Reprinted with permission from Marine Digest and Transportation News
(Originally published in August 2003)
A federal district court sitting in the Northern District of Illinois recently decided a case addressing so many points of maritime law, it almost reads like a law school hornbook. That also makes the decision excellent fodder for lawyers who write legal columns.
When two vessels run into each other, it’s called a "collision." When a vessel hits a stationary object, "allision" is the legal moniker of choice. In sorting out who gets to pay how much for what, courts treat the two circumstances pretty much the same, although liability presumptions can differ.
The Bump. Oops!
Here, tug Morgan was pushing four barges up the Calumet River in Chicago. This tug steered and controlled its tow by affixing them together with a series of winch-driven lines. The barges’ direction, as well as their positioning, were controlled by those lines being tightened, slackened or held steady.
