water transportation
Overview

We have significant experience representing shippers, intermediaries, and carriers in a variety of maritime transactions and matters. Our lawyers are skilled in drafting and reviewing international service contracts, charter agreements, ocean bills of lading and towage contracts. Moreover, our lawyers were instrumental in the passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998 (OSRA) and consequently are nationally renowned for their work with respect to U.S. regulation of the ocean liner industry. Our client services include the following:

  • Draft and review maritime transportation contracts, charter parties, and ocean bills of lading.
  • Advise clients on matters relative to maritime statutes and regulations, including OSRA, cargo liability governed by the U.S. Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA) and the coastwise trades regulated under the Jones Act.
  • Handle complex litigation before state and federal courts and arbitration panels concerning contract performance by carriers, and cargo loss and damage claims.
  • Advise and represent clients in litigation and arbitration of inland barge transportation, charter party, and other admiralty and maritime disputes.
  • Counsel clients on the application of the antitrust laws to transportation arrangements and disputes.
  • Prepare and file ocean transportation intermediary licensing applications.
Experience
Representative Experience
  • Played instrumental role in achieving partial deregulation of the U.S. international ocean liner industry through adoption of OSRA.
  • Participated in every rulemaking proceeding initiated by the FMC to implement OSRA.
  • Drafted numerous ocean shipping service contracts for shippers and NVOCCs.
  • Participated in workshops and meetings to address international maritime policy arranged by the Maritime Transport Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and The Comite Maritime International.
  • Arbitrated a charter party dispute regarding demurrage and cancellation charges.
  • Arbitrated a charter party dispute regarding cargo damaged in-transit.
  • Represented shippers and NVOCC in investigations by the FMC concerning compliance with the 1984 Shipping Act.
  • Drafted bills of lading.
  • Drafted barge transportation agreements.