shipping and maritime

Our maritime litigators assist clients in rapidly resolving disputes involving maritime attachments, arrests and judgment enforcements, commodity and trading contracts, cargo claims and crew wages.

MS Lawyers has served as counsel or acted as arbitrators in more arbitrations, we have a long history of maritime law experience and clients regularly turn to us for advice regarding all types of marine contracts.

An Informed Response from Contract Work to Litigation

Our Maritime Team includes charter party attorneys who provide recommendations on contracts of affreightment as well as time, voyage and bareboat charters. Our team also includes knowledgeable draftsmen, skilled negotiators and experienced litigators who quickly identify workable solutions to current problems and advise you on how best to respond to the unexpected.

We have handled myriad charter party disputes in both court and arbitration proceedings and, when a dispute arises, we will assist you in recovering your claim and protecting your interests. Our team approach ensures that experienced attorneys working from offices located in major coastal states will efficiently and effectively handle your matter.

Our experience is reflected in our record of achievement in charter party and Contract of Affreightment arbitrations.MS Lawyers’ maritime attorneys have served as counsel or acted as arbitrators in many arbitrations.

Maritime Attachments, Arrests and Judgment Enforcement

Realizing that maritime arbitration awards and judgments can be “Pyrrhic” victories in the absence of security, our team is well-versed in both Egyptian and International laws. We can help you quickly determine the validity of a claim or defense as well as the priority of a secured claim, which are critical considerations for ship-owners or secured creditors in large arrest and attachment proceedings.

Whether you are seeking to attach the assets of an elusive defendant, arrest the vessel of a sister company on alter-ego grounds or secure the vacatur of a maritime attachment, our team has the knowledge and flexibility to help you achieve your objectives.

 We have represented plaintiffs and defendants in many maritime attachment and arrest proceedings. we can help you enforce or defend against an arbitration award or foreign judgment.

Commodity and Trading Contracts

When working with commodity and trading contracts for oil, grain, ore and other bulk commodities, it is important to consult maritime attorneys who are experienced in arbitration and mediation under the rules of the International Court of Arbitration, American Arbitration Association, SMA, North American Export Grain Association and United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Our team has extensive experience before these forums.

Shipping Documents and Cargo Claim Defense

Our Maritime Team has extensive experience drafting shipping documents such as bills of lading, sea waybills and service contracts.

In addition, we actively defend clients against claims for cargo loss and damage, with an emphasis on claims involving international, intermodal shipments. Likewise, we have vast experience with cases involving perishable goods and the issues arising from refrigeration and controlled atmosphere shipments.

Crew Wage Disputes

Since crew wage claims can quickly evolve into “bet the company” disputes, rapid and effective advice is essential in limiting or preventing significant liability. Our team fully understands the nuances of crew claims related to the maritime industry. We regularly defend crew wage claims, particularly penalty wage claims brought under the U.S. Wage Statute, and have acted as defense counsel in several recent proceedings involving classes of crew plaintiffs.

Representative Cases

representing vessel owner in tank coating and cargo contamination dispute

defending tanker owners and charterers against market loss and other consequential damages resulting from vessel failing to meet laycan or delivery dates

representing vessel owner or charterer in defending frustration of charter claim resulting from vessel breakdown

representing ship-owners in claims to recover contribution to general average under charter parties and contracts of affreightment

representing a ship-owners in defending against charterer’s claim of unseaworthiness resulting from vessel collision in the English Channel representing ship-owners in negotiating many types of charter parties and contracts of affreightment, including specialized agreements relating to non-traditional usages (Olympic Games, motion pictures, etc.)

representing company in judgment enforcement dispute.

defending global container transportation company against cargo loss and damage claims involving refrigeration and controlled atmosphere shipments

representing ship-owners in Jones Act wage disparity and penalty wage class action dispute

representing ship-owners in vacation/holiday benefit penalty wage claims.

representing lending institution in maritime lien priority dispute. representing secured lender in fleet bankruptcy proceeding.