Interlegal lawyers defended shipowner’s interests under the claim against ecological inspection

The Client, large shipowner, applied to Interlegal for legal assistance against ecological inspection at the Yuzhnyi Sea Port.

In order to minimize risks upon vessel idle stay, the Client made a decision upon payment of ecological inspection’s claim in the amount exceeding sixteen thousand USD, with an option to apply to the court, while ecological inspection had already made a hasty decision on bringing the vessel master to administrative liability for breach of the Ukrainian legislation on nature safety.

Interlegal team joined the work, assessed situation from the legal aspects and, with regards to long-term experience in similar cases, collected evidence required for court proceedings.

Case specification was that, in parallel with ballast water sampling by ecological inspection, independent surveyor also took samples, while both expertize results were different at all. Of course, independent expertize results showed no deviation in vessel ballast water.

Then Interlegal lawyers filed claims to the court on recognizing as unlawful bringing the vessel master to administrative liability. With regards to provided evidence, the court supported their arguments in full and satisfied the claim.
Next stage is cost refund already paid by the Client due to ecological inspection’s unlawful claim. To be continued.

Interlegal lawyer Igor Derus, junior lawyer Taras Dragan, under the supervision of associate attorney Vitalii Tolstik, led the case.