News

Morten Valen Eide

India: Free trade agreements open opportunities

22/10/2025

The life of the conversion contract – mitigation of risks and liability

Conversion contracts for ships and offshore installations involve modifying existing units to serve a new or modified purpose, often requiring extensive engineering, upgrades, and integration of new systems. Unlike newbuilding contracts, where components are developed to work together, conversion projects must adapt existing assets, which can introduce technical uncertainties.

09/10/2025

SHIP25 – A New Standard Form Shipbuilding Contract for a New Era

Since its launch in 2000, SHIP 2000 has become a widely used standard form shipbuilding contract, both in the Nordics and beyond. Over the past 25 years, however, the shipping industry has changed significantly, creating a clear need for an updated contractual framework.

10/06/2024

Defence procurements at Norwegian yards – new rules on ownership control

Norway’s new long term defence plan will most likely lead to several new defence contracts. Contractors entering into such contracts may have to comply with additional contractual and regulatory requirements. This includes the Norwegian Security Act, and its recently revised rules on ownership control.

27/06/2021

Shipbuilding Notice of defects – possible traps for the buyer and the builder

A Norwegian Supreme Court decision from last year provides guidance on the importance of a buyer giving notice of defects in due time, as well as the importance of a builder reserving its rights before entering into discussions on the merits of those defects.

09/12/2020

Offshore floating wind turbines and deepwater fish farms – different frameworks for success

The regulatory framework that exists within the shipping and offshore industries is long established. Whilst the existing framework effectively extends to also encompass the offshore floating wind sector in Norway, the same cannot be said for deepwater fish farms.

22/06/2020

Arbitration in Norway – benefits of NOMA vs. ad hoc arbitration

Arbitration is the most commonly used dispute resolution mechanism in shipping and offshore contracts. Very often however, parties tend to spend little or no effort reflecting on the type of arbitration solution chosen, i.e. ad hoc vs. institutional arbitration. In this article, we will highlight the benefits of agreeing to arbitration under the rules of NOMA – the Nordic Offshore and Maritime Arbitration Association vs. ad hoc arbitration.

22/06/2020

Shipyards’ right of retention for non-payment

Under the Norwegian Maritime Code, a shipyard which constructs or repairs a ship may retain physical possession of that ship until it has been paid by the relevant shipowner for works done. This retention right creates a security or lien over the vessel which has priority over secured creditors, and may therefore be of great value to a shipyard in incentivising owners to pay.

09/12/2019

Shipbuilding – the consequences of disruption by buyers

In the lead-up to delivery under shipbuilding and offshore fabrication contracts where delivery is delayed, buyers may, from time to time, face claims that they have disrupted the contractor’s progress in such a way that the contractor is entitled to an extension of the delivery date and/or damages for the additional costs incurred. A recent ruling from the Norwegian Supreme Court involving land-based construction clarifies the requirements as to causation for such a claim to succeed.

09/12/2019

Shipbuilding from A to Z

Øystein Meland has worked with shipbuilding related matters on behalf of Wikborg Rein for more than 30 years, acting for both Norwegian and international clients. Capitalising on this experience, Meland launched the latest edition of his book “Shipbuilding Contracts – A commentary based on SHIP 2000” on 30 October 2019.

30/05/2019

Quiet enjoyment letters – benefit to lenders?

Quiet enjoyment letters ("QEL"s) are often used where a ship, rig or other unit being financed is subject to a long-term charterparty to govern the inter-relationship between the owner, its financiers and the charterer. But what is a QEL and do they have any benefit for the lenders?