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With over 150 years in the maritime sector, we can assist you with all aspects of legal maritime services.
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Equipped with our deep industry knowledge built over a number of years working with stakeholders across the industry, we genuinely understand your business and therefore focus on providing straightforward, practical legal advice tailored to your needs.
Our client base includes many of the world’s leading shipowners, charterers, traders, banks, shipyards and insurers. From shipyard to scrapyard, from factory to receiver, from finance to flotation, we provide the legal services required by the maritime and international trade industries.
We are where you are; with shipping lawyers based in our international offices, including a large team of former mariners, many of whom are located in major ports, shipping or insurance centres, we have the ability and expertise to service your needs wherever they may arise, with significant experience in different jurisdictions and teams which work together seamlessly across time zones.
Dry shipping
We routinely deal with cargo claims, charterparty and bills of lading disputes, and handle all aspects of shipping dispute resolution, from small value claims to high profile, complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes.
Transactions
Our expertise extends to providing legal advice on transactional issues, covering all aspects from commercial contract review of simple and complex contractual relationships, ship sale and purchase, shipbuilding projects, and restructuring.
Financing
Ships are significant capital assets. Whether you are a buyer, builder, operator or financer, you will need expert advice on your rights and liabilities. Our finance lawyers are mainstream shipping lawyers who will provide comprehensive advice on the best strategies, minimising your risk exposure during transactions and achieving the best result for your business.
Yachts and super yachts
Yachts and super yachts are valuable assets which are subject to changing laws and regulations. It is essential that you have someone to help who understands your goals, and protects your interests at every stage of ownership. We advise yacht owners, brokers and some of the world’s largest yacht manufacturers.
Ports
Ports play a crucial role in global trade, both in developed and in emerging and frontier markets and our team advises clients including global port and terminal operators, shipping lines, oil & gas contractors, construction companies, underwriters and banks around the world.
Offshore oil & gas
We also represent the leading providers of marine services. Our expertise extends to the full range of available offshore services, including supply and safety vessels, anchor handlers and dive support, pipe-lay and bury barges, heavy lift and derrick barges.
Admiralty
If the worst case scenario becomes a reality, and your ship runs aground in a remote location or collides or finds itself in trouble in a hostile environment, you will need fast, expert legal advice, and practical guidance for dealing with investigations, witnesses, crews and their families, evidence preservation and the media.
We have a highly trained team of ex-mariners across the world, bringing a wealth of practical, technical and commercial knowledge to every crisis. Having been at sea themselves and having been involved with most of the major casualties, they understand the pressures and realities of reacting to the unexpected.
Personal Injury (Defendant)
Our breadth of expertise in handling defendant personal injury cases extends across the marine industry with instructions from owners, operators and liability underwriters of marine craft including yachts / superyachts, container vessels, passenger and cruise ships, offshore installations, tugs and supply vessels, and bulk carriers.
We have particular expertise defending cases involving fatalities, brain and spinal injury, as well as legionella and norovirus outbreaks. We are also instructed in occupational disease claims including asbestos-related injury. The firm's reputation for handling high profile casualties has inevitably led to Ince advising in highly sensitive cases involving both injury and death. We work closely with specialist Counsel and medical experts to provide the highest level of service and most cost-effective advice.
Piracy/pollution
The ongoing threat of piracy and hijackings continue to generate much concern in the industry. We can help you with all aspects of piracy incidents - the legal and practical aspects of responding to a hijacking, release of vessels, insurance and minimising the risk of such incidents reoccurring.
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.
Emergency Response
Our 24 hour emergency response hotline ensures that you can contact us to obtain focused advice at any time, 365 days of the year: +44 (0)20 7283 6999.
Download our brochures to find out more.
Yachts and Superyachts 2020
Ince Ports 2020
Shipbuilding and Offshore Construction
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News & insights on Maritime
Insights / Court construes bill of lading and LOU arbitration provisions together
19-01-2021 / Maritime
This was a cargo damage claim which raised the issue of whether the P&I Club’s letter of undertaking amended the arbitration agreement contained in the bills of lading.
News / Ince Piraeus adds lateral hire to expanding shipping team
18-01-2021 / Maritime
Ince has today announced the hire of Konstantinos (Dinos) Mexias as Partner in Piraeus, to strengthen its already world-leading shipping team.
Insights / Shipping needs to prepare for the next pandemic
05-01-2021 / Maritime
"Captains and owners are making heroic attempts trying to get medevacs, but they are being refused due to Covid restrictions," Rachel Butlin said.
Insights / Court finds state had no immunity in respect of salvage claim
23-12-2020 / Maritime
Argentum Exploration Limited v. The silver and all persons claiming to be interested in and/or to have rights in respect of the silver [2020] EWHC 3434 (Admty)
Insights / Rescission of charterparty: when words speak as loudly as actions
21-12-2020 / Maritime
SK Shipping Europe PLC v. (3) Capital VLCC 3 Corp and (5) Capital Maritime and Trading Corp (C Challenger) [2020] EWHC 3448 (Comm)
Insights / Cargo owners liable to pay contribution in general average in respect of ransom payment to pirates
08-12-2020 / Maritime
Herculito Maritime Ltd and others v. Gunvor International BV and others (mv Polar) [2020] EWHC 3318 (Comm)
Insights / Shipping E-Brief December 2020
03-12-2020 / Maritime
The Shipping E-Brief is a publication providing you with key information on legal decisions and developments in shipping and related business areas.
Insights / Update on new UK restructuring plan and overview of key cross-border restructuring considerations
02-12-2020 / Maritime
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought considerable financial challenges to companies across a broad range of industry sectors, including the maritime sector.
Insights / Supreme Court clarifies scope of arbitrator’s duty to disclose appointment in multiple overlapping references
30-11-2020 / Maritime
Halliburton Company v. Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd [2020] UKSC 48
News / Incisive Law ranked as one of Singapore’s Best Law Firms for Maritime Law
18-11-2020 / Maritime
Incisive Law LLC, the Singapore member of The Ince Group has been recognised as one of Singapore’s Best Law Firms for maritime law in a survey released by The Straits Times and global research firm Statista.
Insights / Touchy subject: when do negotiations become binding?
12-11-2020 / Maritime
Nautica Marine Ltd v. Trafigura Trading LLC (Leonidas) [2020] EWHC 1986 (Comm)
Insights / Court confirms its jurisdiction over claims for loss of yacht overboard
06-11-2020 / Maritime
Weco Projects APS v. Loro Piana and others (My Song) [2020] EWHC 2150 (Comm)
News / Incisive Law unveils new leadership appointments across practices in Singapore
27-10-2020 / Maritime
Incisive Law LLC, the Singapore member of The Ince Group, has today announced two new hires bolstering its regional admiral capabilities.
News / Ince confirmed as platinum sponsors of LISW21
21-10-2020 / Maritime
We are pleased to announce that we will be part of the London International Shipping Week 2021 (LISW21) as a Platinum Sponsor.
Insights / Measuring profit or loss under long term contracts of affreightment
08-10-2020 / Maritime
Palmali Shipping SA v. Litasco SA [2020] EWHC 2581 (Comm)
Insights / Shipping E-Brief September 2020
24-09-2020 / Maritime
The Shipping E-Brief is a publication providing you with key information on legal decisions and developments in shipping and related business areas.
Insights / UK steps up sanctions regime and shipping must navigate carefully
23-09-2020 / Maritime
Following the UK’s departure from the EU, there have been some recent developments with regard to the approach of the UK to sanctions, including the issuance of guidance to the shipping industry on financial sanctions. We summarise some of these recent developments below.
Insights / Court considers scope and effect of demurrage clause
16-09-2020 / Maritime
K Line Pte Ltd v. Priminds Shipping (HK) Co Ltd (Eternal Bliss) [2020] EWHC 2373 (Comm)
Insights / Court dismisses challenge to award on grounds of procedural unfairness
10-09-2020 / Maritime
This case involved an unsuccessful appeal to the Court, where charterers contended that there was serious irregularity in the way that the sole arbitrator had dealt with two issues in the underlying arbitration, which had caused them substantial injustice.
Insights / Court declines to imply delivery and discharge terms into contract of carriage
08-09-2020 / Maritime
Sea Master Shipping Inc v. (1) Arab Bank (Switzerland) Limited and (2) Yousef Freiha & Sons SAL (Sea Master) [2020] EWHC 2030 (Comm)
Insights / ICLG Legal Guides 2020
20-08-2020 / Maritime
We are delighted to share with you Ince's articles on ICLG Legal Guides 2020.
Insights / ICLG - United Kingdom: Shipping Laws and Regulations
20-08-2020 / Maritime
United Kingdom covers common issues in shipping laws and regulations - including marine casualty, cargo claims, passenger claims, arrest and security - in 40 jurisdictions.
Insights / ICLG - Gibraltar: Shipping Laws and Regulations
20-08-2020 / Maritime
Gibraltar covers common issues in shipping laws and regulations - including marine casualty, cargo claims, passenger claims, arrest and security - in 40 jurisdictions.
Insights / ICLG - Greece: Shipping Laws and Regulations
20-08-2020 / Maritime
Greece covers common issues in shipping laws and regulations - including marine casualty, cargo claims, passenger claims, arrest and security - in 40 jurisdictions.
Insights / ICLG - Germany: Shipping Laws and Regulations
20-08-2020 / Maritime
Germany covers common issues in shipping laws and regulations - including marine casualty, cargo claims, passenger claims, arrest and security - in 40 jurisdictions.
Insights / ICLG - Singapore: Shipping Laws and Regulations
19-08-2020 / Maritime
Singapore covers common issues in shipping laws and regulations - including marine casualty, cargo claims, passenger claims, arrest and security - in 40 jurisdictions.
Insights / The changing face of maritime law and risk - cyber, e-commerce, automation of vessels: shipping laws and regulations 2020
19-08-2020 / Maritime
As the pace of global digitalisation steadily accelerates across many industry sectors, the international maritime industry has similarly continued to adopt technologies aimed at making its processes more efficient and reducing costs. This chapter highlights some key developments in maritime technology, the benefits they bring and the potential risks they present. It considers certain legal, regulatory and practical issues that arise and discusses some of the solutions being implemented across the international maritime sector.
Insights / Misleading impression as to identity of carrier justifies time extension for misdelivery claim
29-07-2020 / Maritime
The Court has granted a time extension for commencing arbitration proceedings in a misdelivery claim in circumstances in which the correspondence between the Claimant and the ship interests’ lawyers resulted in a misleading impression as to the true identity of the carrier under the bills of lading.
Insights / Charterparty hire adjustment terms upheld despite apparent commercial illogicality
27-07-2020 / Maritime
Altera Voyageur Production Limited v. Premier Oil E&P UK Ltd (Voyageur Spirit) [2020] EWHC 1891 (Comm)
Insights / The dangers of overlooking a bareboat charter in the charterparty chain
13-07-2020 / Maritime
This decision provides guidance on the circumstances in which the Court will grant a retrospective extension of time for commencing arbitration proceedings.
Insights / Court finds marina can limit liability
10-07-2020 / Maritime
The Admiralty Court has held that the owners of a marina could limit their liability for damage to property, including vessels, pursuant to s.191 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
News / The future of shipping - with Bob Sanguinetti and Julian Clark
09-07-2020 / Maritime
Senior partner Julian Clark recently spoke with Bob Sanguinetti, Chief Executive of the UK Chamber of Shipping, of which Ince is a proud member. They discussed exciting plans both for Ince and the Chamber, the state of the shipping sector including emerging challenges and COVID-19, and how both organisations are providing ongoing support to the market.
Insights / Shipping E-Brief July 2020
09-07-2020 / Maritime
The Shipping E-Brief is a publication providing you with key information on legal decisions and developments in shipping and related business areas.
Insights / The limited fiduciary duties of intermediary brokers
06-07-2020 / Maritime
In this case, negotiations for the chartering of two vessels took place via a number of brokers.
Podcasts / 'Collisions: why are they still happening?' webinar series
01-07-2020 / Maritime
Webinar series, 'Collisions: why are they still happening?', hosted by the Ince Admiralty team. The series of four webinars explore the COLREGS and why collisions are still happening, and considers calls for changes to the COLREGS to accommodate autonomous ships. These webinars use a combination of case studies, Q&A and technical insight.
Insights / New UK restructuring tool: a potential game changer for the maritime sector
30-06-2020 / Maritime
With some signs of cautious optimism mounting that the shipping industry may have weathered the worst of the challenges posed by the pandemic, companies will need to start considering their restructuring options to ensure that they remain competitive in an uncertain recessionary trading environment.
Insights / Court asserts its jurisdiction in marine insurance dispute
29-06-2020 / Maritime
In an insurance coverage dispute, the English Commercial Court has held that the insurers had much the better of the argument that the policies in question incorporated an exclusive English Court jurisdiction clause.
Insights / When is a shipper not a shipper?
24-06-2020 / Maritime
A party named as the shipper in a bill of lading has successfully argued that it was not the shipper under the contract of carriage and that its inclusion in the bill of lading was a mistake.
News / Ince receives another prestigious Maritime Law Award in Asia
24-06-2020 / Maritime
Ince' Asia maritime team is extremely honoured and pleased to win once again and for the eighth time the prestigious Maritime Law Award at Seatrade Maritime Awards Asia 2020 on 23 June 2020. The Award recognises the law firm that can demonstrate the highest level of commitment and expertise in the maritime legal sector in Asia.
News / Winding up petitions and arbitration agreements: a comparison of the Singapore and HK approaches
15-06-2020 / Maritime
Recent decisions of the Hong Kong and Singapore courts show different approaches to the issue of when a winding-up petition will be allowed to proceed in circumstances where there is an arbitration agreement.
News / Dayang (HK) Marine Shipping Co, Ltd v. Asia Master Logistics Ltd [2020]
15-06-2020 / Maritime
In Dayang (HK) Marine Shipping Co, Ltd v. Asia Master Logistics Ltd [2020] HKCFI 311, the Hong Kong Court of First Instance declined to dismiss a winding-up petition where a debtor was unable to show the existence of a bona fide dispute on substantial grounds, notwithstanding the presence of an arbitration clause in the underlying contract.
![Dayang (HK) Marine Shipping Co, Ltd v. Asia Master Logistics Ltd [2020]](/sites/default/files/2020-06/shutterstock_171455189-min.jpg)
News / Winding up petitions & arbitration agreements
15-06-2020 / Maritime
In AnAn Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd v VTB Bank (Public Joint Stock Company) [2020] SGCA 33 (“VTB Bank”) and BWG v BWF [2020] SGCA 36 (“BWF”), the Singapore Court of Appeal examined the issue of what is the appropriate standard of review, when a dispute subject to an arbitration agreement arises, in relation to a debt which forms the basis of a winding-up petition.
Insights / Interim relief and court interference in arbitral disputes—the approach of the English and Hong Kong courts (Daelim v Bonita)
11-06-2020 / Maritime
Arbitration analysis: Catherine Earnshaw, partner, Ruaridh Guy, managing associate, and Jenny Efstathiou, senior associate, at Ince, London and Hong Kong, compare and contrast, and consider the practical implications of, two related judgments of the English and Hong Kong courts reviewing previous decisions to grant injunctions in respect of claims arising out of a charterparty and related settlement agreement.
News / Court construes International Group’s standard LOI wording in context of charterparty chain
10-06-2020 / Maritime
Trafigura v. Clearlake and Clearlake v. Petrobras (Miracle Hope) [2020] EWHC 995 (Comm)
News / Court grants anti-suit injunction in misdelivery claim
08-06-2020 / Maritime
Times Trading Corporation v. National Bank of Fujairah (Dubai Branch) (MV Archagelos Gabriel) [2020] EWHC 1078 (Comm)
News / Ince accepts invitation to join Smart Maritime Network with Senior Partner Julian Clark becoming a member of the Smart Maritime Council
08-06-2020 / Maritime
Ince, the premier global shipping firm and part of the Ince Group, is pleased to announce that it has accepted an invitation to join the Smart Maritime Network (SMN) with Senior Partner Julian Clark assuming a position on the Smart Maritime Council.
News / Court finds ship operator can limit liability
01-06-2020 / Maritime
(1) Splitt Chartering APS (2) Stema Shipping A/S (3) Maibau Baustoffhandel GmbH (4) Stema Shipping (UK) Limited (Claimant) v. (1) Saga Shipholding Norway AS (2) RTE Reseau De Transport D’Electricitie SA and others (Stema Barge II) [2020] EWHC 1294 (Admlty)
News / Ince partners with Sailors’ Society to champion seafarers as “key workers of the sea” supporting global supply chain
27-05-2020 / Maritime
27 May 2020, London: Ince, the international legal and professional services firm, has partnered with global maritime welfare charity Sailors’ Society, one of the largest seafarers’ support charities in the world, to raise awareness for the plight of seafarers. Dubbed the “key workers of the sea”, seafarers are particularly exposed to the effects of the Coronavirus outbreak.
News / Ince Partner Rosita Lau got another prestigious accolade - Legal 500 Asia Pacific Hall of Fame
14-05-2020 / Maritime
Hong Kong-based partner Rosita Lau, following her re-appointment to the Hong Kong Maritime Port Board for the third time, received another prestigious accolade.
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