Maritime, Shipping & Logistics
WHY LOCKE LORD
Locke Lord's maritime experience spans the breadth of the shipping and logistics space, from charter parties to contracts of affreightment to Jones Act and cabotage law counsel. Our clients are just as varied as our knowledge, and include major offshore drilling contractors, large and small oil companies, government contractors, chemical companies, subsea cable vessel owner-operators, foreign and domestic shippers, transportation companies and the full complement of offshore wind vessel owners and operators. We also represent many companies with legal concerns that implicate maritime laws, including port developers, renewable energy servicing companies and service providers in the offshore wind arena.
Commercial Maritime Litigation
The Firm’s maritime lawyers are experienced in handling maritime commercial disputes and related matters in the trade, logistics and supply chain regime, and have represented banks, suppliers, shippers, ship owners and charterers in charter party, bill of lading, government contracts and other contractual disputes, including vessel arrests and attachments, as well as Jones Act counsel and litigation.
Maritime Transactional Work
Locke Lord maritime lawyers frequently advise clients and assist in the negotiation of vessel charters, offshore wind project-related contracts, vessel purchases, contracts of affreightment, ship mortgages and other maritime commercial transactions. We represented Helix Energy Solutions Group in the $620 million sale of its oil and gas subsidiary to Talos Energy. We also represented an offshore drilling company in the acquisition of a fleet of Gulf of Mexico jack-up rigs.
Maritime Casualties
Locke Lord maritime lawyers have significant experience in handling major maritime casualties. Over the years, the Firm has tried several large cases, including an allision of an integrated tug/barge unit with a sunken offshore production platform that resulted in the sinking of the barge and tens of millions of dollars of costs arising from the resultant pollution and various aspects pertaining to the dropping of the Petronius South Deck Module by a heavy lift installation crane. Our experience includes aspects of the Macondo Oil Spill Incident, offshore construction failures, major ship collisions, offshore blowouts and similar maritime disasters. We have acted as counsel in numerous commercial disputes arising from offshore exploration projects, including Atlantis, Thunderhorse, Petronius, Typhoon, Mad Dog, West Delta and the Cook Inlet. Locke Lord has also represented international insurers with recovery actions involving significant property damage losses.
Maritime Insolvency, Restructuring and Collections
Locke Lord represents major worldwide corporate interests in connection with all aspects of insolvency matters and business and contract restructurings related to marine companies and maritime-related projects, liens and collection matters. We have extensive involvement in representing various creditor interests in marine company bankruptcies and restructurings, including related to Friede Goldman Halter, Superior Offshore, Deep Marine, Torch, Inc., the Macondo Oil Spill Incident, GoodCrane Inc., MPF Inc. and ODS International Inc.
Marine Insurance
In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Locke Lord was selected by the world insurance market to advise and coordinate the handling of the immense removal of wreck claims arising from those disasters. The Firm has particular strength and experience in the area of offshore energy insurance coverage as well as admiralty and maritime insurance matters in general for worldwide insurers.
Maritime Personal Injury
Locke Lord lawyers have deep experience in maritime personal injury claims arising out of offshore oil, Great Lakes and traditional “blue water” operations, and have represented vessel owners and charterers, cargo carriers, drilling contractors, oil companies, boat companies and other service contractors. We have also handled a variety of toxic tort claims arising out of maritime activities, including asbestos, silicosis and benzene exposure cases.