Sceptre Law provides extensive legal and regulatory support to our clients in the maritime and shipping business, with our expertise and vast experience in industry spheres like: leasing, registration, sale, repairs and financing of ships in Nigeria, hull and cargo claims, contracts of freight including drafting of agreements of bills of lading and charter parties, sale and purchase contracts, ship building and ship repair contracts, stevedoring contracts, ship mortgages, salvage, towage and service of ships. We also advise on matters involving marine insurance, oil pollution, valuation, and collision matters, processing of government approvals, licenses, ship registration certificates, stevedore company registrations with the ship registry and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) respectively, inclusive of requisite permits in all marine affairs including authorized permits for jetties and harbours.

The firm also provides advisory services on legal and regulatory matters on marine commerce, jetty and harbour ownership, rights and duties of masters and seamen, civil marine torts and personal injuries claims, death involving ships, salvage, towage, pilotage, wages, marine pollution damage and illegal dispossession of ship owners of their ships, ship seizures and ship ownership disputes.

We represent clients in maritime litigation and arbitration proceedings; and enforcement of general maritime claims, such as claims of negligence or in contract including regulatory claims of providing defective berth, applicability of courts’ jurisdiction to ships, service, arrest, re-arrest of ships, limitation of liability proceedings; including considered advise on retention of security where proceedings are stayed or dismissed, ownership disputes, advise on claims for damages for wrongful arrest, claims for personal injuries  or death on ships, crew fee or remuneration claims, Salvage fee claims, General Average loss claims, passenger carriage claims, luggage and cargo damages claims and  host communities’ marine pollution claims.

Sceptre Law advises on priorities in general maritime claims, statutory powers of detention; and on issuing pre-requisite pre-action notices within the time stipulated by law; we advise on rights and liabilities of parties whether as principals, agents or consignees; we draft contracts of freight with emphasis on currency jurisdiction, venue of proceedings and limitation period clauses and consideration with legal due diligence requirements of seaworthiness and cargo worthiness. Our major clients in the industry include ship owners, carriers, cargo owners, stevedore and towage companies, shipping passengers and consignees.

The firm is comprised of experts in maritime law, as it relates to all maritime services and matters; with considerable knowledge of such laws: Carriage of Goods by Sea (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Admiralty Jurisdiction Act and Rules, Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, Nigerian Ports Authority Act, Merchant Shipping Act and regulations, Nigerian Shippers Council Act, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act (NIMASA), the amended Hague Rules and the Hamburg Rules.