By Adam Gray
We are delighted to present this inaugural edition of the Middle East Shipping & Logistics Report. Whilst a report of this nature is not a new concept, the Al Tamimi Shipping & Logistics Team recognised that there is a knowledge gap for the Middle East shipping community and those connected to it.
The purpose of this first edition and the ones that follow is to drawdown upon the vast experience that the Al Tamimi Shipping & Logistics Team boasts across the Middle East region. We have offices in ten countries spanning MENA and this report gathers and shares legal insights, know-how, developments, opinions and thought leadership with our clients. We have also attempted to include content which will be relevant and of interest to our clients situated beyond the Middle East.
Voyaging from west to east and proceeding with utmost despatch to Suez, Egypt, Hany Mamoon and Karim Marouny discuss pollution and grounding events in Egyptian waters. Obtaining clearance into Saudi Arabian waters, Ahmed Hashem and Jamal Natto provide a useful overview of the E-process for imported products. Berthing briefly in Kuwait, Ahmed Rezeik was in the Kuwait Court of Cassation arguing about the proper application of an owner’s fire defence under the Hague Rules. Steaming further eastward, Wesley Wood reviews some recent changes in the UAE’s Civil Procedure Code, including the possibility of the UAE courts adopting the English language in proceedings. I also discuss the increased prospect of English court judgments and orders being recognised and enforced in the UAE for the first time. Dry-docking in Oman, Wael Elgouhari reports on a recent case in which he creatively arrested a cargo in Sohar.
In addition, and of more general application across the region, Sakher Alaqaileh, Bassam Al Azzeh and Ameen Kim have conducted a comprehensive overview of the new Common Customs Law and ‘rules of origin’ across the entire Gulf Cooperation Council. Shaima Berri and I have discussed the recent and rapid withdrawal of war risk insurance by P&I Clubs. l have commented on the sanctions landscape in the Middle East and how owners might best protect themselves from becoming unwittingly embroiled in sanctioned activity. Lastly, for our clients in trading and operations roles, we have produced guidance on the variation of contracts and the pitfalls to avoid.
I trust this Middle East Shipping & Logistics Report will be informative and useful. I take this opportunity to thank our clients across the region and from afar for their support. We are committed to your success and look forward to working with you in the future. As a final word, I would like to express my appreciation for my talented colleagues across the Middle East, without whom this report would not be possible.
