Maritime Salvage legal support

Maritime Salvage legal support

Maritime Salvage is a complex legal institution that combines public law and private law (commercial) relations. Such relations are based on the obligation to provide assistance to a distressed ship at sea. Apart from this obligation, there is always the question of reimbursing the costs related to salvage of the vessel.
At Ukrainian sea ports, vessel salvage cases are not as frequent as, for example, in other jurisdictions; however, Interlegal, due to their partners and offices in Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Moldova and extensive international practice, gained longstanding experience, and expertise in such legal relations, and we knew exactly what issues all the parties to salvage operation would face.
In this regard, the Client – a company engaged in vessel salvage operation at sea – applied to Interlegal for legal assistance upon this matter.
The above company took part in salvage operation and acted in coordination with the port authorities and the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Ukraine. It should be noted that in this case, the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Ukraine, represented by acting Chairman Glazkov A.V., quite quickly commenced work upon elimination of the emergency case; therefore it was possible to avoid both human casualties and property losses, and at the same time to confirm reputation of Ukraine as a conscientious executor of its international obligations in the international arena. However, despite excellent salvage operation from the technical aspect, the Client had legal issues related to performance of the operation, as well as cost recovery.
Interlegal lawyers provided legal advice upon all issues related to salvage at sea, drafted all the necessary documents in order to reimburse all expenses incurred by the Client, took measures aimed at vessel detention and held successful negotiations with the shipowner.
Such negotiations resulted in amicable settlement of the dispute on mutually beneficial terms, while the Client received reimbursement of all incurred costs.

Interlegal lawyer Nikita Kocherba and junior lawyer Karina Shakhbazian, managed by associate attorney Vitalii Tolstik, led the case, and also a partner of the Interlegal company Artem Skorobogatov.