Legal Advisor – Maritime & Shipping

About the role

The company seeks a Legal Advisor with strong expertise in UAE maritime and shipping law to provide comprehensive legal guidance across all shipping, offshore, and port operations. The role ensures compliance with international conventions, local regulations, and contractual obligations while protecting commercial interests.

Key responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate maritime contracts such as MOAs, charterparties, bills of lading, ship management and shipbuilding agreements.
• Ensure compliance with UAE Maritime Law, IMO conventions (SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW), UAE port regulations, sanctions regimes and AML/CFT rules.
• Lead legal due diligence for vessel acquisitions, disposals, financing, and related security documentation.
• Advise on marine insurance policies (H&M, P&I, cargo) and manage casualty, salvage and general average claims.
• Identify and mitigate legal and operational risks, including war‑risk and sanctions exposure.
• Support corporate transactions, due diligence, documentation review and closing procedures for vessel sales and purchases.
• Provide legal advice to technical, commercial, operations and finance teams and assist in internal investigations.
• Handle dispute resolution for charterparty, cargo and other shipping‑related claims.

Required profile

• Proven experience with shipping companies, maritime logistics operators, port authorities or marine‑focused law firms in the UAE.
• Deep knowledge of UAE maritime law and international maritime conventions.
• Experience in vessel acquisition, financing, insurance and dispute management.

Required skills

• UAE Maritime Law
• IMO conventions (SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW)
• Marine insurance (Hull & Machinery, P&I, cargo)
• Contract drafting and negotiation for maritime agreements
• Vessel registration, flagging and licensing procedures

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on high‑value maritime transactions and complex legal matters.
• Collaboration with senior commercial and operational teams.
• Exposure to international banking and finance structures in the shipping sector.