Legal uncertainty

A ship approaching a port in a Central American country lost 21 containers overboard in heavy weather. Due to a new and uncertain administrative law in that country, the Director of its Maritime Administration Authority acted arbitrarily against both the ship and, separately, the captain.

Working on the ground, we were able to bring this to the attention of the country’s leadership and persuade it that these actions were unreasonable and not in the strategic interests of the country, leading to the release of both ship and captain.