Flag State Summary - Finland

The entry into force of the 2014 amendments to MLC on 18 January 2017 raised a number of complex and novel questions.

Limitation periods impose time limits within which a party must bring a claim, or give notice of a claim to another party failing which the claimant may be prevented from bringing his claim against the alleged wrongdoer. If a claim proceeds out of time, the defendant will be able to plead the defense of limitation and the claimant will have the burden of proving that the cause of action arose within the relevant statutory period.