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Comprehensive legal services combining sector expertise with strategic legal insight: clear, practical and result-oriented solutions for businesses and individuals. Eight dedicated practice groups cover intellectual property, media and advertising, data protection, technology, corporate matters, dispute resolution and maritime law, for multinational groups and early-stage ventures alike.

08Maritime, Yachting & Shipyard LawVessel finance, charter parties, cargo claims and marine insurance disputes, advisory across the full lifecycle of maritime operations.

Maritime, Yachting & Shipyard Law

Türkiye is one of the world's principal superyacht building and refit centres, and the legal work that surrounds it is unlike general shipping practice. We act for owners, shipyards, designers and managers across the full lifecycle of a vessel: the newbuild contract and its milestones, the refit and its subcontractors, the sale, the flag, the charter and the crew, and the arrest or casualty when something goes wrong.

A newbuild is a construction project financed in stages against a moving target. The contract has to fix what is being built precisely enough to be enforceable while leaving room for the changes every custom build produces, and it has to say what happens when a milestone slips. Refund guarantees, builder's risk cover and liquidated damages are not boilerplate here; they are the entire protection of the buyer's position.

Refit work carries a different risk profile. The vessel arrives with existing defects, the scope expands once the hull is opened, and fixed-price and cost-plus structures allocate that uncertainty in opposite directions. Hot work permits, drydock liability, winterisation and redelivery dates are where refit disputes actually originate.

Ownership and registration decisions taken at the start determine tax, confidentiality and operational freedom for the life of the vessel. Flag state, ownership vehicle, temporary admission status and transit log handling all interact, and a structure chosen for one purpose often blocks another. We settle those questions together rather than sequentially.

When a vessel is arrested or a casualty occurs, the response is measured in hours. Security has to be offered or resisted, evidence preserved, insurers notified within policy terms, and the vessel released or held depending on which side of the claim the client sits. We handle arrests across Turkish ports and the Straits, and coordinate with P&I clubs and foreign counsel from the first call.

The buyer's real protection in a newbuild is not the price clause but the refund guarantee and the acceptance protocol. If those two documents are correct, delay and defect can be managed; if they are weak, the yard holds the vessel and the leverage at the same time.

Contract Architecture
  • Letters of intent and master shipbuilding contracts (MYBA, SYBAss)
  • Technical specification, general arrangement and change order regimes
  • Milestone payment schedules from steel cutting to launching
  • Liquidated damages for late delivery and performance shortfalls
Testing & Acceptance
  • User acceptance testing, dockside tests and sea trial protocols
  • Punch list management and provisional acceptance mechanics
  • Technical delivery and acceptance protocols
  • Post-delivery warranty periods and guarantee voyages
Security & Compliance
  • Refund guarantees and builder's risk insurance structuring
  • Shipyard insolvency protection and step-in rights
  • IACS class compliance (RINA, Lloyd's Register, ABS, Bureau Veritas)
  • Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY3/LY4) compliance and survey disputes
End-to-End Newbuild ArchitectureProviding comprehensive legal counsel for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and premier shipyards throughout the entire lifecycle of custom and semi-custom superyacht builds. Drafting and aggressively negotiating Letters of Intent (LoI) and master shipbuilding contracts based on MYBA and SYBAss standards.
Milestones, Sea Trials & DeliveryStructuring complex, milestone-based payment schedules (steel cutting, keel laying, superstructure joining, launching). Drafting strict protocols for User Acceptance Testing (UAT), dockside tests, and sea trials. Enforcing rigorous late-delivery penalties (liquidated damages) and formulating technical delivery and acceptance protocols.
Classification & Regulatory ComplianceEnsuring absolute compliance with International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) standards (e.g., RINA, Lloyd’s Register, ABS, Bureau Veritas) and the Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY3/LY4). Managing legal disputes arising from classification society rejections or surveyor non-compliance.
Builder’s Risk & Shipyard InsolvencyStructuring airtight Refund Guarantees and Builder's Risk insurances to protect the buyer's investments against shipyard bankruptcy, severe construction delays, or catastrophic damage during the build process.
Change Orders & Specification VariationManaging the variation regime that decides most newbuild disputes: how changes are requested, priced, approved and reflected in the delivery date, and what happens when work proceeds without written authorisation.

Refit disputes rarely concern the original scope. They concern what was found after the hull was opened, who authorised the additional work and at what rate. Change order discipline decides those cases long before anyone reaches a courtroom.

Refit Contracts
  • Major refit, hull extension and structural conversion agreements
  • Fixed-price versus cost-plus risk allocation
  • Hot work permits, drydocking liability and yard period risk
  • Winterisation, lay-up and redelivery delay regimes
Subcontractors
  • Back-to-back agreements with marine engineering subcontractors
  • Propulsion, HVAC, outfitting and rigging scopes
  • Binding subcontractors to master build timelines and warranties
  • Retention, milestone and defect liability chains
Yard Liability
  • Environmental compliance, hazardous waste and marine pollution
  • Occupational health and safety (İSG) compliance in the yard
  • Defence of civil and criminal liability after workplace accidents
  • Insurance placement and claims handling for yard operations
Refit, Repair & Conversion AgreementsDrafting rigorous contracts for major superyacht refits, hull extensions, and complex structural conversions. Managing the legal allocation of risks for hot work permits, drydocking liabilities, winterization, and redelivery delays in fixed-price versus cost-plus contracts.
Shipyard Subcontractor & Supply Chain ManagementActing as external legal counsel for shipyards to manage their complex web of subcontractors. Drafting back-to-back agreements for advanced marine engineering, propulsion systems (engine installations), HVAC outfitting, and rigging, ensuring subcontractors are strictly bound by the master build timelines and warranties.
Shipyard Liabilities & Workplace Safety (OHS)Advising shipyards on strict environmental compliance (hazardous waste disposal, marine pollution) and occupational health and safety (ISG) regulations. Defending shipyards against civil and criminal liabilities arising from fatal workplace accidents or environmental spills in the dockyard.
Yard Liens & Retention of the VesselAdvising yards on the lawful exercise of retention rights over a vessel for unpaid invoices, and advising owners on releasing a vessel held on disputed grounds.

Mould ownership is the point most owners discover too late. Unless the contract says otherwise, the yard keeps the tooling and can build the same hull again for the next buyer. That single clause is often worth more than the entire design fee.

Design Contracts
  • Naval architect, exterior stylist and interior designer agreements
  • Scope definition for 3D modelling, tank testing and weight calculation
  • Deliverable formats, revision rounds and approval gates
  • Fee structures, milestones and design credit
IP & Moulds
  • Protection of proprietary hull lines and superstructure designs
  • Ownership and future use rights of fibreglass moulds (kalıp)
  • Restrictions preventing reuse of custom designs for other clients
  • Royalty arrangements where a design is repeated
Enforcement
  • Design registration strategy across relevant jurisdictions
  • Action against copied hull forms and interior arrangements
  • Trade fair and boat show enforcement measures
  • Confidentiality protection during tender and design phases
Custom Design & Engineering ContractsDrafting bespoke agreements for renowned naval architects, exterior stylists, and interior yacht designers. Clearly defining the scope of 3D modeling, tank testing, and weight calculation deliverables.
Yacht IP & Mold (Kalıp) OwnershipSecuring strict intellectual property protections for proprietary hull lines, innovative superstructure designs, and customized general arrangements. Negotiating the ownership and future usage rights of fiberglass molds (kalıp) and preventing shipyards from reusing custom designs for other clients without paying royalties.
Design Registration & EnforcementRegistering hull and interior designs where protection is available, and acting against copied vessels, including enforcement at boat shows and trade fairs.

Flag, ownership vehicle and customs status are one decision, not three. A structure that optimises tax may forfeit the right to charter commercially in Turkish waters, and a temporary admission position can be lost by a single administrative step taken in the wrong order.

S&P
  • Memorandums of agreement under MYBA, NSF and BIMCO forms
  • Pre-purchase survey, sea trial and condition acceptance
  • Escrow mechanics and multi-jurisdiction closing meetings
  • Title, encumbrance and lien searches before completion
Registration
  • Flag state selection (Malta, Marshall Islands, Cayman Islands, Türkiye)
  • Offshore special purpose vehicles for vessel ownership
  • Deletion and striking-off from previous registries
  • Mortgage registration and financing security
Customs & Tax
  • Temporary admission (geçici ithalat) for foreign-flagged yachts
  • Transit log management and cruising permissions
  • VAT exemptions and commercial yacht status
  • Cabotage restrictions on commercial operation in Turkish waters
Cross-Border S&P TransactionsManaging seamless sale and purchase transactions for second-hand commercial vessels and luxury yachts. Drafting and negotiating Memorandums of Agreement (MoA) under MYBA, NSF, or BIMCO standards. Managing complex escrow mechanisms and physical/documentary closing meetings across multiple jurisdictions.
Flagging, Registration & Offshore StructuringAdvising on optimal flag state selection (e.g., Malta, Marshall Islands, Cayman Islands, Turkey) tailored to the owner’s operational areas, tax efficiency, and confidentiality requirements. Managing the establishment of offshore Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for vessel ownership and executing the striking-off process from previous registries.
Customs, VAT & Transit Log (Cabotage) ComplianceNavigating complex Turkish customs regulations for foreign-flagged yachts. Structuring legal frameworks for Temporary Admission (Geçici İthalat), transit log management, and advising on VAT exemptions and the Turkish Cabotage Law for commercial yacht operations within Turkish territorial waters.
Vessel Finance & Mortgage RegistrationStructuring acquisition finance, registering ship mortgages in the chosen flag state, and coordinating lender security, insurance assignments and covenants with the ownership structure.

Charter disputes almost always concern money already spent: the APA. Clear reconciliation terms, documented approvals for expenditure and a defined refund mechanism remove the single most common source of conflict between owner, broker and charterer.

Chartering
  • MYBA charter agreements for global commercial operation
  • Advanced provisioning allowance (APA) reconciliation disputes
  • Charter fee refund and cancellation claims
  • Force majeure and technical failure cancellations
Management
  • Commercial and technical yacht management agreements
  • ISM Code safety management compliance
  • ISPS Code port and facility security compliance
  • Flag and class survey coordination
Crew
  • Seafarer employment agreements under MLC 2006
  • Local maritime labour law compliance for Turkish-based crew
  • Crew disciplinary procedures and dismissal
  • Injury, repatriation and severance claims
Commercial Yacht Chartering (MYBA)Structuring global charter operations using MYBA Charter Agreements. Resolving high-stakes disputes related to charter fee refunds, Advanced Provisioning Allowances (APA) reconciliations, and force majeure cancellations due to technical failures.
Yacht Management & ISM/ISPS ComplianceDrafting comprehensive commercial and technical yacht management agreements. Ensuring vessels meet the strict safety protocols of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
Crew Employment (Seafarer Agreements)Drafting specialized Seafarer Employment Agreements (SEA) in strict compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) and local maritime labor laws. Managing crew disciplinary actions, injury claims, and severance disputes.
Brokerage & Central Agency AgreementsStructuring central agency, brokerage and commission arrangements for sale and charter, and resolving competing commission claims where more than one broker was involved.

An arrest is decided in the first forty-eight hours. Whether the claim qualifies, whether the vessel is within reach, and whether acceptable security can be produced quickly determine the outcome far more than the eventual merits of the underlying dispute.

Arrest
  • Ex parte vessel arrest (gemi ihtiyati haczi) in Turkish ports and the Straits
  • Claims for unpaid repair invoices, bunkers and crew wages
  • Release against P&I club letters of undertaking or bank guarantees
  • Counter-security, wrongful arrest exposure and damages
Litigation & Arbitration
  • Specialised maritime court proceedings in Türkiye
  • LMAA and SCMA arbitration for shipping disputes
  • Maritime liens (kanuni rehin hakkı) and priority contests
  • Shipyard default, hidden defect (gizli ayıp) and charterparty breach claims
Casualty & Insurance
  • Immediate response to collision, grounding, fire and salvage
  • Hull and machinery (H&M) claims and policy warranty issues
  • Protection and indemnity (P&I) coverage and club correspondence
  • Constructive total loss declarations and general average
Ship Arrests (Gemi İhtiyati Haczi) & ReleaseExecuting rapid, ex-parte vessel arrests across Turkish ports and transit straits to secure maritime claims, including unpaid shipyard repair invoices, bunker supplies, or crew wages. Swiftly lifting arrests by providing acceptable security (e.g., P&I Club Letters of Undertaking or bank guarantees).
Shipyard & Maritime LitigationRobust representation in specialized maritime courts and international arbitration panels (LMAA, SCMA) for high-stakes shipping disputes. Handling complex claims involving maritime liens (kanuni rehin hakkı), shipyard defaults, warranty breaches (gizli ayıp), and breach of charterparties.
Marine Casualties & Insurance (H&M / P&I)Providing immediate crisis response for marine casualties (collisions, groundings, fires at the shipyard, salvage). Managing complex insurance claims under Hull and Machinery (H&M) and Protection and Indemnity (P&I) policies, addressing breaches of warranties or constructive total loss declarations.
Salvage, Wreck Removal & General AverageHandling salvage awards and LOF engagements, wreck removal obligations and authority orders, and general average declarations and adjuster correspondence.