The U.S. Ocean Marine insurance industry has been hard hit by the economic crisis at a time when its structure, traditions and culture are facing challenges, according to a new study by Conning Research and Consulting.'The Ocean Marine industry…
The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea, known as the Rotterdam Rules, has received its 20th signature just one month after it first opened for signature. Niger became the 20th signatory to the Rotterdam Rules…
A Panamanian company that operated a 40,000-ton oil tanker ship that regularly made calls in multiple ports in Texas pleaded guilty Oct. 21 in federal court in Houston for deliberately concealing pollution discharges from the ship directly into the sea…
Over 70 Greek shipowners supported the Korean Register of Shipping’s (KR) 5th Hellenic Committee meeting held in Athens on October 15. Chaired by Adam Polemis, this important gathering meets annually to discuss KR’s performance and to guide…
Sullivan & Cromwell Partners reported on the October 16 decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit which overrules the controversial 2002 decision in Winter Storm Shipping, Ltd v. TPI. Winter Storm Shipping, Ltd v. TPI dealt…
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that a wage claim by a foreign seafarer against his employer for service on a foreign vessel is subject to arbitration. In the instant case, plaintiff Philippine seafarer brought suit against…
Polembros Shipping Ltd., a ship management company headquartered in Greece, pleaded guilty on Sept. 30 in federal court in New Orleans for violating anti-pollution laws, ship safety laws, and making false statements during a U.S. Coast Guard investigation of the M/V Theotokos…
CMA CGM reached agreement on the establishment of a committee comprised of French, European and international banks including certain major financial institutions from Asia and the Republic of Korea. The committee will propose suitable measures…
Ahead of an impending revision of the standard industry shipmanagement agreement, the International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has urged shipmanagers to limit their liability to a sum which reflects the growing proportionate gap between ship values and the level of shipmanagement fees…
American Commercial Lines Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLI) (ACL) announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has confirmed it will not take action against the company and has closed an inquiry related to an e-mail sent by the company's…
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report of its examination of internal financial controls at the US Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). The report states that internal control weaknesses resulted in improper sources and uses of funds…
A Liberian-incorporated shipping company pleaded guilty in federal court in Trenton, N.J., to failing to keep accurate oily water discharge records and using falsified records to conceal the discharge at sea of untreated bilge from one of its cargo ships…
The International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has urged its shipmanager members to seek legal advice before entering into any contracts with owners relating to the laying-up of vessels. ITIC said there has been a recent sharp increase…
A federal grand jury in Houston has returned an indictment charging two crewmembers of the oil tanker Georgios M with making false statements, violating federal law designed to prevent pollution from ships and obstruction of justice, the Justice Department announced…
Modern electronic navigation systems have the potential to improve vessel navigation safety and ruce accidents. The potential of these new systems is unlikely to be realiz, however, if the officers keeping the navigation watch are not fully train and properly qualifi in their use…
