Shipping

From major casualties to charterparty disputes, and from piracy to superyacht ownership, our 60-strong team of specialist shipping lawyers fully understands the issues facing the international maritime community. We offer 24/7 access to multi-jurisdictional expertise, multi-lingual lawyers and local support across the key trading hubs of London, Antibes, Paris, Madrid, Piraeus, and Singapore.

Global shipping expertise

With more than two centuries’ experience of assisting clients on a wide range of claims associated with operating ships and superyachts, our shipping law practice has a well established reputation. We are regularly instructed on maritime casualties, cargo claims, major losses, people claims, pollution incidents, marine insurance matters and high-profile commercial disputes arising from shipping contracts.

Clients across the global maritime sector – including ship and superyacht owners, P&I Clubs, hull insurers, brokers, banks, commodity traders, shipyards and port operators – rely on our shipping lawyers for comprehensive marine legal services. We work closely with well-established networks of loss adjusters, surveyors and investigators in different jurisdictions, to offer a dedicated, round-the-clock emergency response team tasked with dealing with clients’ legal and operational needs – from the immediate aftermath of any incident through to its resolution. With legally qualified mariners as part of the team, they benefit from practical seafaring insight alongside robust legal expertise.

Salvage is a particular area of strength – we regularly handle numerous LOF arbitrations as well as common law salvage claims. Our lawyers have a strong track record in resolving international trade disputes under the rules of major arbitral institutions, such as the LCIA, ICC, SIAC, LMAA and CAIP, and through commodities associations and mediation.

As specialists in the yacht sector, we support clients across all aspects of yacht and superyacht ownership, including sale and purchase, finance, dispute resolution and insurance, and represent owners, managers, insurers, yacht brokers, yards and marinas. With extensive practical sailing and sea-going experience on board superyachts, grand-prix racing yachts and private pleasure crafts, we offer an in-depth understanding of the industry and its challenges for both corporate and private owners.

With an international reach, the team is well-known in the sector for its shipping and trade knowledge and expertise…It handles a broad range of instructions.

Our dedicated sanctions desk helps parties negotiate on what is legally and commercially feasible in high-risk regions, responding to fast-evolving international regulations. We supply timely legal advice based on the practical aspects of how the industry operates and aimed at mitigating potential risks.

Through our active involvement with shipping and insurance industry associations as well as maritime regulators throughout the world, our shipping lawyers stay ahead of emerging trends and developments affecting the sector and regularly share their knowledge with a wide range of organisations. This ongoing engagement ensures our clients have access to forward-thinking advice that reflects both current and future demands.

How we help our clients

Casualties, collisions, fires, pollution and salvage

Charterparties, bills of lading, trade tariffs and cargo disputes

Passenger shipping operations, people claims and marine crime

International trade and commodities

Offshore projects, disputes and regulatory matters

Logistics and supply chain

Yachts and superyachts

Ship and yacht finance

Shipbuilding and repair contracts

Piracy and maritime security, including cybersecurity and digital risk

Regulations: EU Emissions Trading System, renewable and low-carbon fuels, ship recycling, and sanctions

Specialised maritime employment law

Useful resources

Costs law services

The Penningtons shipping team is excellent…They bring out-of-the-box thinking to the table. It is a combination of experience and agility.

Penningtons are experts at handling complex matters in such a way that their client is at ease and is able to rely upon them to see matters through from the inception to the conclusion of a claim.

Works with clients on wet and dry shipping matters, with acknowledged ability in contract disputes, maritime casualties and marine insurance matters. Other areas of expertise include pollution and marine personal injury matters.

There seems to be more good shipping case law coming out of Penningtons than any other shipping firm at present.

Excellent management of procedures, outstanding representation in court, as well as extensive experience in out-of-court settlements, mediations and arbitrations.

Recent work highlights

Panama Canal three-way collision case

Acting on a reported case for a vessel owner involved in a complex three-way collision that occurred in the Panama Canal, which ultimately proceeded to trial in the Admiralty Court in London.

Supreme Court appeal after engine room fire

Acting for the leading hull and machinery underwriters in a claim for US$15 million brought by the former owners of MV Renos following a casualty that took place near Suez and reached the Supreme Court.

Fatal collapse of shore crane onto vessel

Representing the owners of the Maersk Karachi in connection with a multi-faceted and high-value claim stemming from the collapse of a shore crane onto the vessel’s deck during port operations.

Unsafe port allegation following grounding

Advising charterers in defending an unsafe port claim following the grounding of a vessel in a West African port, including an assessment of contractual obligations and potential liabilities.

SIAC arbitration for coal trader

Successfully acting for a coal trader in Singapore International Arbitration Centre proceedings against its counterparty for failure to take delivery of two parcels of Indonesian-source coal cargoes.

Limitation fund after major yacht fire

Successfully establishing a limitation fund in England following a yacht fire, having resisted a jurisdiction challenge by a party that had commenced substantive proceedings in another jurisdiction.

Red Sea maritime risk analysis

Advising on multiple instructions concernng contractual rights to avoid sailing through the Red Sea due to the threat of attack by Houthi forces, including analysis of risk allocation, cost recovery, loss of time, and the potential application of force majeure or frustration.

Robust response to mining corruption

Advising a listed, multi-million dollar mining company in relation to attempts by local officials to procure bribes from the organisation, including guidance on legal obligations, risk mitigation strategies, and engagement with relevant regulatory and enforcement bodies.

Sanctions advice and contractual clauses

Providing guidance on sanctions-related matters, including sanctions clauses incorporated into charterparties and other contracts, as well as licence applications for financial institutions in the Middle East and Asian regions.

First dual-fuel ammonia powered vessel

Negotiating contracts on behalf of a maritime systems engineering company for the design, build and delivery of the world’s first class-approved ammonia fuel and bunker system.

Ferry fire and cargo damage

Advising on a case involving a fire aboard a ferry caused by the failure of a lithium-ion battery, resulting in significant damage to the vessel and its cargo, and prompting an enquiry by the local maritime authorities.

Collision leading to criminal proceedings

Assisting clients who faced criminal proceedings in the UK following a maritime collision which tragically resulted in a number of fatalities.

Red Sea maritime risk analysis

Robust response to mining corruption

Sanctions advice and contractual clauses

First dual-fuel ammonia powered vessel

Negotiating contracts on behalf of a maritime systems engineering company for the design, build and delivery of the world’s first class-approved ammonia fuel and bunker system.

Ferry fire and cargo damage

Collision leading to criminal proceedings

Assisting clients who faced criminal proceedings in the UK following a maritime collision which tragically resulted in a number of fatalities.

Case studies

Real-world examples of how we’ve helped clients navigate complex legal challenges.

We have been instructed by the Swedish P&I Club (as the leading hull and machinery underwriters) and the following market in a claim for US$15 million brought by the former owners of MV Renos following an engine room fire that took place near Suez in 2012.

Following the grounding of one of the world’s largest megayachts in the Eastern Mediterranean, our Piraeus office was instructed to assist the assured megayacht owners with recovery of the costs of one the most expensive megayacht repair claims under their policy of insurance.

We have been instructed by Maersk, which owns and operates the Maersk Karachi, in relation to the collapse of a shore crane onto her deck, and the tragic loss of the crane operator.

This case involved a fire on a car carrier, Asian Chorus, as it was passing through the Malacca Straits. Spanish cargo underwriters instructed our Madrid office over the loss and damage of 114 cars.

Following a drawn-out battle with Chinese guarantors, members of our London-based team instructed by the shipowners, were successful in the Court of Appeal in the case of Spar Shipping AS v Grand China Logistics Holding (Group) Co Limited.