Arbitration of non-US
seaman’s contracts
Shipowner’s duties to
longshoremen
Judge versus jury
Death on the high seas
Mental well-being of seafarers
Washington State Court
expands punitive damages
EDITORIAL
Also noted in the Review of the Year, the cost of cargo and personal injury
claims has remained broadly consistent over recent years, and together,
typically account for half of the total claims notified to the Club.
Many UK Club Members have clauses • The agreement arises out of a case he handled for a UK Club Member.
in their contracts with their foreign commercial relationship
crewmembers that provide for The United States District Court for
• A party to the agreement is not an
arbitration of a dispute, instead of the Western District of Louisiana twice
American citizen, or the contract
litigation.The Federal Arbitration Act rejected a foreign seaman’s challenges to
contemplates performance abroad.
(“FAA”) provides that a written the written arbitration agreement
provision in a maritime transaction or Provided the above four conditions are incorporated into his employment
contract evidencing an agreement to met, U.S Courts will have jurisdiction contract.
settle by arbitration a controversy over claims falling under the
arising out of such contract or Convention. Claims subject to the In Shah v. BlueWake Shipping, the Plaintiff,
transaction shall be valid, irrevocable, Convention are removable to Federal an Indian citizen, was allegedly injured
and enforceable…(9 U.S.C. Sect. 2) Court and a US District Court may while working as an ordinary seaman
order that arbitration be held in onboard a vessel that was transiting the
Generally speaking,Arbitration clauses accordance with the agreement. Despite Pacific Ocean.The sole connection of the
are enforceable provided: this, many foreign crewmembers still case to the United States was the foreign-
try to bring a lawsuit in the US. owned and foreign-flagged vessel’s
• The agreement to arbitrate is written
fortuitous call in the Port of Lake
• The agreement provides for Dan Tadros, a partner at Chaffe McCall Charles, Louisiana. Moreover, Plaintiff ’s
arbitration in a territory of a in New Orleans, explains below how a employment contract incorporated in full
Convention signatory Louisiana Court got it right in a recent the terms of the Collective Bargaining
Agreement (“CBA”) executed between The district court rejected Plaintiff ’s agreements in advance, to a forum
the vessel’s operator and the Singapore challenges to the arbitration agreement. acceptable to both parties, provide
Organisation of Seaman, of which Both the Magistrate Judge and the much needed certainty in the
Plaintiff was a member.The CBA District Judge held that the lawsuit had resolution of truly international
provided for arbitration in Singapore of been properly removed under the maritime disputes.
any dispute arising therefrom: Convention and that the district court
had federal question jurisdiction. The issue of the validity and
6. REFEREE Accordingly, Plaintiff ’s motion to enforceability of arbitration clauses in
In the event of any dispute or disputes remand was denied. seamen’s employment contracts
arising out of the operation of this continues to spur litigation in US
Agreement, the dispute or disputes shall be Shortly thereafter, Plaintiff filed a courts.The outcome of each case might
referred by either party to the President of second motion to remand the case to vary according to factors such as the
the Industrial Arbitration Court who may state court, alleging that his efforts to exact wording of the arbitration clause,
select a referee appointed under section 43 of initiate arbitration in Singapore had the manner in which the CBA was
the Industrial Relations Act to hear and been unsuccessful.The Magistrate Judge incorporated into the seaman’s
determine such dispute or disputes. denied Plaintiff ’s motion for a second employment contract, and the
time, confirming that the matter should competence of the designated arbitral
Notwithstanding this arbitration be resolved by the method designated tribunal to hear the dispute.
agreement, Plaintiff filed suit in in Plaintiff ’s employment contract and
Louisiana state court under the Jones the incorporated CBA.
Act, the US general maritime law and
the laws of Singapore.The vessel This result is a notable victory for vessel Daniel A. Tadros (tadros@chaffe.com;
owners timely removed Plaintiff ’s owners, who often have to defend 504-585-7054) and Alan R. Davis
lawsuit to the US District Court for the foreign seamen’s personal injury claims (davis@chaffe.com; 504-585-7088),
Western District of Louisiana, pursuant in US courts and under US law, despite Chaffe McCall, LLP, were the attorneys for
to the Federal Arbitration Act and the the fact that there is hardly any the owners in the above-captioned case.
Convention on the Recognition and connection between the incidents Chaffe McCall has been a correspondent
Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards giving rise to the claims and the United for the UK Club for many years. They
(the “Convention”). Plaintiff sought States.What is more, this decision is handle all types of maritime matters,
remand to state court, disputing the valuable precedent in favor of the including marine casualties, personal injury,
incorporation of the CBA into his validity and enforceability of arbitration marine insurance, maritime liens, carriage of
employment contract and the agreements in foreign seamen’s goods and oil pollution/environmental
arbitrability of his claim. employment contracts. Such criminal matters.
Section 905(b) is
longshoremen’s only means
of recovery against vessel
In a decision the Eleventh Circuit
issued in December 2016, the court
held that Section 905(b) is the sole
means by which longshoremen may
recover against a vessel for injury or
death caused by negligence. In Seaboard
Spirit, Ltd. v. Hyman, plaintiff argued
that the vessel should have been subject
to dual liability – as a vessel under
Section 905(b) – and also as a stevedore
under Section 933, since the vessel
owner also employed longshoremen.
The standard for imposing liability on
stevedores under Section 933 of the
Longshore Act is understandably much
lower than that imposed on vessels
under Section 905(b) since the
objective of the Longshore Act
amendments was to shift responsibility
to the party best able to prevent
injuries: the stevedore.
Hyman was a longshoreman employed liability under both Section 905(b) and right to sue the employer-shipowner
by a stevedore company who was fatally Section 933, and it declined to do so. for vessel negligence, but the claims
injured when he was crushed between for vessel negligence are subject to
a moving vehicle and the stern ramp of Dual capacity doctrine did the Section 905(b) standards
a ro-ro vessel. It was alleged that the not apply in these articulated in Scindia. The dual capacity
vessel’s crew performed stevedore duties doctrine is an anomaly which permits
and plaintiff argued, therefore, that the
circumstances a longshore-employee to sue his
vessel should be subject to separate The court noted that the dual-capacity shipowner-employer for vessel
liability under the heightened duties doctrine arises in Longshore Act cases negligence, while also collecting
imposed on stevedores in Section 933, when longshoremen are employed by workers’ compensation benefits.1
as well as the duties imposed on vessels vessel owners. In such cases,
by Section 905(b).The court held there longshoremen retain the right to As the court noted, Hyman was not
was no precedent for holding a workers’ compensation benefits from employed by the vessel; he was
shipowner subject to independent their employer-shipowner and the employed by a stevedore company.
Therefore, the Eleventh Circuit held
the dual capacity doctrine did not apply
and plaintiff ’s sole remedy against the
vessel was governed by Section 905(b).
Plaintiff was not able to establish a
breach of the vessel’s Scindia duties on
the facts of the case since it had been
established at trial that the proximate
cause of the accident was either
“Hyman’s decision to position himself
in the pinch point” between the vehicle
and the ramp or “miscommunication
between [the driver] and Hyman
coupled with Hyman’s position in the
pinch point.”
A recent decision by United States been interpreted differently to support the dock.While Ghaleb was engaged in
Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the opposite conclusion. this task, one of the crewmen slipped
Ghaleb v.American Steamship Company, on ice on the deck and dropped the
slip op. No. 16-1076 (6th Cir. March 31, The Ghaleb decision arose out of suit for power cable, causing a second crewman
2017), 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 5645, bodily injuries allegedly sustained by to drop the cable, which then slid along
illustrates why maritime bodily injury Abdulmonke Ghaleb (“Ghaleb”) while the deck into Ghaleb’s heels and
litigation in the United States has a working aboard a tug and barge owned knocked him down. Ghaleb allegedly
reputation for being unpredictable. In by American Steamship Company sustained personal injuries as a result
Ghaleb, a jury unanimously found in (“ASC”).The incident occurred while and he subsequently filed suit against
favor of the shipowner on a crewman’s the tug and barge were being separated ASC claiming Jones Act negligence,
bodily injury claims. Despite the for winter lay-up and the barge was unseaworthiness and negligence per se
verdict, the district court judge being connected to a shore-side power based on ASC’s violation of a work-
overturned the jury’s decision and source using a large, heavy electric hours statute regulating the vessel.
entered judgment for the plaintiff.The cable.The cable needed to be lowered
shipowner appealed and, in a split from the barge to an electrician on the Substituted judgement
decision, the court of appeals reversed dock and the maneuver required four
the district court and reinstated the crewmen, including Ghaleb, working At trial, Ghaleb presented testimony
verdict.The Ghaleb decision reaffirms under the direction of the Chief and business record evidence that he
the general rule that a judge cannot Engineer.At some point, Ghaleb was and the other crew involved in power
substitute its judgment for that of the directed to tie a heaving line to one cable maneuver had exceeded the
jury, but it also reveals how the same end of the cable so the heaving line statute’s work-hours limits. Importantly,
evidence and testimony could have could be tossed to the electrician on neither the crewmember who dropped
the cable, nor the Chief Engineer, A reasonable jury? incident:“[w]hether Ghaleb established
testified that fatigue was a factor in the fatigue’s role in his accident as a matter
incident and, despite having the burden Starting with the settled proposition of law comes down to a counterfactual:
of proof, Ghaleb presented no evidence that a court can only set aside a jury could a rested sailor have slipped or
on fatigue other than the fact that the verdict in favor of a plaintiff when the dropped a cable? Because he could,
crew had violated the statute.After nine evidence “overwhelmingly” supports Ghaleb had the burden to convince a
days of trial, the jury returned a the plaintiff ’s claim, the Sixth Circuit jury that fatigue actually contributed to
unanimous verdict in favor of ASC and conducted a meticulous review of the that happening here. Unfortunately for
rejected Ghaleb’s claims entirely, evidence in order to determine Ghaleb, he failed to do so.”
including the negligence per se claim. whether Ghaleb had proved that his
Ghaleb then filed a motion for accident was caused by fatigue and that Significantly, the appellate court’s
judgment as a matter of law on every no reasonable jury could have decision was not unanimous and the
claim seeking to set aside the jury’s concluded otherwise.The appeals court dissenting judge vigorously argued that
verdict.The district court denied the then determined that Ghaleb had not the direct and inferential evidence
motion with respect to the claims of presented adequate evidence that supported Ghaleb’s position that the
negligence and unseaworthiness but fatigue alone was the legal cause of the hours worked were extreme, the cable
granted the motion on the negligence incident.Therefore, since a reasonable was heavy and, therefore, fatigue had to
per se claim, overruling the jury’s jury could have found that the incident play a role in causing the incident.The
verdict and finding that there was no was a faultless accident, or would have dissent argued that the “minimal”
explanation for the incident other than occurred without regard to fatigue, it evidence of causation allowed under
a lack of “immediate and wakeful was error for the district court to the Jones Act compelled a conclusion
readiness,” i.e. fatigue, which the district substitute its judgment for that of the that plaintiff had proved his negligence
court presumed to exist by virtue of the jury, even if the district court’s theory per se claim. Using the same evidence
statutory violation and despite the fact was “plausible” and even if a different relied upon by the majority, the dissent
that Ghaleb presented no evidence that jury might have found for Ghaleb. posited that no reasonable jury could
fatigue caused the incident. In essence, While the appeals court acknowledged have found that the incident would not
the district court substituted its that fatigue, hypothetically, might affect have occurred in the absence of fatigue.
judgment for that of the jury and a crewmember’s performance and Although it was not enough to sway
created its own theory of recovery for could contribute to almost any mishap, the final decision, the dissenting judge’s
Ghaleb.ASC appealed and the Sixth the trial court did not have the analysis prompted the majority to
Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the authority to set aside a jury’s verdict in remark that Ghaleb “had a decent case”
district court decision and reinstated the absence of any evidence that crew and might have won with a different
the jury verdict in ASC’s favor. fatigue actually contributed to the jury hearing the same evidence.
When the unexpected death of a who will clearly be going through a or embalming may be necessary. Of
crewmember occurs at sea, steps must very difficult and emotional time. course, the Club should be involved in
be taken to preserve the body and show all decision-making should it be
respect for the deceased and their Rapid freezing of bodies can also cause necessary to store a body onboard for a
families.Appropriate contact with post-mortem injury, including cranial lengthy period of time.
family members by shoreside personnel fracture. Handling bodies when they are
is important and proper procedures for frozen can also cause fracture, which Whenever possible, the body should be
handling the body must be will negatively influence the retained and preserved for post-mortem
implemented, which is particularly investigation and make the medico- examination and for burial ashore by
critical if the ship is days or weeks from legal interpretation of the examination the family. For the sake of the deceased
arriving at a port where the body can results difficult. person’s relatives, preserve the body in
be disembarked.The Club has the the best possible condition.The body
following advice for its Members Also, if frozen, it takes about three days should put into a body bag and kept in
regarding handling of the body. for the body to thaw before an autopsy a refrigerator or cold store, which will
can take place, and the body will have to be set aside for that purpose.
decompose much more quickly than if it The aim is to store the body at
Don’t place the body in had been refrigerated.There is, therefore, approximately 4°C/39° Fahrenheit.
the freezer a danger of losing vital information if the
It is a common misconception that the body is frozen instead of refrigerated.
Family and crew concerns
best course of action to preserve a dead
body is to freeze it. However, when a Following a death at sea, there will
Store the body in the
body is frozen, the tissues dehydrate and likely be emotional responses from
refrigerator family and fellow crewmembers. Once
the body develops freezer burn, causing
the skin to discolor.This can make it If it is anticipated that the body will not the family has been notified of the
impossible for family members to be stored on board for longer than two death, there may be religious or cultural
recognize the deceased and, to the months, then the body should be customs requested. However, at sea,
extent relevant, may make refrigerated at 4° Celsius/39° there are limited resources available to
interpretation of any pre-mortem Fahrenheit. In the unlikely event that a implement all requests for traditional
injuries difficult. Efforts should be made body is to be stored on board for death customs. Members should make
to minimize distress to family members, longer than two months, then freezing every attempt to satisfy the family’s
requests, while communicating with
the Club to determine coverage
confirmation. If possible, it may be
beneficial to have a priest, minister, or
grief counsellor visit with the crew
upon arrival at a port, particularly in
cases of suicide.
Loneliness, isolation and fatigue – these is seen as a taboo subject, and is a Five steps to better
are usually the answers seafarers give poorly discussed issue. Due to a high mental health
when asked how they feel in their job. level of prejudice and poor education
Being thousands of miles away from about tackling mental health and its 1. Communicate and be more open. If
home and loved ones, it is no surprise implications, seafarers are not likely to you are struggling, let someone know!
that a seafarer’s life can be a lonely one. seek counselling or professional
The hostile environment, with low, or no, support, and this often leads to grave 2. Healthy body, healthy mind – try to
social interaction, can easily bring about consequences. take at least 15 minutes of exercise a
depression and mental health issues. day e.g. circuits.
What are the risk factors?
For many seafarers, forming relationships 3. Take some time to yourself – take
on-board can be very difficult, and a • Stress some time for yourself each day to
clash of personality and culture types • Poor attention to mental health wind down.
can be unavoidable, particularly when • Fatigue
spending such long periods of time • Isolation 4. Focus on the positive – be thankful
confined within a restricted space. for at least one thing every day.
Suicides are preventable
In 2013, Swansea University in the 5. Avoid social isolation – connect with
UK undertook research, which showed • Early intervention is key your fellow crewmembers! Speak to
that between 2001 and 2005, merchant • Encourage social engagement someone you haven’t necessarily got
seafarers scored the second highest • Provide adequate rest periods to know yet and learn a new fact
level of suicides amongst all professions, • Foster positive work environment about them.
after coal miners. Today, the rate of
suicide for international seafarers is Seafarers are known to be more likely Further support is available from
triple that of shore workers, according to suffer from mental health problems ISWAN’s Seafarer Help and the Sailors’
to the International Maritime than their shore-based colleagues.This Society Wellness at Sea App.
Organisation (IMO). shouldn’t really come as a surprise to
anyone as the demands of modern
Despite such high suicide rates within shipping mean longer periods away SeafarerHelp is the free multilingual
the industry, seafarers’ mental well-being from home with little shore leave. helpline for seafarers and their families,
available 24/7, 365 days a year. Contact us
via any of the methods below, whatever the
problem, wherever you are in the world, and
we will do our best to help you.
Courts in conflict
The Washington State Supreme Court expands punitive damages in unseaworthiness
claims. We examine the implications for our Members
As regular readers of BI News know, Fifth Circuit decision in McBride v. Estis Of particular interest is that the Court
since the 2009 decision in Atlantic Well Serv, LLC, 768 F.3d 382 (5th Cir went on to determine that under
Sounding Co. v.Townsend, 557 U.S. 404, 2014) which held that punitive damages Washington State Jurisprudence,
129 S.Ct. 2561, 174 L.Ed.2d 382 were not recoverable in general punitive damages may be available in
(2009) [See BI News Winter Edition maritime law claims. The Washington Tambingo’s case. After reciting the long
November 2009], in which the US State trial court agreed with American history of courts providing seaman
Supreme Court permitted the recovery Seafoods finding and dismissed special protections as wards of admiralty,
of punitive damages for a shipowner’s Tabingo’s punitive damage claim. the Tabingo Court concluded that under
willful failure to pay maintenance and Federal law, punitive damages may be
cure, lawyers representing injured and available for anything from reckless to
sick crew have sought to expand malicious conduct. The Court
punitive damages to Jones Act and continued holding that assuming the
Unseaworthiness claims. [See BI News truth of Tabingo’s allegations that the
May 2011]. hatch handle had been broken for a
period of two years (creating an
On March 9, 2017, the Washington unseaworthy ship), such conduct could
State Supreme Court held that a fall into the realm of reckless or
seaman making a general maritime law malicious behavior justifying an award
unseaworthiness claim can recover of punitive damages.
punitive damages as a matter of law. In
Tabingo v.American Triumph, LLC Though the Tabingo decision is binding
(Washington Supreme Court No. precedent only in state courts in
92913-1, March 9, 2017) the plaintiff Washington, claimants will rely on the
was working as a deckhand trainee decision as persuasive authority in
aboard a fishing trawler owned and Federal and state courts throughout the
operated by American Seafoods United States.
Company. He was on his hands and
knees near the hatch’s hinge gathering What is most troubling is the lowered
the remaining fish to put through the standard of conduct to reckless which is
hatch to the deck below. The deck less egregious than willful, intentional
hand started to close the hatch but or malicious.Thus, the overall effect of
realized Tabingo’s hands were close to this decision will be routine allegations
the hatch and tried to stop the hatch of reckless conduct to support a claim
closing.The hydraulic hatch control for punitive damages for
handle was broken and the hatch closed unseaworthiness. Because the
on Tabingo’s hand resulting in the Tabingo filed an interlocutory petition determination of what is reckless
amputation of two fingers. Tabingo and the Washington State Supreme conduct is a fact issue, it will be less
claimed the shipowner knew about the Court accepted direct review of the likely for a defendant to prevail on a
broken hydraulic hatch control handle trial court’s decision. The Court motion for summary judgment on the
for two years before his accident but generally following the three part punitive damages issue.
failed to repair it. analysis in Atlantic Sounding, and held
that Tabingo could seek punitive With this Tabingo decision, there is now
Tabingo filed suit against the shipowner damages because claims for a clear conflict in the general maritime
asserting claims for Jones Act unseaworthiness and punitive damages law between a State Supreme Court
negligence and unseaworthiness under had existed in the common law for a and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal.
the general maritime law. He included a long time; the common law tradition of It is possible that the United States
claim for punitive damages for the punitive damages extended to maritime Supreme Court could grant a Petition
unseaworthiness claim. Before any claims; and, there is no evidence that for a Writ of Certiorari to decide the
factual discovery had been done, the unseaworthiness claims were excluded issue.As of the time of writing the
shipowner filed a motion to strike the from the general admiralty rule employer has not filed a Petition for
punitive damages claim relying on the allowing punitive damages. Writ of Certiorari.
experience
A specialist group from both the New Jersey
and San Francisco offices empowered with
a significant settlement authority to deal
Dee O’Leary Noreen D. Arralde
with the particularly demanding cases of Direct: +1 201 557 7402 Direct: +1 201 557 7333
bodily injury in America.
Dee joined Thomas Miller Noreen joined Thomas Miller
(Americas) in December 2007 (Americas) in 2012 after 13
This dedicated team supports Members after 17 years practicing law in years with a US litigation firm
New York City with a firm and six years as claims
based both in the United States and abroad specializing in maritime manager for a global container
in dealing with a diverse and complex matters. shipping company.
range of personal injury and illness cases.
The one common factor is the influence of
US jurisdiction or emergency response.
loss of limbs in mooring activity and even Julia joined Thomas Miller in
sexual assault. October 2015 after 27 years
with various US litigation firms
specializing in maritime
As well as supporting Member’s claims and matters.
New Jersey
Harborside Financial Center, Plaza Five, Suite 2710,
Jersey City, N.J. 07311, USA
T +1 201 557 7300
E newjersey.ukclub@thomasmiller.com
Markus McMillin Linda Wright
San Francisco Direct: +1 415 343 0113 Direct: +1 415 343 0122
44 Montgomery Street, Suite 1480,
San Francisco, California 94104, USA Markus joined Thomas Miller Linda joined Thomas Miller
T +1 415 956 6537 (Americas) in 2006, having (Americas) in May 2010.
E sanfrancisco.ukclub@thomasmiller.com worked at two maritime law Previously, she was a P&I Club
firms in San Francisco. correspondent on the Pacific
West Coast for 29 years.