The carriage of goods by sea—both containerized and in bulk—is indispensable to the global movement of goods in international trade, and eclipses all other modes of transport—road, rail or air—in terms of volume and weight. In the last 50 years, maritime transport has evolved so that shipping today has expanded beyond port-to-port, and now frequently forms part of a global, intermodal network, linking shippers, consignees and their products by road, rail and ship. Ships—including their use, operations, purchase, sale and insurance—have become far more complex, and require the knowledge and experience from those who speak the language.

With Dentons, you’ll benefit from our in-depth understanding of the maritime sector, as well as our global reach, seamless service and multijurisdictional insight that can provide you with the right strategies to grow your business. Whether you are a ship owner, charterer, insurer, trader, operator, Non-Vessel-Owning Common Carriers (NVOCC) or financier, Dentons is ideally situated to help you in all your matters related to maritime law.

Our global Maritime practice encompasses all aspects of maritime law, including:

• Sale and purchase of vessels;
• Negotiating contracts of carriage, multi-year charter parties, ship finance agreements and litigation;
• Ship construction contracts;
• Marine insurance and reinsurance, including extensive contractual as well as litigation experience both for and against underwriter on interpretation and coverage matters including negotiation of letters of undertaking both for and with protection and indemnity insurance associations (P&I Clubs);
• Cargo claims negotiations and litigation, both as plaintiff and defendant;
• Collision cases, salvage matters ‎and arbitrations;
• Ship arrest;
• NVOCC and Freight Forwarders;
• Ship registration and transfer of registry issues;
• Negotiating major leases for specific port and maritime operations and rights-of-way for pipeline systems intended for the import and export of liquid bulk product;
• Port concessions, including the establishment of minimum wharfage guarantees, operation rules, the application of the ISPS Code requirements, and specific operational needs for users and others;
• The transport of hazardous cargoes including participation in international diplomatic conference on Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), and drafting the international treaty; and
• All aspects of General Average and the York-Antwerp Rules, including creating legal precedents that still stand after more than 40 years.

Insights

Resilience and innovation: how Ukraine’s agricultural sector is improving logistics and optimizing operations

December 18, 2024

Ukraine: For millennia, Ukraine’s fertile lands have been a cradle of agriculture, cultivated since the time of the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture, one of Europe’s earliest farming civilizations. Today, Ukraine boasts nearly a third of the world’s most fertile black soil and remains a global breadbasket.

US imposes sanctions on entities for transporting oil sold above the “price cap”

October 17, 2023

On Thursday, October 12, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) imposed blocking sanctions on two oil tankers and their registered owners for transporting Russia-origin crude oil sold above the “price cap.”

Starboard: Commercial and maritime arbitration in an ever-growing Asian economy

October 13, 2023

Singapore: The author examines arbitration of international trade and transport disputes from the perspective of continuing economic growth in Asia, as part of the Baltic Exchange’s report on top maritime centres in the world.

View all insights for Maritime

News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Dentons bolsters its Saudi presence with the arrival of Edward Rose and Guy Danalis

May 3, 2023

Dentons, the world's largest global law firm, has further expanded its Saudi Arabia practice with the recent hires of Edward Rose and Guy Danalis, from Jones Day, who both join the Firm as senior legal consultants based in Riyadh.

Top Individual Lawyers | Forbes India Legal Powerlist 2021

April 1, 2022

Delighted to share that our Partner, Anand Srivastava has been recognised in the Forbes India Legal Powerlist 2021 as one of the Top Individual Lawyers (Above 10 Years Experience) for Admiralty Maritime and Aviation.

Dentons advises Aves One on $182.5 million sale of maritime container portfolio

March 19, 2021

Global law firm Dentons has advised Aves One AG and several subsidiaries on the sale of its entire maritime container portfolio to a fund managed by investment firm Oak Hill Advisors. The transaction value amounts to $182.5 million.