Maritime

Recent Articles

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  02/07/2024

  United Kingdom

  Ports Infrastructure – what do the election manifestos tell us?

  In April this year, the Labour party pledged to invest up to £1.8bn into port infrastructure if they win the 2024 general election. The planned investment forms part of Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan, with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves saying ports would be at the centre of Labour’s plans to make Britain a clean energy superpower. But what else do the general election manifestos of the major UK parties tell us about the future for ports infrastructure in the UK?With the exception of Reform UK, all the main UK political parties target a substantial increase in offshore renewable...

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  18/06/2024

  UAE

  UAE’s new Maritime Law – a closer look at the revised law on vessel arrests

  The UAE government recently issued Federal Decree-Law No 43 of 2023 on Maritime Law, which came into effect on 29 March 2024 (the “Maritime Law”).The Maritime Law aims to modernise the legal framework for maritime activities, align with international standards, and enhance the UAE's status as a regional shipping hub. This represents a substantial change from the old maritime law, Federal Law No.26 of 1981 Concerning Commercial Maritime Law.Our previous Law-Now on the Maritime Law previously addressed the changes to vessel registration, liens, chartering, and time bars, which you can...

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  11/06/2024

  UAE

  UAE introduces new Maritime Law to boost shipping industry

  Introduction  The UAE government recently issued Federal Decree-Law No 43 of 2023 on Maritime Law, which came into effect on 29 March 2024 (the “Maritime Law”).The Maritime Law aims to modernise the legal framework for maritime activities, align with international standards, and enhance the UAE's status as a regional shipping hub. This represents a substantial change from the old maritime law, Federal Law No.26 of 1981 Concerning Commercial Maritime Law.The Maritime Law features a significantly enhanced structure, offering greater ease of navigation and accessibility. The provisions...

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  05/09/2023

  International

  Deep sea mining: navigating in murky waters

  On 9 July 2023, the latest deadline for finalising the draft exploitation regulations for deep sea mining in international waters expired without agreement.1 This deadline resulted from a letter from the pacific state of Nauru in 2021 stating an intention to apply for approval of a ‘plan of work’ for exploitation of deep sea minerals. The letter triggered a sub-clause within the Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, (“the 1994 Implementing Agreement”) which gave the International...

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  05/07/2023

  International

  Deep sea mining: a new source of transition minerals

  The energy transition has accelerated demand for a range of minerals required for batteries and renewable energy application, and has heightened global concerns over resource security. Accordingly, accessing the rich abundance of minerals that exist within the deep sea is of increasing interest in ensuring secure mineral supply chains.Growth in deep sea mining remains relatively slow due to technological challenges and critically, legislative gaps, but there have been important recent developments. The International Seabed Authority has published draft Exploitation Regulations which are intended...

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  10/03/2023

  International

  Energy / Shipping – Effect of Anti-assignment Clauses and Transfers to Insurers

  The recent decision of the Commercial Court in Dassault Aviation SA v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co Ltd [2022] EWHC 3287 (Comm) concerned a contractual prohibition against assignment and whether this applied to an assignment of rights to an insurer under the assignor’s insurance policy. The decision raises questions on the effect of prohibitions against assignment generally, the concept of involuntary assignments (including assignments by operation of law), and the impact of anti-assignment clauses on a transfer of rights to an insurer.FactsDassault Aviation SA (“Dassault”) and...

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