South Africa > Shipping
Shipping
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- Bowman Gilfillan
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Shepstone & Wylie - Webber Wentzel
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Cox Yeats -
Van Velden Pike Inc
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Bowman Gilfillan is a leader in ship casualties and disputes work, where it is ‘pre-eminent’ and ‘has the edge technically’, and is also particularly strong in ship financing. The firm represents owners and insurers, and recently acted for RBS in the highly contested foreclosure of the motor tanker, Vasi. The ‘decisive’, ‘commercial’ and ‘practical’ Craig Cunningham has substantial experience and ‘in-depth knowledge’. Jeremy Prain is ‘user-friendly’, ‘responsive’ and ‘technically very good’.
‘A great firm’, Shepstone & Wylie has a genuinely broad shipping practice which represents shipowners, insurers and P&I clubs. It fields two of South Africa’s most experienced shipping specialists in Durban-based ‘stalwarts’ Shane Dwyer and Krish Reddy. Johan Swart in Cape Town is also recommended.
Webber Wentzel has a strong reputation in salvage work, and has experienced significant growth in ship arrests and foreclosure matters. The department has strength-in-depth and provides ‘excellent response times’, ‘second-to-none technical expertise’ and ‘good value for money’. ‘First-class lawyer’ Gavin Fitzmaurice is ‘user-friendly’, ‘sharp’ and ‘exceptional’. Patrick Holloway is ‘very approachable’, ‘first rate’ and ‘very client-friendly’. The ‘outstanding’ Arthur James has ‘a rounded knowledge of all marine matters’. Andre Bowley and leading environmental lawyer Marius Diemont are also recommended.
ENS (Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs) provides ‘excellent, commercially savvy advice’, and, according to one client, is ‘the closest firm to the shipping industry in South Africa’. It is mainly instructed by P&I clubs and London-based shipping law firms, and is regarded as a leading practice on port-related matters. Tony Norton shows ‘clarity of thought’ and has ‘unsurpassed industry knowledge’, and is chairman of the National Port Users Forum. Michael Tucker has an impressive ship casualty practice and Kate Pitman is ‘a formidable litigator’. Master mariner Crispen Camp is also recommended.
Norton Rose South Africa (Incorporated as Deneys Reitz Inc), has ‘great depth of knowledge on marine and insurance matters’, and its recent work has included major restructurings, charter-party and commercial matters. The firm represents a number of major underwriters through master mariner Malcolm Hartwell and Andrew Robinson, who is the ‘ultimate professional’ on marine insurance matters.
Durban-based Cox Yeats has a fine reputation for cargo and marine insurance work. Michael Poseman and Andrew Clark both have a solid commercial background and longstanding track record in the shipping industry.
Durban-based Van Velden Pike Inc is widely recognised for its casualty and non-contentious work. Partners Andrew Pike and Mark van Velden are highly regarded for ship arrests and commercial matters.