Marine Pollution

The firm’s maritime practice includes collisions at sea, on board accidents, marine pollution and licensing for marine planning applications.

Maritime accidents are never welcome. When things do go wrong at sea, one of the biggest concerns, once the crew and passengers are safe, is the threat of marine pollution. If oil leaks from your ship and pollutes pristine beaches or marine life, the consequences can be very serious. The incident needs to be managed effectively, or it can spell disaster for everyone involved. If the worst happens and your ship is involved in a marine pollution incident, how can you protect your interests?

From day one, you will need an experienced legal team to guide you through the situation. Every case is different mostly when the worst happens and time is vital. The decisions you and others make in the first few hours and days after a marine casualty will have a long-term impact on every aspect of the case. Key considerations include:

Minimising damage to the environment.
Selecting the right experts.
Mobilising the right personnel and equipment.
Potential criminal charges.
Your business relationships.
Your reputation.
The cost of resolving the situation.

So you really need to get it right – from the very beginning – and not leave the outcome to chance. We are proud for providing practical advice following marine pollution incidents. Each case brings new challenges, and we work hard to help you protect your crew, reputation and ship. We will guide you calmly and seamlessly through what can be a time of major stress and disruption.

Marine pollution incidents are front-page news. We can help you deal with the media, assist your crew who will be in a vulnerable situation and liaise with local authorities and salvors. You can rest assured that we will strive to protect your interests and reduce any damaging consequences.

We are in position to assist in all marine pollution cases. From extensive oil spills to those involving wreck removal, places of refuge, regulatory issues and pollution by bunker fuel.

However, prevention is better than cure. We can help with your questions on preventing marine pollution and the regulations you need to know about when owning or operating ships.

We can also help you with:

Salvage and wreck removal
General average
Commercial Shipping
Shipping Contracts
Cargo claims
Marine debt collection
Vessel arrest
Marine litigation