Maritime & Admiralty Law
Admiralty proceedings and Customs Ordinance matters handled with urgency, record discipline, and commercial awareness.
II · Overview
How we approach law.
Given Sri Lanka's maritime significance, AW Chambers advises on disputes and legal questions connected to shipping, port operations, and admiralty jurisdiction.
Colombo sits on the main east-west shipping lane and is South Asia's busiest transhipment hub, so a vessel, its cargo, and the parties disputing over them are often subject to several legal systems at once. The practice covers admiralty proceedings in the High Court of Colombo alongside legal issues arising under the Customs Ordinance.
Arrest work is governed by the clock, not the calendar. A warrant is only useful while the ship is still in port, so the claim documents, affidavit and application have to be ready before she berths. The chambers takes instructions from owners, charterers, cargo interests, bunker suppliers, P&I correspondents and foreign solicitors, and coordinates with the Marshal of Court, the port authority and surveyors for as long as the vessel is detained.
These files frequently require urgent analysis, coordinated records, and sensitivity to both operational and regulatory realities.
III · Index of Services
What we handle.
Ship arrest and release applications
Admiralty actions in rem
Maritime liens and priorities
Ship mortgage enforcement
Sister-ship arrest
Cargo claims and shortage disputes
Charterparty and bill of lading disputes
Bunker supply and necessaries claims
Crew wage and repatriation claims
Collision, salvage and general average
Marine insurance and P&I coordination
Port, terminal and demurrage disputes
Customs Ordinance proceedings
Detention, seizure and forfeiture of goods
Live Data
Monitor current vessel movements in Sri Lankan waters via our Live Maritime Tracker.
Launch LMT InterfaceIV · Representations
We have acted for those who require discretion.
Shipowners
Charterers
Cargo interests
Bunker suppliers
P&I Clubs and correspondents
Instructing foreign solicitors
Importers and exporters
Parties affected by port or customs disputes
V · Connected Writing
Insights, in context.
VI · Common Questions
Questions we are often asked.
- Which court hears admiralty matters in Sri Lanka?
- Admiralty jurisdiction is exercised by the High Court of Colombo. Given Sri Lanka's position on the main Indian Ocean shipping lanes, these matters often involve vessels, cargo, and parties from several jurisdictions.
- Can a vessel be arrested in Sri Lanka to secure a claim?
- Yes. A ship may be arrested in support of an admiralty claim. This is a time-sensitive step that requires prompt instruction and supporting documents while the vessel is in port.
- Do you handle cargo and port disputes?
- Yes. The practice covers cargo claims, charterparty and bill of lading issues, and disputes arising at the port, including matters under the Customs Ordinance.
- How is an arrested vessel released?
- Usually by putting up security for the claim — commonly a bank guarantee or a letter of undertaking from the owner's P&I Club, on terms agreed with the arresting party or fixed by court. Once security is in place the vessel is released and the dispute continues without holding up the ship.
- Which ports does the practice cover?
- Colombo, Galle, Trincomalee and Hambantota. Admiralty jurisdiction sits with the High Court of Colombo, so an arrest at any Sri Lankan port is applied for there.
- Can foreign law firms and P&I Clubs instruct the chambers directly?
- Yes. Instructions are regularly taken from foreign solicitors, owners, charterers, bunker suppliers and P&I correspondents who need Sri Lankan counsel on short notice, including outside court hours.
AW
VII · Engage Counsel
Discuss your matter.
Conversations with the Chambers are confidential. We respond within one working day.
