SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW

Maritime trade underpins Pakistan’s economy, and disputes move fast—often on tight tides and schedules. Our practice covers admiralty and shipping law before the High Courts exercising Admiralty Jurisdiction (primarily Sindh), as well as arbitration and commercial courts for charterparty and commodity disputes. We act under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA), Bills of Lading Act, port/terminal regulations, and international conventions commonly incorporated by contract (Hague/Hague-Visby Rules, York-Antwerp for GA). We advise shipowners, charterers, cargo interests, P&I Clubs, hull & machinery and cargo underwriters, bunker suppliers, ports/terminals, and logistics companies.

We handle in rem and in personam actions—including urgent ship arrest to secure maritime claims, sister-ship arrest, caveats against arrest, release on LOU/Bank Guarantees, and judicial sale. Our team is experienced with ranking and priorities of maritime liens (wages, salvage, collision, necessaries), marshaling claims, and ensuring clean title on court-ordered sales. On the cargo side, we prosecute and defend shortage/damage, deck cargo, sweat/condensation, temperature abuse, and delay claims, addressing time-bars, Himalaya/Deviation clauses, package limits, and notice requirements.

Charterparty disputes (voyage/time/bareboat) are a regular part of our docket—laytime/demurrage, off-hire, speed & performance, near-miss/unsafe port/berth, bunker quality and quantity, and redelivery issues—often resolved through LMAA-style arbitration or negotiated settlements coordinated with P&I and insurers. We also act in collision and allision, salvage and general average, towage, pilotage, pollution/contamination, and port state control matters, coordinating surveys, joint inspections, and expert evidence at speed.

We understand that minutes matter at anchorage. Our lawyers have obtained ex parte arrest orders within hours, secured protective releases on optimal terms, and stewarded court auctions to conclusion—protecting asset value while advancing client recovery. For ongoing trade, we draft risk-aware bills of lading/sea waybills, charterparty riders, LOIs, and terminal services agreements, aligning documents with insurance and banking requirements (L/Cs under UCP 600).