024, 2025 will be a further period of huge change and challenge for all participants in the shipping industry.

Global | Publication | January 24, 2025

Paying the Price: Court of Appeal holds debt still due when non-fulfilment of a condition precedent is caused by the buyer’s own breach

In King Crude Carriers SA & Ors v Ridgebury November LLC & Ors [2024] EWCA Civ 719 the Court of Appeal held that the claimant sellers (the Sellers) were entitled to claim the deposits promised under sale contracts as a debt despite the defendant buyers’ (the Buyers) breach of contract, which had resulted in the non-fulfilment of a condition precedent to the payment of the deposits.

Global | Publication | December 18, 2024

Can a charterer procure the release of a laden vessel arrested by a mortgagee bank?

As previously observed, conflicts occasionally arise between mortgagees and charterers where a mortgagee wishes to take prompt action to enforce its rights, but the charterer wishes such enforcement action to be deferred until the end of the charter.

Global | Publication | December 05, 2024

FuelEU Maritime

The EU’s regulation on the FuelEU Maritime Initiative (FEUM) is due to come into force in January 2025. FEUM is part of a bundle of environmental measures introduced by the EU, known as “Fit for 55, and is designed to accelerate the decarbonisation of the maritime industry by applying an increasingly stringent set of targets supported by financial penalties for non-compliance, which it is hoped will increase demand for (and use of) renewable and low-carbon maritime fuels and decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the maritime sector.

Global | Publication | October 03, 2024

EU Taxonomy for shipping: A transition to sustainability

On 21 November 2023 and following extensive consultation periods, the amendment to the Climate Delegated Act (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 of 4 June 2021) (the Climate Delegated Act) was formally adopted by the European Commission and published in the EU Official Journal (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2485 of 27 June 2023) (the Climate Delegated Act Amendment).

EMEA | Publication | July 04, 2024

What is a “ship”?

What appears to be a simple question is not as straightforward as one would think. One might take the view that it is just a matter of common sense whether something is a ship or not, yet it is difficult to define exhaustively what exactly a ship is, or the extent to which something forms part of a “ship”.

EMEA | Publication | June 04, 2024

UK’s new failure to prevent fraud offence and how it impacts non-UK companies

The UK’s Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 and the much-discussed new failure to prevent fraud offence is likely to come into force (after government guidance is issued) by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

EMEA | Publication | May 20, 2024

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