Lockdown or no lockdown, legal proceedings involving shipping and aviation disputes have been going full steam ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Virtual hearings have taken off and are cruising along smoothly – for the most part – now that the initial wobbles of resolving disputes over the phone, online or via video or audio conferencing have been streamlined.
In the months since countries across the world started battening down the hatches, a number of major disputes involving in the...
SAMSA detained the MV Top Grace from 17 April 2020 – 23 April 2020 in Richards Bay in order to conduct an investigation into circumstances surrounding two foreign national stowaways being forced off the vessel approximately 3 nautical miles off the coast of South Africa. After the successful conviction of the Master and Crew for attempted murder, who were released after payment of a fine, SAMSA was then able to proceed with its own investigation without compromising the South African Police...
http://www.sashippingnews.com/2020/04/27/mv-top-grace-stowaways-update/
Despite the estimated 24 million injuries and 24 000 mortalities every year on commercial fishing vessels worldwide, the fishing industry remains almost entirely unregulated and continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. Yet there are glimmers of hope that global action on fishing vessel safety is on the horizon, says marine law expert Jeremy Prain.
“While early attempts at an international convention on fishing safety foundered, the International Maritime Organization...