Kierstan L. Carlson, Jeanne M. Grasso, and Gregory F. Linsin ● The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (“APPS”) is the U.S. law that implements the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”). Since a policy shift in 2010, the U.S. Coast Guard’s (“USCG”) approach to enforcing APPS has trapped hundreds of
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The Legacy of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990
Keith B. Letourneau ● In 1989, the tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on Bligh Reef, Alaska resulting in the spill of more than 11 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound. The resulting ecological disaster galvanized Congress to enact the Oil Pollution Act the next year. This legislation has had far-reaching implications for the carriage of oil…
Enforcing Foreign Arbitral Awards in the United States
Thomas H. Belknap, Jr. ● Sometimes, once an arbitration award is issued, the losing party accepts its lumps and pays the award, promptly and in full. At times, however, it is not so simple. The losing party may consider that the award is unfair or wrongly decided, or it may simply refuse or be unable to…
EPA Issues Supplemental Notice of Proposed Ruling to Implement the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act—Finally!
Jeanne M. Grasso and Dana S. Merkel ● The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“SNPR”) on October 18, 2023, modifying its initial proposed rule from three years ago on performance standards for vessel incidental discharges. 2023-22879.pdf (govinfo.gov) The SNPR addressed only three limited areas—ballast water, hulls and associated niche…
Red Sea Readiness: Navigating Risk Mitigation Measures for Safe Passage
William R. Bennett, III and Holli B. Packer ● Since late 2023, the Yemen-based, Iran-backed Houthi rebel group has attacked dozens of commercial ships in the Red Sea, with no signs of slowing down. The unrest in the region threatens to impact supply chains and increase consumer prices. As activities in the Red Sea develop,…
Summary of Impact of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships
R. Anthony Salgado and Natalie M. Radabaugh ● Many Mainbrace readers are likely aware that the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (the “HKC”), is set to enter into force on June 26, 2025, following its ratification by Liberia and Bangladesh last June. Since then, Pakistan, a major…
A Tale of Two Canals
Keith B. Letourneau ● Ordinarily, over 36,000 merchant ships pass through the Suez and Panama Canals each year representing about 30 percent of the world’s merchant fleet tonnage. This year, both canals face extraordinary events beyond their control, which are affecting vessel transits and arrivals across the globe. Following Hamas’ attack on Israeli citizens and Israel’s…
Blank Rome Highly Ranked in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® 2024 “Best Law Firms”
Our firm was ranked nationally in 31 practice areas and regionally in 96 practice areas in the 2024 “Best Law Firms” survey by U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers®. Our Maritime practice group was ranked Tier 1 nationally and ranked Tier 1 regionally in Houston, New York City, and Washington, D.C., in Admiralty…
Blank Rome Attorneys Recognized in 2024 Best Lawyers in America®
Earlier this year, Blank Rome was recognized in the 2024 Best Lawyers in America survey, which ranked 200 firm attorneys in the annual categories of “Lawyers of the Year,” “Ones to Watch,” and “Best Lawyers” in 50 practice groups across 12 regions. To view Blank Rome’s full rankings, please click here.
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USCG Requests Information on Ballast Water Management Procedures Under the Vessel General Permit and USCG Regulations
Jeanne M. Grasso, Dana S. Merkel, and Holli B. Packer ● The U.S. Coast Guard (“USCG”) published a Request for Information (“Request”) on June 7 in the Federal Register (89 Fed. Reg. 48515) seeking information on the monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting procedures under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) Vessel General Permit (“VGP”) and the USCG’s ballast water…