Background -
In December 2018, the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (“VIDA”) was signed into law and intended to replace the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) 2013 Vessel General Permit (which has been in place for...more
In an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued a sweeping order on January 29, 2021, which took effect at 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, February...more
NEW DEVELOPMENT -
Long-awaited amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”) entered into force on October 1, 2020, which expressly permit the use of electronic record...more
MARPOL enforcement cases in the US historically have involved violations of Annex I, such as oily water separator bypasses and falsified oil record books (ORBs), coupled with post-incident misconduct by crew members, such as...more
Note from the Editor -
Spring seems to be upon us, at last. Perhaps we have no right to complain about the weather, but that has never stopped us! It seems like our New York, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia offices...more
4/2/2019
/ Ballast Water Management ,
BOEM ,
Coast Guard ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Federal Maritime Commission ,
Maritime Transport ,
Offshore Wind ,
Shipping ,
Trump Administration ,
Vessels ,
Wind Farm
The International Maritime Organization (“IMO”), in preparing for the global 0.5 percent fuel oil sulfur limit, recently adopted an amendment to MARPOL Annex VI to support consistent implementation and enforcement of the new...more
Note from the Vice Chair -
Happy fall! As the seasons change, so do the issues confronting the maritime industry...or not. Over the past few years, several topics have consistently remained in the headlines and as a thorn...more
10/12/2018
/ Coast Guard ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Federal Arbitration Act ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Imports ,
Maritime Transport ,
Ports ,
Shipping ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
USTR ,
Vessels
Ballast Water Management: The Conundrum Continues -
It has been about 15 months since the U.S. Coast Guard (“USCG”) type-approved the first three ballast water management systems (“BWMSs”) in December 2016; three more...more
5/3/2018
/ Ballast Water Management ,
Chapter 11 ,
Coast Guard ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Drones ,
Email ,
Hurricane Harvey ,
Hurricane Irma ,
Jones Act ,
Maritime Transport ,
Outer Continental Shelf ,
Technology ,
Trump Administration ,
Vessels
On March 19, 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard published its long-awaited final rule on Marine Casualty Reporting Property Damage Thresholds. In what was widely viewed as a common-sense and non-controversial adjustment, the final...more
Action Item: A recently published guidance document issued by the National Vessel Documentation Center (“NVDC”) for the first time provides the public with the key criteria it uses in making U.S. Build and Rebuild...more
What’s different about “change” in 2017? It certainly seems that we need to redefine what we mean when we consider the term itself.
Shipping historically has been a conservative industry, but its adaptability over the...more
Maritime Executive -
Ballast water management has been one of the most challenging and oftentimes frustrating regulatory issues of the past decade. The principal reason is that the international regime under the...more
Action Item: In December 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found that the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Pollution Funds Center (“NPFC”) wrongfully denied a reimbursement claim by the Water Quality...more
As we launch into a new year, uncertainty remains the word of the day. Whatever your political leanings, it would be hard to dispute that the inauguration of the Trump administration augurs change on many fronts, from...more
1/31/2017
/ Ballast Water Management ,
Bid Protests ,
Coast Guard ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Breach ,
GAO ,
Hackers ,
Maritime Transport ,
Risk Management ,
Trump Administration
Action Item: Vessel owners and operators should re-evaluate their plans to comply with U.S. ballast water management (“BWM”) requirements in light of the U.S. Coast Guard’s type-approval of Optimarin AS’ UV-based treatment...more
Action Item: Although the ratification of the IMO’s Ballast Water Convention will not alter U.S. compliance obligations, industry stakeholders must now consider their obligations under international law to ensure compliance...more
Action Item: The U.S. Coast Guard released an updated version of the CG-2692 forms for reports of marine casualties, commercial diving casualties, and outer continental shelf-related casualties. Vessel owners and operators...more
Action Item: The recently published Subchapter M Final Rule establishes a comprehensive safety system and inspection program for towing vessels. Stakeholders involved in the operation or ownership of towing vessels should...more
Action Item: With less than 30 days remaining before the July 1, 2016, effective date of the new International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (“SOLAS”) Regulation VI/2 amendments, the International Maritime...more
Action Item: A recent amendment to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (“SOLAS”) regarding requirements for providing certain cargo information, including weight, prior to loading has caused industry...more
2015 was an interesting year for the shipping industry. The dry bulk market had a very challenging 2015, with the Baltic Dry Index hitting new all-time lows. Based on various reports, the outlook for 2016 is not very...more
Action Item: The U.S. Coast Guard published a Final Rule increasing limits of liability for vessels, deepwater ports, and onshore facilities under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA 90”). The raise in liability limits also...more
In July 2015, the U.S. Coast Guard released the Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular 01-15 (“NVIC”), titled Marine Casualty Reporting Procedures Guide with Associated Standard Interpretations. The purpose of the NVIC is...more
As with the world economy, the shipping markets are currently experiencing a major bout of volatility. The wide range of matters we are handling in our maritime law practice certainly reflects the current swings the shipping...more
10/16/2015
/ Anthem Blue Cross ,
BP ,
Coast Guard ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Compliance ,
Cuba ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Breach ,
Data Security ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Policies ,
Estate Tax ,
GAO ,
Gift Tax ,
Hackers ,
Maritime Transport ,
Merger Agreements ,
Migrants ,
Non-Resident Aliens ,
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Sony ,
Syria ,
Tax Rates ,
Trade Policy
Action Item: The U.S. Coast Guard issued a new policy letter that streamlines the process for vessel owners and operators to apply for an extension to their compliance date for installing ballast water treatment systems....more