Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response Team

Wikborg Rein’s Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response Team is comprised of partners and associates with extensive experience in the practical and legal issues related to casualties and other maritime emergencies, including shipboard investigations. The team assists insurers, owners and operators in connection with a wide range of incidents including collisions, groundings, capsizings, fires, allisions and pollution throughout the globe and particularly in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Emergency number: +47 22 82 77 00 
Available 24 hours, 365 days a year 

With lawyers located in Europe and Asia, team members can be on site at very short notice. The team benefits from a network of local lawyers and technical consultants.

Shipping and offshore casualty management and investigation

  • Shipboard investigation, statements and collecting evidence
  • Contact and liaison with authorities
  • Overall casualty management
  • Support to owners’ and insurers’ response teams
  • Crew and owner protection
  • Advice on media response
  • Rapid initial assessment of facts and legal issues
  • Forum selection, guarantees/security and arrest, including preliminary assessment of cargo claims, pollution, salvage, wreck removal, limitation of liability, general average etc.
  • Retaining and cooperating with technical experts, for example fire experts, pollution experts, navigation experts, naval architects etc.
  • Negotiating and drafting of salvage and wreck removal contracts
  • Lead counsel on multi jurisdiction casualties

After the emergency response the team can handle all post-casualty issues, including further investigations, post-casualty analysis, legal advice, negotiations and litigation. 

The Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response Team is led by Morten Lund Mathisen and is regularly instructed in high-profile cases.  

 

  • MV Kaami – Grounding, wreck removal, off Scotland
  • Viking Sky – Blackout, heavy weather, claims, Norway
  • KNM Helge Ingstad c/w Sola TS – Refloating of navy frigate, claims, Norway
  • Northguider – Grounding, removal, Spitzbergen
  • Antea c/w Star Centurion – Total loss, claims, Indonesia
  • Geos – Explosion on offshore exploration drill ship, fatality, wreck removal, Malaysia
  • Cheshire – Decomposition of fertilizer, total loss, off Gran Canaria
  • Stolt Gulf Mishref – Loss of propulsion of parcel tanker, GA, cargo issues, Red Sea
  • TS Taipei – Grounding and wreck removal of bulk carrier, pollution, cargo, Taiwan
  • Stolt Commitment c/w Thorco Cloud – Wreck removal, cargo claims, multi-jurisdiction litigation, Singapore Strait, Indonesia
  • Fair Afroditi – Explosion, sale of oil tanker, Lomé, Togo
  • Troll Solution – Punch through of jack-up rig; fatalities, wreck removal, Gulf of Mexico
  • Sorrento – Fire on ro-ro passenger vessel, CTL, cargo damage, off Mallorca
  • Goodfaith – Grounding of bulk carrier; wreck removal, Andros, Greece
  • FPSO Cidade de Sao Mateus – Explosion, fatalities, salvage, Espirito Santo Basin, Brazil
  • USNS Sgt Matej Kocak – Grounding and salvage off Okinawa, Japan
  • Asian Empire – Fire and salvage of car carrier, cargo damage, Pacific Ocean
  • Luno – Wreck removal of grounded bulk carrier, Bayonne, France
  • Chamarel– Wreck removal of grounded cable laying vessel, Namibia
  • Gelso M – Wreck removal of grounded chemical tanker, Italy
  • Bareli – Grounding of container ship; oil pollution, cargo damage, wreck removal, China
  • Rena – Wreck removal of grounded container ship, New Zealand
  • B Oceania – Wreck removal of bulk carrier; c/w MV Xin Tai Hai, Malacca Strait
  • Godafoss – Grounding; oil pollution, GA, salvage of multipurpose container ship, Norway
  • Jupiter 1 – Wreck removal of capsized semisub accommodation rig, Gulf of Mexico
  • West Atlas – Wreck removal of drilling rig; blowout and fire, Timor Sea, Australia
  • Full City – Grounding; oil pollution, refloating of bulk carrier, Norway
  • Bourbon Dolphin – Capsizing and total loss of anchor handler; casualties, Shetland
  • Repubblica di Genova – Refloating and sale of capsized roro ship; cargo damage, Belgium
  • Cembay – Grounding on coral reef; salvage of cement carrier, oil pollution, cargo damage, Mexico
  • Big Orange XVII – Well stimulation vessel c/w platform, Ekofisk field, North Sea
  • Server – Grounding; oil pollution, wreck removal of bulk carrier, Norway
  • Alaska Rainbow – Cargo ship c/w passenger ferry, River Mersey, England
  • Hyundai No. 105 – Car carrier c/w VLCC Kaminesan; cargo damage, wreck removal, Singapore Strait
  • Panam Serena– Explosion and fire; salvage and sale of chemical tanker, terminal claims, casualties, Sardinia, Italy
  • Vans Princess – Grounding of roro vessel; oil pollution, cargo damage, Tartous, Syria
  • Tricolor – Car carrier c/w container ship Kariba – Sinking, wreck removal, cargo damage, multi-jurisdiction litigation, English Channel
  • Hual Europe – Grounding of car carrier; fire, oil pollution, cargo damage, wreck removal, Tokyo Bay, Japan
  • Norwegian Dream – Cruise ship c/w container ship Ever Decent; fire, personal injury, cargo damage, salvage, English channel
  • Sun Vista – Fire and total loss of cruise vessel, Malacca Strait

Read our latest articles on emergency response

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2018

    "Kvitnos" – when is a commercial agreement entered into for towage assistance to a distressed vessel?

    A recent judgment from Agder Court of Appeal in Norway regarding remuneration for towage of the vessel “Kvitnos” underscores that in circumstances where commercial terms have been discussed a party wishing to claim a salvage award should expressly reserve their rights to do so.

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2018

    Ship and rig recycling

    International conventions and local regulations combine to create a complex regime, which is often overlooked. The sale of a ship or rig to an intermediate buyer, who then sells the asset on to a shipbreaking facility, will not necessarily insulate the original owner from future liability or reputational damage.

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2018

    Norwegian Supreme Court strikes a blow against forum shopping in direct action

    In a landmark decision (HR-2018-869-A), the Norwegian Supreme Court has set aside a decision from the Court of Appeal which had concluded that Norwegian courts have jurisdiction under the Lugano Convention in a direct action concerning a ship collision in the Singapore Strait.

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2017

    Wreck removal in China

    When undertaking wreck removal in China, as in any other jurisdiction, it is essential to combine international wreck removal experience with local knowledge. The local peculiarities of such operations in China are illustrated by the removal of the wreck of the container vessel “Bareli”. The matter was handled by Wikborg Rein on behalf of the vessel owners and their insurers.

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2017

    “Server” – landmark judgment of the Supreme Court on wreck removal

    The Norwegian Supreme Court has in a recent judgment in the “Server” case clarified a number of unsettled issues that will have an impact on other wreck removal cases, including whether the owners can use their right to limit liability as a defence against a wreck removal order. Wikborg Rein acts for the vessel’s owners, managers and P&I insurers.

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2016

    In the spotlight – public investigations in the Norwegian petroleum industry

    The continued market downturn has led to a concern that cost cutting by the offshore industry may lead to a corresponding decline in safety standards. In response to this concern, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Agency (the “PSA”) have announced that they will increase their audit and investigation activities to ensure that the very high standards of safety expected of companies operating in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea will continue to be adhered to.

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2018

    Norwegian Supreme Court clarifies distribution of interest component in global limitation fund

    In a recent judgment in the “Full City” limitation fund proceedings, the Norwegian Supreme Court clarified how a global limitation fund established pursuant to the Norwegian Maritime Code is to be distributed. The Supreme Court held that the interest component in the limitation fund should only be distributed on the claims for interest and not on the other claims filed in the fund because the owners’ limitation of liability should remain the same regardless of whether a limitation fund is established or not.

  • Shipping Offshore, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

    2017

    Jurisdiction clauses and choice of law in direct actions

    In significant decisions by the European Court of Justice (ECJ C-368/16) and the Danish Supreme Court (dated 9 October 2017) in a direct action brought in Denmark against a marine liability insurer, the validity of jurisdiction clauses and choice of law in such actions has been considered.