Services > Industries > Admiralty and Maritime

The international shipping industry accounts for 90 percent of world trade, making it the most vital component in the global market. The industry also is subject to changing and often unstable political and economic forces, such as market conditions, security issues, consolidation, regulatory requirements and environmental concerns.

Thompson Coburn’s admiralty and maritime attorneys have worked in this industry for decades. Our attorneys practice in various related disciplines—including financial transactions, admiralty and maritime litigation and trials, cargo and towing claims, seizures and foreclosures, maritime investigations and hearings, maritime contracts, labor and employment, bankruptcy and restructuring, environmental and tax—providing the depth and diversity needed to handle virtually any matter affecting the shipping industry.

Our clients range from some of the largest companies in the world to small family-owned businesses. We represent shipowners and operators, shipbuilders and charterers, and their insurers and P&I Clubs, lenders, lessors, ports, shippers and freight forwarders in all aspects of admiralty and maritime law, including contract matters, financing, Jones Act injury and death cases, regulatory, purchase and sale, litigation, equipment leasing, customs and security, and environmental issues. We also lobby Congress on legislative issues important to the marine industry.

Our attorneys have long-standing relationships with the government agencies that regulate the industry, including the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd), U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as well as all of the major international maritime organizations and registries, such as the Panama Registry, Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR) and International Registries, Inc. in the Marshall Islands.

Our attorneys have been and remain active in local and national maritime law associations and have held leadership positions within those organizations. The firm is a professional member of The American Waterways Operators.

Partners

Bay, William R.

Brown, Eileen P.

Buchholz, Edward J.

Dean Jr., Warren L.

Dorwart, Donald B.

Farmer, John S.

Kaiser, Matthew

Krumholz, Marjorie F.

Lawton, Richard L.

Massey, Raymond L.

McGowan, Thomas Sean

O'Keefe, Michael D.

Sonderegger, Paul T.

Stoltz, Gerald D.

Strassner, Peter S.

Associates

Gammell, Orisia K.

Struble, B. Matthew

• AEP River Operations
• AET UK Limited
• American Commercial Lines LLC
• Export-Import Bank of the United States
• Cargill Grain
• General Ore
• Global Marine Transportation
• Energizer
• GATX Corporation
• K-Sea Operating Partnership, L.P.
• The Great Lakes Group

Admiralty Litigation

Represented a client before the U.S. Supreme Court in successfully challenging the Federal Maritime Commission’s jurisdiction over state port authorities.

Represented a marine repair facility in jury trial to verdict involving a Jones Act case, brought by a paralyzed worker, arising out of collapse of a crane boom. This trial was in one of the most litigious venues in America.

Represented a riverboat casino in trial to judgment in U.S. District Court in a limitation of liability action following a mid-river collision between the casino and a towboat pushing a cement barge. The trial involved multimillion-dollar claims for hull damage, personal injuries and business interruption.

Represented towboat company in litigation in Indiana federal court that successfully secured full insurance coverage and outstanding legal fees in coverage dispute.

Successfully secured limitation of liability in collision with railroad bridge on the Mississippi River in Eastern District of Missouri.

Secured judgement in charterer’s favor in multimillion dollar arbitration over chartered barges that were allegedly damaged during term of the charter.

Environmental

Represented a domestic shipowner in the acquisition of the shipping business of a Great Lakes-based operator, including the purchase of six bulk carriers. This transaction involved legal issues relating to the discovery and removal of mercury contamination prior to closing.

Finance

Represented lessors in lease financing of offshore supply vessels.

Represented a U.S. bank in fleet mortgage financing and subsequent sale of debt to third-party financial institution.

Represented a U.S. bank providing acquisition financing and associated lines of credit for a family-owned tug and barge business.

Ports

Represented a foreign-based shipping company in negotiating vessel construction contracts with major international shipyards in Korea, Japan and China.

Regulatory Matters

Led a coalition that successfully lobbied Congress in connection with the reform of Subpart F relating to the taxation of foreign-based company shipping income and represented clients in the enactment of the alternate tonnage tax regime for U.S.-flagged vessels operating in international trade.

Represented a foreign shipowner in performing due diligence necessary to evaluate a U.S.-based shipping business for a possible acquisition.