Gateley

Shipping & Transport Disputes

Our widely respected team can assist with all shipping & transport disputes whether through pre-action advice and negotiation, or in arbitration, litigation or mediation.

Clients include ship owners, charterers, P&I Clubs, oil companies, cargo owners and underwriters, plus ship classification societies and cargo inspection agencies.

We can obtain security by the attachment or arrest of assets both in the UK and abroad and have considerable experience of jurisdiction disputes allowing us to ensure that our clients' disputes are submitted to the most advantageous forum. In addition to the expertise available in our own offices, we have an extensive network of contacts with other specialist lawyers across the world.

We routinely handle charterparty and bill of lading disputes, problems and claims arising from damage to cargo, unseaworthiness, general average, transhipment, unsafe ports, dangerous cargoes, bunker contamination, off hire, detention and demurrage, speed and performance, oil pollution, limitation of liability, personal injury and piracy. We can assist with all aspects of debt recovery and also regularly undertake repossession and enforcement work for major lenders in relation to marine assets. All members of the team put great emphasis on understanding our clients' business and commercial objectives. We combine that understanding with our dispute resolution experience to offer guidance on risk avoidance so that, where possible, disputes do not arise in the first place.

Related news, events
and publications

News

8th April 2013

Burden of proof in claims for damage to refrigerated cargoes

Seaborne perishable reefer trade grew to 91 million tonnes in 2011 and the worldwide trade of bananas/plantains grew from 13.2 million tonnes in 2001 to 15.7 million tonnes. Drewry forecasts continued growth in perishable reefer cargo for 2012 and beyond. Despite this the specialised reefer fleet is in decline with a reduction of over 200 vessels in the last ten years partly due to the challenge presented by containerships where fleets continue to increase.

“The firms knowledgeable and professional shipping unit is recognised for its strength in dry shipping disputes. Sources agree that if you had a major problem, Gateley would be the place to go”

Chambers UK 2013

“Expert and approachable, our trusted specialists in shipping”

Margaret Mackay, Clydeport Operations

“An excellent litigation team”

Chambers UK 2009

Contacts

England

London

Nicholas Walser
Nicholas Walser

dt: +44 (0) 020 7653 1621
df: +44 (0) 020 7653 1601
m: +44 (0) 7885 389 409
e: Nicholas Walser

England

London

jane Hobbs
Jane Hobbs

dt: +44 (0) 20 7653 1617
df: +44 (0) 20 7653 1601
m: +44 (0) 7885 389 405
e: Jane Hobbs

Scotland

Edinburgh

James Lowe
James Lowe

dt: +44 (0) 131 222 9841
df: +44 (0) 131 222 9800
m: +44 (0) 7802 833 443
e: James Lowe

Scotland

Edinburgh

Michelle Flynn
Michelle Flynn

dt: +44 (0) 131 222 9484
df: +44 (0) 131 222 9800
m: +44 (0) 7817 439 660
e: Michelle Flynn