Recent News & Insights in Maritime Law

March 5, 2025Uncategorized

OFAC issues wind down period for chevron’s venezuela license

I am providing foreign policy guidance to terminate all Biden-era oil and gas licenses that have shamefully bankrolled the illegitimate Maduro regime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, February 27 As we detailed in these pages on February 20, the Trump administration followed through on its long-standing policy towards Venezuela. The Biden government had taken several….

February 26, 2025Maritime Regulation Sanctions

Unprecedented port fees proposed for vessels with nexus to china

Maritime stakeholders should consider commenting on how a Proposed Action to impose unprecedented port fees on vessels with a nexus to China would impact operations. They should also examine structures involving Chinese-built ships or vessels owned/managed by Chinese entities to minimize risk. The U.S. has had an ongoing Section 301 Investigation into allegedly “unfair” Chinese….

February 20, 2025Sanctions

Venezuela: OFAC Licenses and Permissions at Risk

Key Takeaway: Shipowners, operators, and insurers should closely monitor changes to licenses and comfort letters which permit certain trades with Venezuela. Trump and key administration members have a long track record of “maximum pressure” towards Venezuela. Given the speed with which the Trump administration has been changing foreign policy, stakeholders should be ready to alter….

November 20, 2024Environmental Jones Act Maritime Regulation

U.S. LNG Exports and Shipping

Will policymakers kill the goose that lays golden eggs? It has become legendary that the initial LNG terminals in the United States were built for import purposes. For several decades, the United States functioned as a major importer of energy products, a legacy of policies aimed at restricting the utilization of domestic energy resources. Initially,….

November 1, 2024Environmental Jones Act Maritime Regulation

Consequences of the U.S. Election for The Maritime Industry

By Stefanos N. Roulakis In what has become a quadrennial tradition, I am taking a look at how shipping could be affected by the U.S. Presidential Election. I am surprised to be writing that this is my third analysis of Donald Trump’s candidacy for President. In 2016, his campaign predictions were subdued due to his….