Marine & Shipping

Legal support for the marine and shipping industry

Mann Roberts provides commercially focused legal advice to clients operating across the marine and shipping sector, including vessel owners, operators, charterers, logistics providers, marine contractors, and businesses involved in port and supply chain activity.

Marine and shipping matters often involve high-value assets, complex contractual structures, international trade considerations, and time-sensitive operational decisions. We help clients manage legal risk, protect commercial positions, and resolve issues efficiently, delivering advice that is clear, practical and aligned with business realities.

We act for clients across the UK and globally.

How we help marine and shipping clients

We advise marine and shipping clients across both contentious and non-contentious matters, supporting the sector on issues involving contracts, vessel ownership structures, finance arrangements, claims and dispute resolution.

We regularly advise on:

• Marine and shipping contracts, terms and documentation
• Vessel ownership, management and asset protection structures
• Charterparty and operational agreements
• Supply chain, logistics and port-related contracting
• Funding, secured lending and asset-backed finance
• Corporate structuring, joint ventures and investment arrangements
• Commercial disputes, enforcement and recovery
• Cross-border commercial strategy and risk management

Vessel ownership, chartering and asset structures

Marine assets are often held through corporate entities, investment vehicles or shared ownership structures. We advise on ownership arrangements and documentation designed to protect value and manage liability.

We assist with:

• Ownership structuring and governance support
• Agreements between owners, operators and management providers
• Leasing and hire arrangements
• Asset protection and security documentation
• Risk allocation and contractual liability controls
• Support with disputes relating to vessel control, use or contractual obligations

Marine finance and secured lending

Marine and shipping transactions frequently involve asset-backed funding or secured lending. We advise on finance documentation, security structures and creditor protections.

We advise clients on:

• Asset-backed lending and secured finance arrangements
• Loan documentation and guarantees
• Debentures, charges and security packages
• Refinancing, restructuring and variations
• Intercreditor issues and priority disputes

Claims, disputes and enforcement

Disputes in marine and shipping can escalate quickly due to operational pressure, contract complexity and reputational risk. We help clients resolve disputes efficiently through negotiation where possible, with strong litigation support where formal action is required.

We assist with:

• Contract disputes relating to performance and delivery
• Late payment claims and debt recovery
• Claims involving defective goods or services
• Termination disputes and commercial breakdown
• Claims involving contractors, suppliers and counterparties
• Enforcement and recovery strategies where assets or security are involved

We take a strategic approach focused on protecting commercial position while minimising operational disruption.

Cross-border and international considerations

Shipping and marine work frequently involves overseas counterparties, multi-party contracting and international trade pressures. We support clients with legal strategy and documentation that takes account of cross-border risk and jurisdictional complexity.

This includes:

• Contracts involving overseas suppliers and counterparties
• Risk allocation across multi-party arrangements
• Dispute strategy where jurisdiction and enforcement must be considered
• International restructuring and asset protection strategies