Admiralty & Maritime NPA

About this NPA

The Admiralty and Maritime NPA incorporates proceedings that relate to admiralty or maritime disputes including:

in rem proceedings
in personam proceedings
marine insurance
cargo claims
other matters including matters relating to the Navigation Act 2012 (Cth) and the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 (Cth).

The Oar Mace of Admiralty

More About the NPA

Latest Judgments

Recent Judgments - Federal Court

8 Sep 2023: Poralu Marine Australia Pty Ltd v MV Dijksgracht [2023] FCAFC 147
CONTRACTS - contract of carriage of goods by sea - formation - whether contract was concluded by way of fixture recap email - construction of recap emails - where recap provided that terms were otherwise as per carrier's standard form booking note and bill of lading including rider clauses but with English law and London arbitration - whether…
Judge: Rares, Sarah C Derrington and Feutrill JJ
4 Sep 2023: Delta Corp Ship Management DMCCO v The Ship "Caledonian Sky" [2023] FCA 1058
ADMIRALTY - application by plaintiff to Registrar for release of vessel under arrest - caveats against release previously filed - whether vessel should be released from arrest - role of caveats against release - whether release should be delayed to protect interest of caveator - release of vessel ordered
Judge: Stewart J
4 Aug 2023: GeelongPort Pty Limited v The Ship "Voyager P" [2023] FCA 918
ADMIRALTY - application for judicial sale of ship pendente lite - application for order to move ship under arrest - ship abandoned - orders made
Judge: O'Callaghan J

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Case Law

Latest Papers & Publications

28 Jul 2022: Admiralty and maritime seminar
Updates on UK, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia.
18 Nov 2021: Navigating the rough seas of enforcement
AMTAC annual address, by Justice Stewart.
1 Sep 2021: Introductory remarks to MLAANZ marine insurance webinar
Webinar presented by Justice Stewart.

More Papers

Practice Notes

Central Practice Note (CPN-1)
Admiralty & Maritime Practice Note (A&M-1)

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Form & Rules

The key forms and rules for commencing these proceedings are:

Actions in rem

Forms:	Admiralty Form 6 – Writ Admiralty Form 8 – Statement of claim: Action in rem
Rules:	Admiralty Rules 15, 16, 19, 22(2) & 30

Actions in personam

Forms:	Form 15 – Originating application Form 17 – Statement of claim
Rules:	Federal Court Rules 8.01(1), 8.04(1) and 8.05(1)(a)

More Forms & Rules

Arresting a Vessel

Generally applications for arrest of a vessel are urgent and made to the Duty Registrar in the relevant registry.

Admiralty Marshals are available to arrest a vessel anywhere in Australia at any time on any day of the year.

Legislation

Admiralty Act 1988 (Cth)
Admiralty Rules 1988 (Cth)

The admiralty and maritime work of the Court is not limited to proceedings under the Admiralty Act and Admiralty Rules, see also:

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Research Links

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