Executive Summary: Maritime law gives creditors and injured parties remedies that do not exist in most ordinary lawsuits. An action in personam is a claim against a person or company. An action in rem is a claim directly against the vessel or maritime property itself. This distinction can determine whether a claimant can arrest a […]
Month: July 2026
Maritime Arbitration vs Court Litigation: What’s Better?
Executive Summary: Arbitration and court litigation can both resolve maritime disputes, but they produce very different outcomes. Arbitration may offer privacy, specialist decision makers, and an award that can be enforced internationally. Court litigation may offer broader discovery, jury trial rights in some claims, public accountability, and meaningful appellate review. The best forum depends on […]
When Sovereignty Meets Software: Navigating Jurisdiction Disputes in AI-Controlled Maritime Waters
In my experience across two decades of maritime litigation, the law has always been about territory. We deal with flags – the flag state determines which nation’s laws apply when a dispute arises. Whether we are arguing jurisdiction in an Admiralty Court or determining the rules governing salvage rights, we seek clear boundaries: who owns […]
When Fault Is Algorithmic: Reimagining Negligence in Autonomous Maritime Operations
For over a decade, my practice has taught me one immutable truth about maritime law: every incident, no matter how minor, must be traced back to an element of human or mechanical fault. We are masters at assigning blame – to the watchman who slept through the fog, to the captain who misjudged speed, or […]
Beyond Pollution Fines: How Decarbonization Mandates are Rewriting the Rules of Maritime Liability
When I practice maritime law, my focus is always on risk. It doesn’t matter if we’re discussing a simple cargo claim or complex litigation over a collision – the underlying concern remains: who bears responsibility when things go wrong? The traditional model of liability was straightforwardly physical; you damaged something, and the law helped determine […]