Under International Law, there’s the doctrine (maybe too strong a word) of “safe harbor.” That is, no port should be closed to a foreign vessel seeking shelter from a bad storm.

The bottom line is before you elect to pursue arbitration, sit down with your admiralty attorney and have a real chat about the arbitration process and the arbitrators that may rule on your claim. You may decide the arbitration forum is a good fit, you may have good prior experiences with arbitration, and you may favor its streamlined approach to decision making.

What you need to remember is that no matter your vessel’s size, you are its master and that title carries with it the weight of a very long maritime tradition.

What Happened Team Vestas Wind? A Maritime Attorney Wants to Know