Our Maritime Group
Our involvement in maritime matters dates back to the 19th Century. The firm has a wide-ranging domestic and international clientele and represents all sectors of the marine industry.
Whether it be the transportation of people or cargo, our Group of professionals provides litigation, commercial, regulatory and environmental advice and representation required to meet the needs of our clients.
Our Services
We have a wide book of both contentious and non-contentious business.
On the commercial side, we advise on the purchase, sale and financing of ships; various long-term and short-term contracts of affreightment including time charterparties, voyage charterparties and slot charters; ship construction and repair contacts; terminal operations and stevedoring agreements, the management and operation of ships including their registration and related customs and excise issues, as well as off-shore activities in connection with oil and gas exploration.
We are counsel to the Canadian Shipowners Association and have acted as commercial advisors to the Government of Canada at the diplomatic conference on Ship Arrests in Geneva in 1999.
On the contentious side, the firm acts for the majority of Protection and Indemnity Clubs, Defence Clubs, and both domestic and foreign based Hull and Machinery and liability underwriters. We also act directly for Canadian and foreign ship owners, operators, charterers, managers and freight forwarders.
We deal with "wet" claims such as those arising out of collision, salvage, general average, pollution and other environmental issues. On the "dry" side, we deal with cargo claims arising from marine or multi-modal transit, freight and demurrage disputes and the full range of prosecution, defence and coverage issues on hull and machinery and protection and indemnity policies.
The Group represents clients at investigations by the Transportation Safety Board, before Canadian courts and administrative tribunals, including the Canadian Transportation Agency, and foreign and domestic arbitral tribunals. The Group also assists in the preparation of briefs presented before Parliamentary Committees and at Government inquiries.
Lawyers in the Group have advised clients with respect to the public Review Panel on Tanker Safety and various amendments to the Income Tax Act ( Canada ) governing international shipping corporations.
Our Experience
Our strength resides in a sound knowledge of all facets of the industry and in our ability to provide comprehensive legal advice in all areas of the transportation industry. A true collegial environment based on teamwork provides each lawyer, and hence each client, with immediate access to our Group's broad spectrum of specialized knowledge.
We work closely with our Aviation, Rail and other Transportation Groups to ensure a seamless service in the modern world which has little time for legal and geographical borders, a world in which land, sea and air fuse into one.
Some of Our Marine Clients
Shipping Lines
- A.P. Moller / Maersk
- Mediterranean Shipping Co
- Evergreen Line
- Mitsui OSK Line
- Hapag Lloyd A.G.
- Zim Integrated Shipping Ltd
- China Shipping Container Lines Co. Ltd
- China Ocean Shipping Co
- Atlantic Container Line
- Compania Sud American de Vapores
- Northern Transportation Company Ltd.
Shipowners and Operators
- Canada Steamship Lines
- CMA CGM
- Fednav Ltd
- Desgagnes Group
- British Columbia Ferry Corporation
- Catamaran Ferries International Inc.
- Princess Cruise Inc.
- Royal Caribbean Cruises Inc.
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Oceania Cruises Inc.
- CSAV
P&I Clubs / H&M Underwriters / General Marine insurers
- Swedish Club
- Assuranceforeningen GARD
- Assuranceforeningen SKULD
- Danish Shipowners' Defence Association
- Noord Nederlandsche Protectie Club
- American Steamship Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association, Inc.
- North of England Protecting and Indemnity Association Limited
- Shipowners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association
- Standard Steamship Owners' Protection and Indemnity Association (Bermuda) Limited
- Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association (Europe) Limited
- United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited
- West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association (Luxembourg) through Transport Mutual Insurance Association Limited
- British Marine Insurance Association
- INGOSSTRAKH Insurance Company Ltd.
- Nordisk Skibsrederforening
- International Transportation Intermediaries Club
- Various Lloyd's Marine Underwriters
- Maritime Insurance Company
- CNA Canada (Marine)
Charterers
- Xstrata Corp
- Shell Canada Products Ltd
- Suncor Energy
- U.S. Steel
Terminal Operators
- Montreal Gateway Terminals
- Logistec Corporation