Pirates, What Else? Somali Attackers & Legal Dilemmas

Petar Kragic, Member of the Management Board for Legal Affairs and Insurance, Tankerska Plovidba dd, Croatia

Since the risks of attacks on shipping, firstly off the coast of Somalia, and later almost across the whole of the Indian Ocean, became a real threat to the vital shipping routes a lot has been said and written about the problems blocking efficient remedies to this appalling security situation. Legal obstacles and dilemmas have been near the top of the list. The attacks on shipping have not only had a public aspect, but private contracts have been affected as well. Let us deal first with the later.

Petar Kragic has an MA and PhD in maritime law. He is author of a legal textbook Tanker Charteparties and a number of articles on maritime law topics. He is speaker at maritime conferences. Currently he is chairman of the Croatian Maritime Law Association and titular member of CMI. He was a member of CMI drafting committee for Rotterdam Rules and a member of the Croatian delegation to UNCITRAL. He is former chairman of the legal committee of Croatian Chamber of Shipping and a member of the drafting committee for Croatian maritime law. For a number of years he was director of a major P&I Club and SiGCo.

Tankerska Plovidba operates as an independent shipping company in Croatia. It operates a fleet of tankers and bulk carriers. The company’s fleet comprises Suezmax and Aframax size crude oil carriers, chemical tankers and handysize bulk carriers. Tankerska Plovidba was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Zadar, Croatia.