Worldwide: Marine/ Shipping

The UK Government is consulting on a revised Ports National Policy Statement (NPS), updating the 2012 version to reflect changes in legislation, trade, technology...

Global supply chains are in the midst of major turmoil, driven by an intensifying trade tension and a new wave of tariffs. On April 2nd, 2025, the U.S. Administration announced a significant shift in U.S. trade policy...

When crew turnover is high and safety management lacks oversight, even the most luxurious vessel can face operational risks, inefficiencies and compliance challenges.

In Rhine Shipping v Vitol [2024], the Court of Appeal upheld the decision that Vitol's internal swaps, unaffected by Rhine's breach of contract, did not reduce Vitol's damages. Rhine's re-cast appeal was dismissed due to lack of trial evidence.

A recent ruling clarified that slot charterers, including Maersk and Bengal Tiger Line, qualify as "charterers" under Article 1(2) of the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, allowing them to limit liability for losses.

The Star Axe I LLC v. Royal and Sun Alliance Luxembourg S.A. decision challenges the long-standing interpretation of the Congenbill 1994 clause incorporating the 1994 York-Antwerp Rules (YAR). The court ruled that the clause actually includes the 2016 YAR, potentially disrupting previous GA assessments and raising risks related to the YAR 2016's one-year time bar. This ruling could lead to significant legal uncertainties in general average claims.

Bristol-based Beam has launched the world's first AI-driven autonomous underwater vehicle to inspect offshore wind turbines in Scotland. This "embodied AI" solution enhances safety by eliminating human underwater inspections, providing faster, higher-quality data, and reducing costs for underwater surveys.

The 2024 Trade, Aircraft, and Shipping Sanctions Regulations empower UK authorities to impose substantial civil penalties for breaches, enforce reporting obligations, and proactively investigate non-compliance, enhancing sanctions enforcement.

On 12 September 2024, the UK Government introduced the Trade, Aircraft and Shipping Sanctions (Civil Enforcement) Regulations 2024, empowering the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation to enforce sanctions with civil penalties, effective 10 October 2024.