United Arab Emirates have 14 operating commercial ports. Main ports include Jebel Ali in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Fujairah. UAE ports contribute significantly to UAE gross domestic products and thousands of companies are currently engaged in maritime business. Among of these are leading container shipping companies and multinational shipping lines that have offices within UAE.
Maritime Law in UAE | Maritime Lawyers in Dubai UAE
Federal Law No. 26 of 1981 serves as the main authority that deals with various maritime issues from vessel registration, ownership, mortgage, arrest, crew and their contracts, charter parties, collisions, salvage to general average maritime insurance.
Taking into consideration that UAE has become the center and evidently a perfect location for maritime activities and due to increasing need to implement a mandate that will effectively regulate and monitor pertinent issues faced by maritime operator, UAE Federal Transport Authority- Land and Maritime promulgated amendment on the Maritime Law that will boost Maritime Industry.
The new promulgation offers resolution guidelines over issues faced by maritime companies in UAE. Among the major amendment to the new law comprises the following but not limited to:
- Allows non-UAE citizen to have 100% ownership for vessels registered in UAE
- Vested authority to the State to deal and implement measures to fight drug and human trafficking occurring in foreign vessels within UAE territorial waters
- Regulate registration and issuance of license for fishing boats below 10 tons
- Approval of vessel mortgage by reducing quantum required from 50% to 70%
- Widening the range of marine debts acceptable to arrest a vessel
- Inclusion if new section regulating Marine Agents work and operations
- Inclusion of new time bar clause regarding bareboat-chartered vessels
- 24 hours execution requirement notifying the debtor to pay the vessel auction has been abolished
- New clause in regards to vessel repair has been added where the shipper will have an option to either wait the repairs to be completed or to discharge the cargo and re-ship unto another vessel
The new Maritime Law widely benefit the development and growth of the maritime industry. This law provides effective solutions and legal remedies taking into consideration all the necessary rules and regulations already in place. This law will bolster and encourage maritime operations in the United Arab Emirates.
As maritime lawyers in the UAE, Al Reyami Advocates and Muhyealdeen International Legal Consultants, draft contracts and handle all cases and suits relating to maritime law.
This includes carrier’s liability for delay, damage or loss of goods with notifying the carrier as the case may be, arresting vessels in domestic ports, objecting to their arrest and lifting the arrest from them. In addition, the team has vast experience in drafting charter parties and vessel mortgage agreements, pursuing mortgage execution proceedings and handling marine insurance disputes relating to vessels/goods with claims of compensations for damages and losses.
We proactively offer advice to our maritime clients at an early stage in order to avoid possible later disputes.
