Latest News

MV Rena: Pathway to Claiming

We have been approached by several entities for advice on claims against the operators of MV Rena, arising from the grounding of the vessel on the Astrolabe Reef.

The legal matrix governing the oil pollution liability regime in New Zealand is complicated and outdated and we have drawn up a document entitled ‘Pathway to Claim’ to assist potential claimants in forming a view as to their prospects of recovering any loss from the owner/operators of the vessel. Each claim can only be adjudged on the peculiar facts of the claim.

As with any maritime claim, the steps that will be required to establish the jurisdiction of the court are not straightforward. We caution against relying solely on the attached advice, as it is widely stated and generic, and not tailored to a specific set of facts.

The ‘Pathway to Claim’ can be found here.

For further information please contact Peter Dawson at peter@dawsonlaw.co.nz.