Marine

The marine industry is an integral part of Cornwall’s identity and heritage. It contributes £500 million to the county’s GDP and accounts for one in seven UK marine jobs. The industry is thriving and its people are passionate about working on and around the water.

Yet when challenges or opportunities arise the very nature of this sector means specialised assistance is required.

We’re experienced hands in marine matters

Our own long history in the South West, breadth of experience and shared love of the sea means we understand the marine industry and the environment it operates in. Through our specialist Marine team of straight talking lawyers, we can support you to meet every challenge or make the most of every opportunity. For example, dealing with:

• Marine Management Organisation and Environment Agency consents for coastal projects
• State Aid and procurement advice for marine funding
• Vessel purchase and charterparty agreements
• Mooring arrangements and disputes
• Acquiring ferry routes
• Actions against employees who have breached marine regulatory requirements or health and safety rules
• Collisions and other maritime disputes
• Quayside and marina developments
• Obtaining and enforcing ship mortgages
• Enforcing maritime liens
• Port and harbour regulatory issues
• Intellectual property issues for newly developed marine tech or equipment
• Sales, purchases or leases of land and buildings
• General business advice – employment law, construction, buying and selling businesses, dispute resolution, debt recovery, planning permissions and shareholder agreements, leasing and property transactions.

Safe haven

We’re not your average ‘stuffy’ law firm. That’s perhaps why, in an independent survey, 88% of our clients said they’d recommend Stephens Scown. And the two leading independent law guides, Chambers and Legal 500, consider us to be ‘a regional heavyweight’, singling out our lawyers for their quality, experience and reputation. In addition, the Sunday Times ranked us as No. 16 in it’s 100 Best Companies to Work For rankings.

Proud to be supporting the Marine industry

We’re proud to work with many of the most prominent names in the marine sector throughout the region, advising them on a wide range of legal and business issues.

Our client list includes:

• Pendennis Shipyard
• Cornwall Ferries Ltd
• King Harry Steam Ferry Company Ltd
• Keynvor Morlift
• Falmouth Harbour Commissioners
• Newlyn Harbour Commissioners
• Fowey Harbour Commissioners
• Mylor Yacht Harbour
• Port Pendennis Marina
• Reflex Marine
• Turn to Starboard
• Huggins Bros Marina Group
• Feritech

Our marine lawyers recent experience and activities include:

• Pendennis Shipyard – advised on the development and financing of major expansion
• Keynvor Morlift – assisted with securing Marine Management Organisation licence exemption to proceed with an urgent wreck removal
• Turn to Starboard – set up this registered charity and helped them buy a 91 foot gaff schooner which provides sailing courses for armed forces personnel affected by military operations.