Freehill has equally unsurpassed expertise in handling disputes arising from charter parties and contracts of affreightment including bareboat, time and voyage charters, government and military contracts of affreightment, service contracts, and vessel sharing and pooling agreements.    The firm has litigated and arbitrated almost any type of dispute that can arise under such contracts  and regularly handles large matters in this area including breach of vessel performance warranties, contract cancellation, safe port and safe berth, freight collection, demurrage and detention, limitations and mitigation of damages, deviation, veil piercing and exclusions of liability due to force majeure, outbreak of war, frustration and impossibility.

Freehill’s extensive and active arbitration practice is conducted before various well-known arbitration associations in the United States including the AAA, ICDR and SMA.  The firm frequently advises foreign clients with respect to anti-suit injunctions against foreign litigation, U.S. law governing enforcement of arbitration agreements and awards, party-selection of arbitrators, and U.S. arbitration procedure under federal law and arbitral association rules.   Members of the firm also at times serve as party-appointed arbitrators.  The firm has appeared as lead counsel on more than several hundred New York based Society of Maritime Arbitration matters and in cases of fire, explosion or other serious incident.