Marine economy solicitors
Our team has extensive experience in the marine and maritime industry, as well as specialising in advising ports and harbours and those operating in the aquaculture sector.
Overview
Advising organisations in the marine or maritime industry
The “marine economy” can loosely be defined as all those sectors that are in some way or another dependent on the marine environment in relation to their economic activity and output. With an abundance of natural capital at its disposal, Scotland has a thriving marine economy which touches on many areas of the economy and wider society, including Scotland’s remote and coastal communities. Our team has extensive experience in the marine or maritime industry, including, amongst other matters, specialising in advising ports and harbours and those operating in the aquaculture sector and supply chain. The team advises on the full range of services across the sector with the benefit of specialist legal, industry and local knowledge.
Our offices in Inverness, Elgin, Lerwick and Thurso, as well as Edinburgh and Glasgow, place us close to the major centres of activity in the sector around Scotland.
Our proven track record is built on placing our clients’ business needs and commercial interests at the heart of our advice. From advising on the purchase, sale, chartering and financing of vessels, through warranty and collision claims, to advising clients with maritime tourism matters, our experience spans the industry.
Scotland’s ports and harbours support oil & gas decommissioning in the North Sea, as well as providing operation and maintenance bases for the growing offshore wind and marine renewables sectors. We provide the full range of strategic commercial advice required by the modern port business. A key development in the last 12 months has been the announcement of Scotland’s two new Green Freeports in Inverness and the Cromarty Firth, and the Forth. These two new zones are being created to enhance investment, jobs and regeneration, and will be key assets in Scotland’s marine economy.
Read our report on the potential impact and opportunities for Scotland’s two new Green Freeports.
Featured events
Key contacts
THE TEAM
The team advises on the full range of services across the sector with the benefit of specialist legal, industry and local knowledge.
Services
Our services
Our specialist team advises a diverse range of clients within the Marine Economy.
Fishing
Overview
Commercial fishing continues to represent a key industry to Scotland’s economic prosperity.
Our team has wide experience of advising businesses operating in the fishing industry on issues including commercial matters, leases and property, licensing, brand creation and protection, health & safety, regulation and environmental.
Our local knowledge and strategic positioning place us close to the major centres of activity in the sector around Scotland.
Aquaculture
Overview
Scotland is ranked among the world’s largest producers of farmed salmon (behind only the likes of Chile and Norway). As such, aquaculture continues to be is of growing importance to Scotland’s economy, particularly in the Highlands and Islands, with Scotland responsible for around 90% of all UK production. The industry is regulated with a view to promoting food safety, compliance with legislation and sustainability.
Scotland’s aquaculture sector continues to benefit from rapid advancements in technology, from innovations in the production of more sustainable feed solutions for farmed stock, to the application of satellite technology for accurate real-time monitoring of stock. Our expert team has experience advising sector stakeholders at all stages of technology development, from the initial brand creation and protection, to accessing funding and grant options.
We have wide experience of advising businesses operating in the aquaculture industry on issues including commercial matters, leases and property, licensing, brand creation and protection, health & safety, regulation and environmental.
Supply chain and other marine related work
Overview
From ports and harbours to commercial shipping and aquaculture, marine economic activity is supported by a vast and diverse supply chain. Whether this is in the shape of logistics and transport support, or training and educational services, our team has experience advising businesses and individuals involved in supporting those operating within the marine economy.
Our local knowledge and strategic positioning place us close to the major centres of activity in the sector around Scotland.
Shipping and shipbuilding
Overview
From charterparty agreements, to shipbuilding contracts, our team has extensive experience advising stakeholders in respect of shipping and shipbuilding.
Our key services in this area include:
- Banking and security
- Charterparty advice
- Insurance and disputes
Marine tourism
Overview
We advise many businesses and organisations operating in the marine tourism sector, in areas including ferry operations, leisure cruising, and recreational water sports.
From advice and guidance in relation to property and planning, to commercial contracts, dispute resolution, and business succession planning, our multi-disciplinary team of experts are well equipped to offer a comprehensive service.
Through a combination of local and industry knowledge, and bespoke specialist legal insight, our team advises on the full range of services across the marine tourism sector.
Offshore energy, renewables and decommissioning
Overview
Our award-winning renewable energy team has extensive experience of offshore wind, wave and tidal. We have advised some of the leading companies involved in marine energy on the development of their technology and products and the various rounds of funding to finance these. Our key services include:
- Buying & selling renewables projects
- Civil and marine engineering and O&M
- Options and leases
- Funding
- Grid connection
- Planning
- State aid & procurement
Ports and harbours
Overview
Strategic commercial advice
Our team has extensive experience in advising ports and harbours.
The team advises on the full range of services across the sector with the benefit of specialist legal, industry and local knowledge. Our offices in Inverness, Elgin, Lerwick and Thurso, as well as Edinburgh and Glasgow, place us close to the major centres of activity in the sector around Scotland.
Scotland’s ports and harbours are gearing up to be the operation and maintenance bases for marine renewables, as well as supporting the oil & gas industry. We provide the full range of strategic commercial advice required by the modern port business. As focus begins to shift from conventional oil & gas exploration and production in the North Sea, and steps are made towards a “green transition”, the importance of decommissioning and Scotland’s decommissioning capabilities will become of greater significance. Ports and harbours are likely to play a substantial part in the success of the green transition in the coming years.
We have advised on everything from the purchase of a harbour to the major infrastructure projects transforming a harbour into a key operations and maintenance base. The team also has experience in working in the UK and overseas with both marine installations designers and contractors, and the car ferry operators that use such facilities. This has given us an all round perspective on the objectives, essentials and required processes for successful marine infrastructure.
Two new Scottish Green Freeports, one in Inverness and the Cromarty Firth, and one based around the Firth of Forth, will seek to draw upon the economic benefits sought under the UK Freeport regime whilst also supporting decarbonisation, a just transition to net zero by 2045, and the payment of a real living wage. Operators and businesses in the defined areas of the two Green Freeports are intended to be able to take advantage of associated funding opportunities and tax benefits.
We provide the full range of strategic commercial advice required by the modern port business.
Commercial finance
Overview
Our team has extensive experience providing the corporate and commercial advice required by businesses, owners, operators and lenders in the sector and its supply chain. Our corporate team is also ranked as one of Scotland’s top dealmakers.
Key services include:
- Banking & finance
- Commercial contracts
- Commercialisation
- Competition law
- Construction & engineering
- Intellectual property, patent law & design rights
- MBOs
- Mergers & acquisitions
- Partnerships
- Property & leases
- Restructuring & insolvency
- State aid
Litigation
Overview
Our dispute resolution team, one of the largest in Scotland, knows the sector, delivering commercially focused, pragmatic solutions to any contentious issues, while on Shetland, our experienced local practitioners can respond to urgent court instructions involving a range of issues such as arrestment, claims and crewing matters.
Our key services include:
- Arrestments
- Banking and financial services disputes
- Contentious construction
- Debt recoveries
- Planning and environmental/public inquiries
- Property litigation
- Public law and judicial review
- Regulatory and compliance
- Insolvency
Vessels & operations
Overview
Harper Macleod can advise on all legal aspects of owning and operating ships and others vessels, from design and build contracts to leasing and sales:
- Shipbuilding contracts
- Ferries – routes, ticketing, terminal operation
- Acquisitions and disposals
- Leasing
- Banking & finance
- Charters
- Maritime tourism
Employment law
Overview
Harper Macleod has an award-winning team that provides advice and strategic support which is focused on delivering practical, straightforward and solution-driven assistance for your employment law issues. Working for some large employers in the sector, we have specialist knowledge of the particular issues that can arise.
Catch up on all our episodes, discussing the trends and types of work we are seeing related to the Marine Economy.
Work
Our work
Harbour developments
Overview
We are legal advisers to Wick Harbour Authority, supporting its ambitious plans to become a key Operation & Maintenance base for offshore windfarms in the Moray Firth. We provide strategic commercial advice on property and infrastructure developments at the harbour. We also acted on behalf of the trustees of a harbour in the north of Scotland on infrastructure contracts relating to the extension for a new ferry service including engineering, property and procurement aspects. The infrastructure included a new berthing dolphin, passenger access system and traffic management system.
Port supply chain
Overview
We advised on the merger of several businesses in the port services supply chain in the North of Scotland. Our team of Highlands’ based corporate lawyers used their deep understanding of the client’s business to conclude the deal within very short timescales.
We have undertaken MBOs, mergers, acquisitions and sales for: one of the largest groups in the UK to provide supports services to the marine and offshore industry; an enterprise resourcing planning, payroll software, and ferry ticketing and reservation software solutions business; port side and logistic service businesses.
Ferries
Overview
We provided advice supporting the establishment of a new ferry route including design and build of a new vessel, leasing an existing vessel and ticketing, marketing, terminal operation and harbour management arrangements.
Construction of RORO terminals, the design, build and introduction of new vessels, capital raising through public issues and the completion of operating agreements. We also advised a ferry operator in relation to the newbuilding of a large car ferry, built in the Philippines, and contracts with ship designers.
Articles
Insights
Green Freeports: local impact, global opportunity (including video)
Insights
UK Supreme Court issues landmark decision on assessing environmental harm of extracting fossil fuels
Insights
Scotland’s green hydrogen opportunity
Insights
Is the UK’s grid capacity threatening progress towards climate targets?
Insights
Harboured ambitions for Scotland’s maritime infrastructure
Insights
Navigating challenges: Addressing skills shortages in Scotland’s marine economy
Insights
Read our report on Scotland’s two new Green Freeports – an empowered opportunity
Insights
Ensuring fishing assets are ship-shape for funding and succession
CONTACT US
Call us for free on 0330 159 5555 or complete our online form below to submit your enquiry or arrange a call back.