Gjelsten Herlofsen Advokatfirma AS

Gjelsten Herlofsen Law is a leading shipping and offshore law practice

Our team has unrivalled experience in handling complex maritime, marine and energy insurance law claims. The team has vast experience in arguing such claims in arbitration and litigation.

The team at GH Law has extensive experience in all aspects of maritime law, including several cases regarding salvage, LOF, SCOPIC, arrest, pollution incidents, wreck removals, collisions, groundings, capsizing, fires, decomposition and piracy claims. The team has been involved in the majority of all major incidents concerning Norwegian interests in recent years, including i.a. the MV "Rocknes", the MV "Bourbon Dolphin", the Coastal Steamer "Nordlys", the MV "Full City", the MV "Server", the trawler "Bukhta Naezdnik", the MV "Cheshire", MV "Gloria Confidence", MV "Galaxy Leader" and the MF "Helgøy".

The team also has extensive experience with all forms of maritime law contractual disputes, and has represented Nordic and International clients in charter party disputes, claims under Bills of Lading, cargo claims, disputes under shipbuilding- and repair contracts as well as disputes under supply agreements.

The partners at GH Law have successfully represented clients several arrest cases to obtain security for a variety of maritime claims including cargo claims, salvage and pollution claims, bunker claims, ownership disputes etc. We have also assisted in several cases regarding forced use and forced sale before Norwegian courts, including the forced sales of an FSPO and a supply vessel.

The team at GHLaw has extensive experience in marine insurance. We have a unique understanding of the legal principles relating to marine insurance and a thorough commercial understanding of the marketplace. We advise on the full range of legal issues that arise from marine and offshore emergencies such as collisions, groundings, pollution, fire and explosion, salvage, wreck removal and towage as well as piracy.

We have represented both owners and insurers in cover disputes, insurance settlements as well as legal proceedings before the Norwegian Courts and in arbitration. We frequently advise owners as well as insurers in respect of disputes arising out of P&I, H&M, cargo, FDD, D&O and Piracy covers. We assist international clients pursuing claims against Nordic Insurers, including direct action claims against P&I and general liability insurers.

We also give advice on non-marine professional liability insurance covers.

Gaute Gjelsten and Frithjof Herlofsen regularly lecture on marine insurance topics.

We are pragmatic and commercial and seek to deliver the efficient and effective service our client's demand.

Our experience includes:

• Marine insurance (coverage)

• Direct action claims

• Cargo and goods in transit (at all stages of the supply chain), project cargo and DSU

• Hull and machinery and additional insurances, including increased value, mortgagee’s interest, loss of hire, and builder’s risks

• Marine and excess liabilities (including charterers’ liability, freight services liability, marine trades, ports and terminals, ship repairers’ liability, stevedore liability)

• Marine personal injury

• War and terrorism risks (including piracy, seizure/confiscation, blocking and trapping, malicious damage)

• Marine casualty work including claims arising out of collisions, groundings, salvage and general average

• Third party claims for property damage, financial loss and personal injury, including claims under bills of lading, charterparties and other contracts of carriage, by sea, road, rail and air

• Subrogated recourse actions

• Jurisdictional disputes, applicable law and the recognition and enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards

• Shipbuilding contracts, repair and modification contracts

• Contractual disputes in the maritime and offshore industry, including  shipbuilding, services and supply

• Claims against Classification Societies