On Tuesday, the 26th of April, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a public board meeting with the goal of determining the probable cause of the major accident that destroyed the dredging vessel Waymon Boyd and took the lives of 4 of its crew members almost two years ago. The Mariti …
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On 12:30 am on Sunday, March 27, the US Coast Guard called off the search for Michael “Mike” John Morgan, after rescue crews had conducted more than 24 hours of thorough but unproductive searching. Morgan was the missing master of the F/V White Swan III. The boat was a 32-foot fishing vessel that ha …
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When a lot of people hear the term “maritime law”, they tend to think of things like injured sailors at work on a cargo ship, or perhaps some kind of laws to prevent illegal goods from being smuggled into (or out of) a country via boat. Maritime law affects many different aspects of the maritime ind …
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Late last year, Congress passed a bill known as H.R. 4996 – or, in real people terms, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021. As described by the House, this bill is designed to support the growth and development of U.S. exports, and revises existing provisions related to ocean shipping polici …
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The Jones Act makes many requirements for the safety of both workers and passengers onboard a vessel, and these requirements can take many forms. There’s always the obvious requirements for “safe working environments” – properly trained employees, proper staffing levels to avoid exhaustion or …
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American maritime law, particularly the Jones Act, is largely based on a number of federal statutes aimed at protecting the rights of maritime workers. By virtue of being federal laws, maritime law in America takes precedence in any legal action involving injuries at sea, at port, on oil rigs …
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The shipping crisis in American ports right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic will have long-term consequences for every step along the supply chain. Consumers will have a harder time getting the goods they need, shipping companies will face additional economic strain due to the unsold or unmoved pro …
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The phrase “act of god” can have a lot of meanings, particularly in a legal context. Also known as “Force Majeure”, “act of god” is defined as “an instance of uncontrollable natural forces in operation”. Even if you’re not familiar with the term, you’re familiar with the effects – freak weath …
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In maritime law, the doctrine of unseaworthiness is one of the most versatile aspects when it comes to protecting crew safety. Maritime requires that shipowners and employers provide every reasonable attempt to keep their crews as safe as possible. In addition to providing the needed training and s …
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