The region comprising Latin America and the Caribbean is a busy one for the UK P&I Club. Some prominent Members have a large number of tons entered with the Club and have this region as their principal place of business. Moreover, many of the Club’s entered ships frequently call at Latin American and Caribbean ports regardless of where the Member is based, which can undoubtedly be anywhere in the world.
Loading grain cargo in the Pacific Northwest
03/05/2023
Loading grains in the Pacific Northwest can be a real test of patience. For shipowners not familiar with the Pacific Northwest, where it rains approximately 150 to 180 days per year, with rainfall totals averaging 40 inches per year, it is important to maximise loading during periods of light rain and to prevent vessel delays while avoiding moisture damage to the cargo during periods of moderate to heavy rain.
Founded in 1543, Santos has been long known as a port city – first through the export of coffee and then other commodities. Santos was significantly modernised and expanded in the 1990s to incorporate new technologies, operating with specialised terminals for containers, general cargo, and dry and liquid bulk, and it is responsible for almost 27% of the country’s trade. Santos is considered the largest port in Latin America, with its docks being 25 km long and able to accommodate about 50 ships at a time.
A Solution to Pollution
03/05/2023
An oil spill is an ‘all hands-on deck!’ moment, inviting everyone from insurers, charterers, owners, the U.S. Coast Guard, local and state authorities, property, and ecological interests, and more to get involved. Tying all these parties together is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (‘OPA’).
Dee O' Leary explains how a prompt and efficient investigation by Tom Nork, a partner at Holman, Fenwick and Willan, saved a foreign shipowner from a potential million-dollar claim
A Direct Order Can Cost in Court
03/11/2022
Can a crewmember who sustains an injury while following the orders of a supervisor be held responsible for their own negligence in carrying out those orders? Rosa Ostrom, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, and Jennifer Porter, the UK P&I Club, wade through the various jurisdictional takes on the Direct Order doctrine.
Preventing mooring line injuries
03/11/2022
Damon Hartley looks at how mooring line incidents occur and the methods to prevent them
Kristin Poling, Claims Executive, looks at the Eastern District of Louisiana's decision concerning an insurer's right to recoup maintenance and cure payments.
When Charterers are on the hook
03/11/2022
Matthew Johnston explores three categories where charterers may face liability for a bodily injury incident and how those incidents might be handled.
No Suit For You (Volume II)
03/11/2022
How a Jones Act seafarer was barred from suing a London-based P&I insurer directly.
The UK Club would like to draw Members' attention to the latest alert from our local correspondent Venepandi C.A related to the navigational hazard in the internal waters of the Venezuelan Caribbean Sea, specifically to the vessels that are heading towards the ports of eastern Venezuela.
Just two months after the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 was introduced into Congress (see our previous article here), the Federal Maritime Committee (FMC) Fact Finding Final Report #29, Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on the U.S
It is not always smooth sailing in the shipping industry
Great Lakes vessels trading is typically performed by dry bulk vessels that carry a variety of cargoes including ores, limestone, salt, cement, sand, grain, coal and gypsum. This article provides some insight into commercial shipping on the Great Lakes and some of what one might expect when transiting the area.
This article reviews the general concepts of the 905(b) claim and how past decisions helped bring into focus some key issues related to shore-side workers' claims against vessels.
Tyler Tanner of Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel and Noreen Arralde of Thomas Miller (Americas) explain why it is time to retire the Maintenance and Cure Jury Instructions.
There are so many legal, medical and other terms used when talking about rape and sexual assault, navigating the issue can be difficult and confusing, to say the least; this article reviews the definitions and examine the differences between sexual assault and sexual harassment.
In this case a cruise ship passenger sues vessel owner for broken arm after tripping over cleaning bucket
In a costly new trend, California plaintiffs' attorneys refer clients to expensive, lien-based medical providers to get around Howell v Hamilton Meats decision