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“A regular and excellent service, which clients rely on for practical and well-considered advice.”

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Operating in the maritime industry is challenging given the high degree of regulation and potential for disputes. Businesses require skilled and experienced counsel&nbsp;to avoid the hazards and threat of investigations, enforcement actions, and the litigation that can follow incidents of noncompliance.

Worldwide, shipowners and operators, shippers, shipbuilders, waterfront facilities, and their in-house counsel trust us to guide them safely through the maze of U.S. and international regulations. Our maritime regulatory compliance team anticipates challenges and prepares businesses before problems arise. We advise clients on regulatory requirements, audit operations, and develop compliance and training programs that are essential for business operations and also will assist in mitigating the consequences of an incident or violation.&nbsp;

Our maritime regulatory compliance attorneys provide advice for both U.S. and international maritime operations in all aspects of regulatory compliance, including ballast water management, coastwise trade, import/export issues, cargo preference, citizenship and crewing, deepwater ports licensing, environmental, vessel safety, maritime security matters, marine facility operations, offshore wind farms, outer continental shelf vessel compliance and exemptions, and more. We also train shoreside and shipboard employees to help ensure they understand requirements—and the potential legal pitfalls. Our services cover all types of vessels, including tankers, LNG carriers, cargo ships, bulk carriers, tugs/barges, fishing vessels, cruise ships, small passenger vessels and yachts, offshore construction and servicing vessels, among others, and remain at the forefront of the developing practice surrounding advanced technology and autonomy in maritime operations.

We routinely work with the U.S. Coast Guard, Maritime Administration, Federal Maritime Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (and state counterparts), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, Military Sealift Command, Office of Foreign Assets Control,&nbsp;Departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, and State,&nbsp;the International Maritime Organization, and regional port authorities and trade associations around the world.

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We can advise on international, federal, and state regulatory requirements, including, but not limited to:

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Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or “Superfund” (“CERCLA”)

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”)

International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (“COLREGS”)

International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, including the ISM Code and the ISPS Code

Maritime Transportation and Security Act of 2002

Ports and Waterways Safety Act (“PWSA”) and Magnuson Act    

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (“OCSLA”) Shipping Act of 1984

Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (“STCW”)

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With shipping lawyers in New York; Washington, D.C.; Houston; Philadelphia; and Boston, Blank Rome has one of the largest and most comprehensive maritime practice in the United States.

2025 Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” named Blank Rome “Law Firm of the Year” in Maritime &amp; Admiralty Law.

Named the Transport – Shipping Firm of the Year in the 2024 Lexology Index Awards.

The Legal 500 United States 2024 ranked Blank Rome Top Tier in Transport: Shipping – Litigation and Regulation.

Chambers USA consistently ranks our Maritime practice group Band 1:

Chambers Global2023 recognized Blank Rome as a global leader in Shipping: Litigation — Global-wide.

Recipient of the Lloyd’s List North American Maritime Legal Services Award 2015 and 2016.

Several of our maritime attorneys have lectured at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s OPA 90 Qualified Individual Training Program on legal issues related to pollution incidents and have served as arbitrators and expert witnesses in foreign litigation and courts on issues of U.S. maritime law.

Our attorneys include former U.S. Coast Guard and Navy officers, representatives and senior staff from Congressional committees, and high-level officials of government agencies, including the Department of Justice, Maritime Administration, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Among our attorneys, we have two professors of maritime law at the New York University School of Law. Additionally, we have several authors and editors of leading maritime treatises and textbooks.

Maritime

Gregory F. Linsin

Neil P. McMillan

Holli B. Packer

Luke M. Reid

Matthew J. Thomas

Jonathan K. Waldron

April 2026 Spotlight on …

The Iran War and International Shipping: Navigating Disruption and Legal Risk in the International Shipping and Logistics Industries

Trump Administration Issues 60-Day Jones Act Waiver Amid the Iran War

Navigating DOJ’s New Corporate Enforcement Landscape: Key Considerations for Environmental Voluntary Self-Disclosures

Reconnaissance as Legal Due Diligence: Lessons from Land to Sea

Navigating U.S. Arrival: A Guide for Vessels on Port Entry and Inspections on Arrival

High Seas Treaty Takes Force: What You Need to Know

Sanctions and Shipping in Turbulent Times

Legal Issues for Autonomy in the Maritime Environment

Spotlight on …

White House Announces Multiple Trade Deals Following President Trump’s Tour of Asia

The Casualty Occurred, Now What? Preserve the Evidence!

One-Way Ratchet and a Different Kind of Pastry: Trump Tariffs at the Supreme Court

The Limitation Act in the United States: A Deeper Look

IMO Net Zero Shipping Framework: Extraordinary IMO Session Adjourned; Work Continues

MAINBRACE: January 2026

Shipping Titans' Secrets to Success Unveiled:  William R. Bennett III, Partner at Blank Rome

U.S. Trade Representative Port Fees: Cross-Border and Industry Perspectives

Blank Rome Maritime Group Named 2025 Transport – Shipping Firm of the Year in Annual Lexology Index Awards

Global Net-Zero Shipping Framework Faces Rough Waters

Reviewing the Latest Trends in U.S. Enforcement

Navigating Evasion, Enforcement, and Emerging Risks

El Faro Tragedy: Ten Years On, Some Key Safety Changes Have Yet to Take Hold

Keith B. Letourneau Named Maritime Attorney of the Year by Texas Lawyer

Transport, Logistics, Energy, and Environmental Solutions for a Sustainable Economy

V.O.S. Selections, Inc. and the Sword of Yoshida

Enforceability of “Knock-for-Knock” Indemnity in U.S. Offshore Wind

IMO Net-Zero Shipping Framework: A Crossroads for Global Shipping Regulations

MAINBRACE: September 2025

Next Gen at the Helm—Charting the Seas for Energy Transition in Unsettled Waters

Keith B. Letourneau and Domingo M. LLagostera Named Finalists in the 2025 Texas Legal Awards

MAINBRACE: June 2025

Regulatory Developments: Maritime Emissions

FMC Announces Investigation Into Flags of Convenience and Unfavorable Conditions Created by Flagging Practices

Navigating Uncertainty: How Recent IEEPA Tariff Rulings Impact the Maritime Industry

Navigating Safely: Tips for Commercial and Recreational Vessels Operating near Military Craft

Navigating Maritime Evidence: The Power and Practice of Using Demonstrative Aids in Litigation

A Quick Dive Into U.S. Ballast Water Regulations

Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices Highly Ranked in The Legal 500 United States 2025

Chambers USA 2025 Recognizes Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices

A Maritime Renaissance from the View of Congress and the White House

WISTA Atlantic Forum: Reducing Bureaucracy in the Shipping Industry

Women in Maritime: Jeanne Grasso’s ‘Serendipitous’ Journey to Maritime Attorney

Buoy, That Escalated Quickly: Lessons and Insights for the Future of Marine Salvage & Emergency Response

Cybersecurity in the Marine Transportation System: What You Need to Know About the Coast Guard's Final Rule

Navigating Emission Control Areas: Operational, Legal, and U.S. Enforcement Risks of MARPOL Annex VI’s Low Sulphur Fuel Requirements

MAINBRACE: March 2025

The SHIPS Act: The Advent of a New U.S. Merchant Marine Fleet?

Between Rhetoric and Reality in Trump’s Administration

The Long Slog: U.S. Sanctions Appeals Drag for More than a Year As Washington Ramps up Blacklistings

The Arctic Shipping Frontier: Regulatory and Operational Challenges to Consider

Emma C. Jones Joins the Alongside Podcast

Blank Rome Maritime Group Named 2024 Transport – Shipping Firm of the Year in Annual Lexology Index Awards

Jones Act

U.S. Department of Commerce Proposes Expanded Export Controls Targeting Military, Intelligence, and Law Enforcement End Users in China and Elsewhere

Hurricanes and Their Cost on the Maritime Industry

EPA Signs Final Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance Rule

USCG Considers Organism Viability Testing Methods to Achieve Type Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems

Chevron Deference Tossed Overboard—What Does It Really Mean?

MAINBRACE: October 2024

Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law

When Is a Contract Maritime and Why Is That Important?

USCG Requests Information on Ballast Water Management Procedures Under the Vessel General Permit and USCG Regulations

Chambers USA 2024 Recognizes Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices

Noteworthy Speaking Engagements

Blank Rome Welcomes Leading Maritime Partner Luke Reid in Boston

United States Coast Guard Safety Priorities: How U.S. Leadership in Maritime Will Secure America’s Future

How Do I Respond to Harassment and Sexual Harassment Claims? What Are the New Laws and Coast Guard Regulations and How Do They Impact My Company?

Surf & Turf: Serving Up Autonomous Regulations

Seafarer Detention Under Ship Pollution Law Must Have Limits

The Implication of Sanctions on Global Shipping—Do They Work and What Comes Next?

The Impact of Sanctions and Security Concerns in Maritime Industry

The Legacy of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990

Red Sea Readiness: Navigating Risk Mitigation Measures for Safe Passage

Summary of Impact of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships

MARPOL SOS—It’s Time for the U.S. Coast Guard to Protect Seafarers

MAINBRACE: March 2024

EPA Issues Supplemental Notice of Proposed Ruling to Implement the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act—Finally!

Regulatory Challenges and Consequences

Ships and Fuels of the Future: U.S. Decarbonization Efforts and Offshore Wind Developments

EPA Issues Supplemental Notice of Proposed Ruling to Implement the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, Finally!

Evolution of Offshore Wind and the Coastwise Laws

Finally—A Path Forward for Implementation of the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act

MAINBRACE: September 2023

Ballast Water, Antifouling & Invasive Species

MARPOL Annex VI: Regulation for the Prevention of Air Pollution by Ships

Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices Highly Ranked in The Legal 500 United States 2023

Maritime – Regulatory Compliance

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