Practice area

Maritime, Shipping & Transport

Define the intended work in Maritime, Shipping & Transport, confirm the applicable requirements and select a task to plan the necessary review.

Key facts

Tasks covered: 25
Tasks with a step-by-step checklist: 11
Local differences: 3 jurisdictions where this area changes

Jurisdiction

Tasks

GreenLawyer reviewYellowClose supervisionRedLawyer-led

Tasks in Maritime, Shipping & Transport
Task	How AI is used	Human involvement	What the lawyer must review
Build a cargo-claim time-bar and notice tableStart this task See suggested levels	From the contract, bill and correspondence, list notice and suit clocks, candidate applicable rules and missing documents.	RedLawyer-led	Confirm the regime that actually applies to the carriage Check if a one-year cargo clock is a condition precedent, not an ordinary limitation period
Advise on a cargo claim under Maritime Transport Act s 209 (Hague Rules)Checklist Start this task See suggested levels	Extract bill-of-lading date, ports, cargo description and any time-bar or jurisdiction clause into a claim table.	RedLawyer-led	Apply s 209 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994: Amended Hague Rules (Schedule 5) Do not apply Australian COGSA or the repealed 1979 Act Check the time bar
Compare a charterparty to the standard formStart this task See suggested levels	Compare the working copy to the named standard form, list deviations, internal conflicts and rider-clause clashes.	YellowClose supervision	Check whether carriage-of-goods rules apply: they often do not apply to charterparties Do not import bill-of-lading protections into a charter
Extract bill-of-lading or sea-waybill terms into a tableStart this task See suggested levels	From the scanned or electronic bill, list parties, ports, cargo, clauses paramount, Himalaya, law and arbitration, and whether the bill is straight, order or bearer.	YellowClose supervision	Check endorsements on the original, not a summary Confirm the instrument type, which decides transferability and rights of suit
Extract bill-of-lading terms and test sea-carriage-document status under COGSAChecklist Start this task See suggested levels	From the bill, list parties, ports, cargo and key clauses (paramount, Himalaya, law, arbitration); flag COGSA s 7 status and charterparty incorporation.	YellowClose supervision	Check the instrument type: straight, order or bearer Check incorporation of charterparty terms Check the law and arbitration clause after Carmichael Rail [2024] HCA 4 Check Himalaya cover under Australian authority
Draft in-rem arrest papers from the claim and the ship particularsStart this task See suggested levels	The tool writes nothing into any of the papers — not the Form 6 writ, the Form 12 application, the Form 13 supporting affidavit or a Form 4 caveat against release. It indexes the annexures, lists every assertion in the lawyer's draft that has no source in the claim documents or in the ship-particulars and caveat-against-arrest register searches, and checks the papers against the filing requirements in the Admiralty Rules, flagging what is missing. It sets out in a table the ship's name, IMO number, flag, registered owner and demise charterer as at both the date the cause of action arose and the date of commencement, beside the claim and the relevant person.	RedLawyer-led	Arrest is time-critical and the lawyer drafts the papers. Confirm the claim is a maritime claim the court can hear and the ship is the right ship, and that the lawyer's own affidavit deposes to the caveat-against-arrest register search and to each matter the Admiralty Rules require to be disclosed on an application for arrest — confirm that list against the rules as they now stand rather than against a precedent. The undertaking to pay the Marshal's costs and expenses is not an affidavit item: it is the Undertaking Paragraph in the Form 12 application, constituted by filing under rule 41 — check whether it is to bind the solicitor personally or the law practice, and amend and sign it accordingly.
Draft in-rem arrest papers under the Admiralty Act 1988Checklist Start this task See suggested levels	The tool writes nothing into any of the papers — not the in rem writ, not the arrest-warrant affidavit and not a caveat against release: no draft, no first draft, no scaffold, no suggested paragraphs. It sets out in a table the ship’s name, IMO number, flag, registered owner and demise charterer from the ship search, tabulates each claim beside the Admiralty Act 1988 s 4 category the lawyer has marked for it and proposes no characterisation of its own, indexes the annexures, lists every assertion in the lawyer’s draft with no source in the claim documents or the searches, and checks the papers against the filing requirements in the Admiralty Rules.	RedLawyer-led	Check the claim is a maritime claim under s 4 Check the relevant person and any surrogate ship (s 19) Confirm the ship is in an Australian port now Check caveats against arrest and security for release Disclose AI use and verify authorities under GPN-AI (April 2026) (ASCR r 19)
Build a limitation-fund calculation worksheetStart this task See suggested levels	From the ship's tonnage certificate and registry particulars, work the tiered tonnage arithmetic on the convention text, protocol amendments and SDR conversion date the lawyer has fixed, and set the result out as a worksheet that tabulates the notified claims under the lawyer's own marking of which are subject to limitation and which are excepted, flagging any claim left unmarked and any figure with no source document. The tool proposes no characterisation of a claim and writes no part of the affidavit verifying the fund amount: no draft, no scaffold, no suggested paragraphs.	RedLawyer-led	The lawyer checks that the tonnage used is the gross tonnage on the tonnage certificate and not net or deadweight tonnage, that the statutory floor for small ships is applied, and that the limit tier, the protocol and amendment version in force for this casualty and the SDR rate at the fixed date are right. The lawyer decides which claims are subject to limitation and which are excepted, keeps the personal-injury, property and passenger funds separate, and confirms the figure sworn to in support of constituting the fund matches the settled worksheet.
Build a limitation-fund worksheet under the 1976 Convention as applied in AustraliaChecklist Start this task See suggested levels	Work the tiered tonnage arithmetic from the ship’s particulars on the 1976 Convention formula at the RBA SDR rate and date the lawyer has fixed. Tabulate the notified claims beside the lawyer’s marking as limitable or excepted, keeping any claim the lawyer marks as wreck removal outside the fund under Australia’s Article 18 reservation, and flag any unmarked claim and any figure with no source document. The tool proposes no characterisation of a claim and writes no part of the affidavit verifying the fund amount: no draft, no first draft, no scaffold, no suggested paragraphs.	RedLawyer-led	Treat wreck removal (Art 2(1)(d), (e)) as not limitable in Australia (Art 18 reservation) Apply [2026] HCA 15, affirming The Goliath [2025] FCAFC 53 Check tonnage and the current RBA SDR rate Check the P&I position
Map MARPOL and pollution-record duties for the shipStart this task See suggested levels	From the ship type and trade, list applicable Annexes, record books and management-plan duties against the papers on the file.	YellowClose supervision	Confirm the current domestic implementing statute Check any recent size or voyage thresholds
Advise on marine-pollution compliance under the marine protection rulesChecklist Start this task See suggested levels	List the ship, harmful substances, and any dumping or oil-spill plan mentioned in the instructions.	YellowClose supervision	Apply the Maritime Transport Act 1994 Apply the marine protection rules made by the Minister of Transport Check dumping, oil-spill plans and harmful substances Do not apply the Protection of the Sea Act
Draft a port-state detention response and rectification planStart this task See suggested levels	From the deficiency notice, produce a rectification-action plan mapped to the cited instruments, with a list of items that do not match the notice.	YellowClose supervision	Open the SOLAS, ISM or other rule actually cited Check rule numbers: wrong numbers are common
Draft an AMSA port-state detention response and rectification planChecklist Start this task See suggested levels	From the AMSA deficiency notice, produce a rectification-action plan mapped to the cited instruments, with a list of items that do not match the notice.	YellowClose supervision	Open the SOLAS or ISM provision cited Confirm whether the Navigation Act 2012 or Domestic Commercial Vessel National Law applies Check whether detention can lift before full rectification Check flag-state and ISM duties
Build a seafarer-employment and compensation issues tableStart this task See suggested levels	From the crew contract, hours records and injury papers, list MLC, wages and compensation-scheme facts against the regime the lawyer has named.	YellowClose supervision	Confirm coverage before you advise Do not mix federal seafarer schemes with state workers compensation
Build a seafarer-employment and Seacare compensation issues tableChecklist Start this task See suggested levels	From the crew contract, hours records and injury papers, list Seacare, Navigation Act/MLC and wages facts against the regime the lawyer has named.	YellowClose supervision	Confirm Seacare (Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992) or state cover Check current Seacare rates and the ILO MLC wage Check the flag Check the Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019 sunset (30 June 2025)
Extract hull, cargo or P&I cover into a claims tableStart this task See suggested levels	From the policy and club correspondence, list cover, exclusions, notice clocks and security-for-release facts.	YellowClose supervision	Check the marine insurance statute that applies Do not assume the UK Insurance Act reforms apply
Extract hull, cargo or P&I cover under the Marine Insurance Act 1909Checklist Start this task See suggested levels	List cover, exclusions, notice clocks and security facts from the policy and club letters under the Marine Insurance Act 1909 (Cth), separating Institute and local wordings.	YellowClose supervision	Apply the MIA 1909, including s 24 utmost good faith Do not apply the UK Insurance Act 2015 reforms Check this year's club rules and pay-to-be-paid clauses Check uncapped wreck removal exposure after [2026] HCA 15
Map survey and exemption issues for an uncrewed or remotely operated vesselStart this task See suggested levels	From the vessel description, list construction, survey and crewing rules the lawyer has named and the exemptions already held or still needed.	YellowClose supervision	Confirm the maritime authority's current published policy: this framework is moving
Map liability regimes across a multimodal movementStart this task See suggested levels	From the through-transport contract, list sea, road and rail legs with the candidate liability regime and where the sea rules stop.	YellowClose supervision	Decide network or uniform liability as a contract question Do not assume the bill covers inland legs
Draft or review a maritime arbitration clauseStart this task See suggested levels	Produce a first-draft London, Singapore or local arbitration clause from the playbook, and compare it with the bill or charter on the file.	YellowClose supervision	Confirm the current position on bill clauses and carriage statutes Check whether the clause survives a statutory attempt to send the dispute to a local court
Draft or review a maritime arbitration clause for an Australian cargo disputeChecklist Start this task See suggested levels	Produce a first-draft London, Singapore or ACICA clause from the playbook, compare LMAA, SCMA and ACICA rules, and note New York Convention enforcement in Australia.	YellowClose supervision	Apply Carmichael Rail [2024] HCA 4 to any London clause challenged under COGSA Art III r 8 Check whether the cargo interest can show the clause lessens liability; if not, it survives Check the operative document and any incorporation from the charterparty Check the contested reach of COGSA s 11 Consider ACICA or MLAANZ arbitration
Map cabotage or coastal-trading licence duties for a voyageStart this task See suggested levels	From the voyage and ship papers, list licence class, exemption and reporting duties against the coastal-trading rules the lawyer has named.	YellowClose supervision	Confirm the current licence type before the ship sails Check for changes: cabotage statutes change
Map licence duties under the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012Checklist Start this task See suggested levels	From the voyage and ship papers, list the licence class (general, temporary or emergency), exemptions and reporting duties under the Act.	YellowClose supervision	Use the Act as amended by Act No. 39, 2024 (from 14 October 2024) Check any change after the Briggs/Gaskell review Check foreign-ship voyages and current penalties Check overlap with the Navigation Act 2012
Build a wreck-removal and salvage obligations tableStart this task See suggested levels	From the casualty papers, list notification, direction and salvage-contract facts against the navigation and wreck rules the lawyer has named.	RedLawyer-led	Confirm whether wreck-removal costs sit inside limitation under current law Do this before you advise the owner or the port
Build a wreck-removal and salvage table under the Navigation Act 2012Checklist Start this task See suggested levels	From the casualty papers, list notification, AMSA direction and salvage-contract facts against the Navigation Act 2012.	RedLawyer-led	Treat wreck removal costs as not limitable after [2026] HCA 15 Confirm the position under the Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Act 1989 (Cth) Check any AMSA direction Check the current LOF text and Nairobi Convention status
Draft a claim-reservation or letter of protest from the survey and the billStart this task See suggested levels	Produce a first-draft reservation of rights or protest from the survey report, the bill and the notice clock.	YellowClose supervision	Check the contract and the current carriage rules Confirm notice wording and timing: either can lose the claim
Build a general-average and security worksheet from the casualty papersStart this task See suggested levels	Extract the average-adjustment correspondence, cargo interests and security demands into a worksheet with missing bonds flagged.	YellowClose supervision	Confirm the contract and the status of the adjustment Do not admit average from a generated worksheet
Extract a lien, cesser and law-and-arbitration suite from the charterStart this task See suggested levels	Pull lien, cesser, off-hire, law and arbitration clauses into a table with clause references.	GreenLawyer review	Check definitions that change the reach of these clauses Remember they decide security and forum
Extract charterparty key terms into a tableStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: No area-specific AU source found; general AI-use guidance applied to this area.	Pull laytime, demurrage and off-hire terms.	GreenLawyer review	Verify against the charter.
Build a laytime calculation draft from statements of factsStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: No area-specific AU source found; general AI-use guidance applied to this area.	Calculate laytime from the SOF.	YellowClose supervision	Check calculation.
Summarise P&I club rules relevant to a claimStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: No area-specific AU source found; general AI-use guidance applied to this area.	Summarise relevant rules.	YellowClose supervision	Lawyer checks the current rules.
Index a vessel-arrest fileStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: No area-specific AU source found; general AI-use guidance applied to this area.	Index documents and deadlines.	GreenLawyer review	Verify deadlines against Admiralty Rules.
Draft a cargo claim noticeStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: No area-specific AU source found; general AI-use guidance applied to this area.	Draft notice from the facts.	YellowClose supervision	Lawyer settles.
Use an AI research tool for maritime case lawStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: Area-specific AU source in links	Run research.	YellowClose supervision	Lawyer verifies.
Summarise bills of lading termsStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: Area-specific AU source in links	Extract.	GreenLawyer review	Verify.
Draft a demurrage claimStart this task See suggested levelsWritten for AustraliaAustralia onlySource basis: Area-specific AU source in links	Draft.	YellowClose supervision	Lawyer settles.

Firm-wide obligations

Firm-wide obligations
Obligation	What it covers
Trust accounting & handling client money	Checks that apply across files.
Costs, billing & litigation funding	Checks that apply across files.
Client-facing & access-to-justice AI tools	Checks that apply across files.
Incoming evidence — deepfakes & synthetic documents	Checks that apply across files.
AI decision systems	Checks that apply across files.
Confidentiality & client information	Checks that apply across files.
AML/CTF — the practice as a reporting entity	Checks that apply across files.

What changes in Australia

What changes in Australia
Topic	What changes
Key statutes	Admiralty Act 1988, Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1991 (COGSA), Navigation Act 2012 and Marine Insurance Act 1909, all Cth. The Federal Court and Supreme Courts have in rem jurisdiction (Admiralty Act s 10).
Time bars	Time bars are tight and cannot be extended. The COGSA one-year bar and arrest deadlines turn on the jurisdiction and the facts.
Hague-Visby	Australia applies its Modified Hague-Visby Rules, not the international text.
Wreck removal	Wreck removal claims are not limitable after CSL Australia v Tasmanian Ports Corp [2026] HCA 15. Older advice says the opposite.
Court AI rules	The Federal Court's GPN-AI (April 2026) sets disclosure and verification duties for every filing in the Admiralty NPA.

What changes in New Zealand

Known here as: Maritime (Maritime Transport Act 1994 / Maritime NZ)

What changes in New Zealand
Topic	What changes
Governing Act	Maritime Transport Act 1994. The Ministry of Transport administers it; the Director of Maritime NZ enforces it. Covers safety, licensing, pollution, salvage and limitation of liability.
Rules	Maritime and marine protection rules are made by the Minister of Transport. Maritime NZ says non-compliance may be an offence. Not the Protection of the Sea Act.
Cargo claims	Section 209 gives the Amended Hague Rules in Schedule 5 the force of law. Not Australian COGSA. The Carriage of Goods Act 1979 was repealed on 1 September 2017.
Related Acts	Maritime Security Act 2004 and Ship Registration Act 1992. Maritime NZ administers the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 for work on board ships.
Limits on AI assistance	Do not file a generated citation, quote or statutory reference until you have opened it in legislation.govt.nz or a trusted case database. Do not enter private, confidential, suppressed or privileged material into a public chatbot.

What changes in United States

Known here as: Maritime, shipping and transport

What changes in United States
Topic	What changes
Governing law	Admiralty is federal. Surface and air transport add DOT, FMCSA, FAA and state overlays.
Filings	Formal Opinion 512 and Rule 11 govern generated authorities in federal court.

Precedents for this area

Writ in rem, application for arrest warrant and arrest warrant (Admiralty Rules forms) (Court document, AI use Red). Completion guide for the Federal Court's prescribed Admiralty Rules forms used to arrest a ship: writ (Form 6), application for arrest warrant (Form 12), supporting affidavit (Form 13) and arrest warrant (Form 14).
Marine incident alert (AMSA Form 18) and incident report (AMSA Form 19) (Form, AI use Yellow). Guide to AMSA's marine incident alert (Form 18, within 4 hours for regulated Australian and foreign vessels) and incident report (Form 19, within 72 hours), with the statutory duties behind them and how to keep statements accurate.
Cargo claim notice and time-bar protection letter (Hague-Visby) (Letter, AI use Yellow). Letter to a carrier giving notice of cargo loss or damage, holding the carrier responsible, requesting security and an extension of the one-year time bar under the amended Hague-Visby Rules.
Letter of indemnity for delivery of cargo without production of the bill of lading (Deed, AI use Yellow). Deed of indemnity from a receiver (with optional bank joinder) to a carrier who delivers cargo without production of the original bill of lading, covering liability, defence costs, security for arrest and delivery of the bills when found.
Chain of Responsibility policy covering AI fatigue detection and telematics (Policy, AI use Yellow). Policy for a heavy vehicle operator that uses AI driver-monitoring, fatigue detection and telematics: how alerts are reviewed by people, how surveillance notice is given, how data is handled and why AI alerts support but never replace the primary duty.
Charterparty or services clause: AI voyage optimisation and remote monitoring (Clause, AI use Yellow). Rider clause allocating responsibility when charterers or a provider supply AI weather routing, speed optimisation or remote performance monitoring: master's overriding authority, use in performance claims, data rights, cyber security and liability.

All precedents for Maritime, Shipping & Transport. Signed-in accounts can read the full text.

Related jurisdictions

Australia New Zealand United States