Introduction

With Sri Lanka positioned as a strategic maritime hub in the Indian Ocean, our Admiralty & Shipping practice offers specialist legal expertise in both domestic and international maritime matters. We provide expertise on all aspects of admiralty and shipping law, including ship arrests, cargo claims, vessel mortgage enforcement, salvage and port handling disputes, charter parties and bills of lading, marine insurance, and maritime litigation.

Our team of maritime lawyers and admiralty lawyers combines in-depth knowledge of Sri Lankan regulations with a strong understanding of international maritime conventions, enabling us to navigate complex shipping disputes with precision and efficiency.

Our Admiralty & Shipping Legal Services

We provide end-to-end legal solutions across the full spectrum of admiralty and shipping matters, including:

• Shipping Disputes & Litigation: Representation in contractual, operational, and commercial disputes involving ships, cargo, and marine insurance.
• Cargo Claims: Advice and legal support in cases of damage, loss, or delay.
• Vessel Arrest & Release: Strategic guidance on vessel arrests and releases, protecting client interests while minimizing costs.
• Ship Registration & Financing: Assistance with vessel registration, sale and purchase agreements, mortgage enforcement, and financing arrangements.
• Maritime Contracts: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating charter parties, bills of lading, towage and salvage contracts, and other shipping agreements.
• Marine Insurance & Liability Disputes: Representation in claims and liability disputes.
• Environmental & Pollution Claims: Advising on marine environmental incidents, including oil spills and pollution incidents.
• Crew & Seafarer Matters: Legal guidance on employment contracts, injury claims, repatriation, and related issues.

Local and International Compliance

We are well-versed in global maritime conventions, including the SOLAS Convention, MARPOL, and the Hague-Visby Rules, and ensure full compliance with Sri Lanka’s admiralty and shipping regulations. This dual expertise enables our maritime law firm to represent clients effectively in cross-border disputes and transactions.

Notable Matters
Our experience includes:

• MV X-Press Pearl: Advised the London P&I Club and vessel owners following a major fire and sinking of the vessel in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s most serious marine environmental disaster.
• MT New Diamond: Advised West of England P&I Club and owners during a significant fire off the Sri Lankan coast.
• MT Kutch Bay: Advised UBS Switzerland AG in in rem proceedings over cargo delivery disputes and priority claim matters.
• MV X-Press Kohima: Advised London Club P&I and vessel owner in multiple sister-ship cargo claims.
• CMA CGM S.A.: Made representation in delictual liability claims relating to cargo damage.
• Barge Olympic Sembakung: Advised Shipowners’ Mutual P&I Association (Luxembourg) on wreck removal obligations.
• Vessel sales and deregistration: Advised Mercmarine Group of Companies on sale, mortgage deletion, and deregistration of two vessels, including regulatory filings.
• MV YM Fountain: Advised Britannia P&I Club and Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation in in rem proceedings arising from sister ship claims.

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