The Dutch Pilot's Organization has commissioned the construction of two steel and three aluminum pilot tenders to be built by Frisian Shipyard Barkmeijer. This order for Barkmeijer is part of the fleet renewal plan of the Dutch Pilot's Organization. Three jet-driven tenders of the "Aquila" class have already been taken delivery of and are operational. The first series of the "Aquila" class were built by Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. in Seattle.

Our firm assisted the DPO in drafting and negotiating the building contracts for both the first series and the second series now to be built by Barkmeijer.

No Limit

Liability of naval architect for faulty design of barge. Position of the Dutch State’s Shipping Inspectorate which approved drawings.

Veka Scheepsbouw B.V. v. Zandtrans, Tekholl and the Dutch State (District Court Breda, 16 July 2010)

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The Rotterdam Rules: www.rotterdamrules.com

On 11 December 2008 The UN General Assembly adopted the "Convention of Contracts for the International Carrying of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea" and authorized a signing ceremony for the Convention that was held in Rotterdam last September, recommending the new Convention to be known as the "Rotterdam Rules". The Convention extends and modernizes the existing international rules relating to contract of maritime carriage of goods. The aim is that the Convention will replace The Hague rules, The Hague-Visby rules and the Hamburg rules and that it will achieve uniformity of law in the field of maritime carriage.

The Rotterdam Rules have been prepared in intergovernmental negotiations that lasted for over 10 years by the United Nations Commission for International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). On the other hand the Comité Maritime International (CMI) conducted the preparatory work on the Convention at the request of UNCITRAL including a preliminary draft text for the Convention. The signing ceremony was organised in Rotterdam and took place from 20 to 23 September 2009. Up to date 24 countries have signed the new Convention, all together representing 25% of the world's trade.The Convention will come into force one year after signature and ratification by the 20th UN Member state. Although there is reported to the widespread support for the Convention, the expectation is that it may be some time before the Rotterdam Rules enter into force.

Please visit www.rotterdamrules.com