Dana S. Merkel, Vanessa C. DiDomenico, and Holli B. Packer ● The U.S. Coast Guard (“USCG”) published a final rule on January 17, 2025, addressing Cybersecurity in the Marine Transportation System (the “Final Rule”), which seeks to minimize cybersecurity related transportation security
Maritime
Paris shipping update #2
This article was originally published on Lloyd’s Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly and is republished with permission.
In this bulletin, we once again draw on our annual reports on French shipping law published by Andrew Tetley and Antoine Guillemot in…
Recent Cruise Crime Data Shows Carnival Cruise Line Remains the Most Dangerous Cruise Line at Sea
Convicted Sex Offender Arrested at Port of Tampa for Possessing and Transporting Child Pornography on Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander

A resident of Polk City, Florida was arrested at the Port of Tampa on charges of possessing and transporting child pornography on the Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander, according to a local news station in Tampa.
James Oxley, age 52, boarded…
Damages for late redelivery – a lost opportunity (literally)?
Hapag-Lloyd AG v. Skyros Maritime Corporation and Agios Minas Shipping Company [2024] EWHC 3139 (Comm)
In a significant new case, the UK Commercial Court assessed damages following late redelivery of two vessels under time charterparties where, pursuant to the terms…
Carnival Cruise Passenger Convicted of Multiple Charges of Sexual Abuse of Minor on Carnival Legend Cruise Ship
Passenger Disappears From Ruby Princess Cruise Ship
Featuring Our Blank Rome Newsletters
The BRoader Impact: Leading with Purpose at Blank Rome We are proud to share The BRoader Impact, a new annual report highlighting the many ways our firm is making significant strides in support of our colleagues, clients, and communities. Leading…
News & Rankings
Blank Rome Maritime Practice Group and Co-Chair Receive Lexology’s 2024 North America Awards Blank Rome’s Maritime practice group, as well as Thomas H. Belknap, Jr., co-chair of the Maritime practice group, were recipients of Lexology’s 2024 North America Awards. <Read…
When Is a Contract Maritime and Why Is That Important?
Keith B. Letourneau ● In the Fifth Circuit, for the longest time, deciding whether a contract was maritime involved assessing a litany of factors derived from the court’s Davis & Sons v. Gulf Oil Corporation case, specifically: The above factors generally pertain…