Admiralty, Shipping & Marine Insurance
Deneys Reitz is one of the leading maritime law firms in South Africa and can offer expert advice on all aspects of admiralty, shipping, marine insurance and transport law. Our offices are well-staffed by specialist shipping lawyers, who act for a wide range of commercial and marine insurance clients and have extensive international connections.
Our Johannesburg office deals mostly with issues of marine insurance and international trade. Our Durban and Cape Town offices serve the interests of ship-owners, charterers, liner operators, cargo owners, insurers, brokers, traders, container operators, warehousemen and stevedores in all Southern African ports.
We are the only South African law firm to have as a director a qualified Master Mariner.
- The specialist services we offer include:
- Arrest and attachment of ships and property to establish jurisdiction; claims and disputes on behalf of ship-owners, cargo interests, importers and freight forwarders, stevedores and warehousemen, underwriters and charterers; charter party disputes; arrests for security for arbitration and other proceedings in jurisdictions worldwide; and claims against ship-owners or charterers.
- All required services necessary for the proper handling of marine casualties, including collisions, groundings, fires, explosions, general average, salvage and towage, pollution, ISM compliance and liabilities to third parties. Deneys Reitz has represented the majority of the cargo interests on all major casualties off the South African coast over the past decade, including the JOLLY RUBINO, the SEALAND EXPRESS and the SAFMARINE AGHULAS.
- Advice in respect of cover and claims under marine, hull, P & I, transportation and cargo insurance policies.
- Representing creditors following the sale of a ship and the establishment of a fund from the proceeds of that sale.
- Claims against road hauliers, warehousemen and port and rail authorities.
- Drafting appropriate commercial documents dealing with transport related issues such as contracts of affreightment, charterparties, warehousing contracts, road haulage contracts.
