Blank Rome’s Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Team (“SWERT”) is an interdisciplinary group of Blank Rome attorneys and government relations professionals with decades of experience helping companies and individuals recover from severe weather events, including hurricanes, wildfires, mudslides, snowstorms, earthquakes, and tornadoes. We are ready to assist those in the path of storms and other severe weather events.
Learn more at blankrome.com/SWERT.
William R. Bennett III, Editor
Political turmoil in the United States, war in the Middle East, and invasion and occupation in Europe. The time period: 1973–74; which confirms the aphorism that Winston Churchill repeated in a speech he gave in 1948 to the British House of Commons, that “those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” If you were H. G. Wells’ Time Traveler and transported in time from 1974 to 2024 and began reading headlines in the newspaper you would be reasonable to conclude that not much has changed. However, if you were a shipping man in 1974 and joined the Time Traveler, you would notice massive change.
In 1974, vessels built in the United States, Great Britain, and Denmark dominated the list of new ship buildings with no mention of China. Today, vessels built in China dominate the list of new launches. And, in 1974 the largest container ship in the world was the Hamburg Express with a capacity of 2984 twenty-foot equivalent units (“TEUs”). Today, the largest container ship in the world is the MSC Irina with a capacity of 24,346 TEU–a whopping increase of 800 percent. But, the most important changes that have occurred in the maritime industry involve the rules, regulations, and norms of the international maritime shipping community focused on safety, starting with the 1974 SOLAS Convention, which specified minimum safety standards for the construction, equipment, and operation of ships.
Change for the sake of change is rarely beneficial. Thoughtful and purposeful change directed by the stakeholders in any venture typically ends with positive results. The maritime industry is a great example. The rules, regulations, conventions, and industry norms promulgated and promoted by the international shipping community–International Maritime Organization, Flag State, classification societies, owners, managers, etc.,—which primarily focus on safety of personnel, the environment, and the vessel, while also considering the commercial implications of such rules, have been extremely effective since 1974 in reducing harm to personnel, the environment, and vessels and, consequently—in my humble opinion—the maritime industry is a model for other industries to follow when change is necessary.
COMPLIANCE AUDIT PROGRAM
Blank Rome Maritime has developed a flexible, fixed-fee Compliance Audit Program to help maritime companies mitigate the escalating risks in the maritime regulatory environment. The program provides concrete, practical guidance tailored to your operations to strengthen your regulatory compliance systems and minimize the risk of your company becoming an enforcement statistic. To learn how the Compliance Audit Program can help your company, please view our Compliance Audit Program flyer.
MARITIME CYBERSECURITY REVIEW PROGRAM
Blank Rome provides a comprehensive solution for protecting your company’s property and reputation from the unprecedented cybersecurity challenges present in today’s global digital economy. Our multidisciplinary team of leading cybersecurity and data privacy professionals advises clients on the potential consequences of cybersecurity threats and how to implement comprehensive measures for mitigating cyber risks, prepare customized strategy and action plans, and provide ongoing support and maintenance to promote cybersecurity and cyber risk management awareness. Blank Rome’s maritime cyber risk management team has the capability to address cybersecurity issues associated with both land-based systems and systems onboard ships, including the implementation of the Guidelines on Cyber Security Onboard Ships and the IMO Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management in Safety Management Systems. To learn how Blank Rome’s Maritime Cyber Risk Management Program can help your company, please visit blankrome.com/cybersecurity.
TRADE SANCTIONS AND EXPORT COMPLIANCE REVIEW PROGRAM
Blank Rome’s Trade Sanctions and Export Compliance Review Program ensures that companies in the maritime, transportation, offshore, and commodities fields do not fall afoul of U.S. trade law requirements. U.S. requirements for trading with Iran, Cuba, Russia, Syria, and other hotspots change rapidly, and U.S. limits on banking and financial services, and restrictions on exports of U.S. goods, software, and technology, impact our shipping and energy clients daily. Our team will review and update our clients’ internal policies and procedures for complying with these rules on a fixed-fee basis. When needed, our trade team brings extensive experience in compliance audits and planning, investigations and enforcement matters, and government relations, tailored to provide practical and businesslike solutions for shipping, trading, and energy clients worldwide. To learn how the Trade Sanctions and Export Compliance Review Program can help your company, please visit blankrome.com/services/cross-border-international/international-trade or contact Matthew J. Thomas (matthew.thomas@blankrome.com, 202.772.5971).
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 More>
Blank Rome Attorneys Recognized in 2025 Best Lawyers in America®
Blank Rome was recognized in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America survey, which ranked 225 firm attorneys in the annual categories of “Lawyers of the Year,” “Ones to Watch,” and “Best Lawyers” in 50 practice groups across 13 regions. <Read More>
Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices Highly Ranked in The Legal 500 United States 2024
Blank Rome’s Maritime group and attorneys have been highly ranked and recommended in The Legal 500 United States 2024. Researchers at The Legal 500 conduct annual, in-depth market research and gather information from individual law firms as well as feedback from peers and clients to form an objective analysis and prepare comprehensive rankings and editorial of the U.S. legal market.
2024 Firm Rankings
TOP-TIER FIRM
HALL OF FAME ATTORNEYS
Chambers USA 2024 Honors Blank Rome Maritime Attorneys and Practices
Blank Rome was nationally ranked by Chambers USA 2024 in the following areas:
Blank Rome Maritime attorneys Thomas H. Belknap, Michael Bell, William R. Bennett, Jeanne Grasso, John D. Kimball, Keith B. Letourneau, Richard Singleton, Anthony Salgado, Douglas Shoemaker, Matthew J. Thomas, Jonathan K. Waldron, and Lauren Wilgus were ranked as “leaders in their field.”
The rankings were assessed according to technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by clients.
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 with purpose, we combine our knowledge and capabilities with our passions by providing pro bono services, volunteering our time and resources, furthering diversity and inclusion initiatives, prioritizing well-being, and elevating sustainable practices. We are proud of the meaningful work that our colleagues are carrying out in our communities every day. Click here to read it.
The BR Privacy & Security Download
We invite you to read our November 2024 edition of The BR Privacy & Security Download, the monthly digital newsletter of Blank Rome’s Privacy, Security & Data Protection practice, which covers current trends and updates in the areas of state, local, and federal laws and regulations, U.S. litigation and enforcement, and international laws and regulations, as well as the group’s recent events and webinars, media activity, and news. To view the latest edition of The BR Privacy & Security Download, please click here.
The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight
Welcome to the October 2024 edition of The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight, our monthly newsletter from Blank Rome’s State + Local Tax team that highlights important State + Local Tax developments across numerous jurisdictions and provides updates on significant legislative developments and judicial decisions that could impact business operations. Please click here to read The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight
Blank Rome’s Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Team (“SWERT”) helps those impacted by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and mudslides. We are an interdisciplinary group with decades of experience helping companies and individuals recover from severe weather events. Our team includes insurance recovery, labor and employment, government contracts, environmental, and energy attorneys, as well as government relations professionals with extensive experience in disaster recovery.
Learn more at blankrome.com/SWERT.
William R. Bennett III, Editor
What an amazing news cycle for shipping during the past two years, starting with the March 2021 EVER GIVEN grounding in the Suez Canal and running through the ongoing disruptions in shipping resulting from the Houthi attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea. Add in sanctions, the dark fleet, cruise ship mishaps…well you get the picture. The point is the general public certainly has—or should have—become more aware of the impact global international shipping has on their daily lives.
But is that really the story of today’s global shipping industry? In the short term, yes, but in the long term, no. The story of today’s global shipping industry is what the maritime industry is presently doing that goes unnoticed by the public but will certainly shape the maritime industry in the future. For the foreseeable future, fossil fuels will continue to be the primary source of vessel propulsion. Nevertheless, significant investment of money and human capital is being made on issues involving the use of alternative fuels and the design of future vessels, sustainability, carbon reduction, wind as a vessel propulsion source, and offshore wind as a viable alternative source of energy (at least for the United States). And, although not every alternative fuel currently being considered for vessel propulsion will become a cost-effective and efficient workable solution, and while the full-scale installation of offshore wind along the U.S. East Coast may still be a few years away, the maritime industry has proven it is open to investing in solutions leading to “clean propulsion” and “clean energy.” Consequently—being the eternal optimist—finding an alternative fuel that is a cost-effective and efficient source of vessel propulsion is not a matter of “if” but a matter of “when.”
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 & Maritime Law.
To view Blank Rome’s full rankings, please click here.
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.
The BR Derivatives Report
Our new BR Derivatives Report blog, authored by Blank Rome’s seasoned Finance and Investment Management attorneys, sheds light on the ever-shifting regulatory landscape and developments affecting the negotiation of transactions in this dynamic sector of the financial markets. Our goal is to make the derivatives market accessible and understandable, and to provide valuable updates and observations that inform business and regulatory decisions. You can receive new content as it publishes by subscribing. Read More »
The BR Privacy & Security Download
We invite you to read our May 2024 edition of The BR Privacy & Security Download, the monthly digital newsletter of Blank Rome’s Privacy, Security & Data Protection practice, which covers current trends and updates in the areas of state, local, and federal laws and regulations, U.S. litigation and enforcement, and international laws and regulations, as well as the group’s recent events and webinars, media activity, and news. Read More »
The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight
Welcome to the April 2024 edition of The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight, our monthly newsletter from Blank Rome’s State + Local Tax team that highlights important State + Local Tax developments across numerous jurisdictions and provides updates on significant legislative developments and judicial decisions that could impact business operations. Read More »
