Practice areas

Maritime, transport and insurance law, inland-waterway, port and public law of the sea: the full range of the Asterias Avocats group’s practice areas.

The Asterias Avocats group brings together in Paris two members of the Bar dedicated to maritime, transport and insurance law. From contracts of carriage by sea to the insurance of risks, from inland-waterway law to port disputes, the group covers every activity that the sea and transport give rise to, in advice as in litigation, in French, English and German.

01Private maritime lawCarriage contracts, charter-parties, bills of lading, average, ship arrest: the group advises and defends every player of the maritime world.02Transport lawCarriers, forwarders, freight agents, logistics operators and insurers: the group supports transport players, in advice and litigation.03Insurance lawInsurers, brokers and risk managers: the group drafts policies, checks the adequacy of cover and defends its clients in insurance disputes.04Inland-waterway lawNational and international inland-waterway transport, standard contracts, CMNI, navigation accidents and vessel sales: a benchmark expertise within the group.05Port lawManagement of ports and mooring zones, public maritime domain, the NOTRe Act and use of the coastline: the group advises port managers and businesses.06Public law of the seaState action at sea, marine pollution, fisheries policing, the Coastline Act, maritime criminal law: the group assists individuals and businesses before public authorities.07Yachting lawLeisure and professional yachting, yachts and superyachts, shipbuilding and repair, registration and flag: the group supports owners and professionals.08Industrial risksDamage to property, business liability, construction law: the group advises and assists in complex technical matters and judicial expert proceedings.

Why us

Why a firm specialised in maritime law

Maritime and transport law is a technical field, shaped by international conventions and the usages of trade. Time bars are short, liability regimes many, and the interplay between contract, insurance and regulation is often decisive. A specialised firm brings this dual reading, legal and operational.

The group's lawyers come from the transport-insurance, broking and marine world. Christian Hübner is an arbitrator at the Paris Maritime Arbitration Chamber and teaches inland-waterway law and maritime arbitration; Franck Dollfus, a former merchant-navy cadet pilot, teaches marine insurance. Christian Hübner is a member of the French Maritime Law Association, of which Franck Dollfus is a former member. This experience underpins precise support, from preventive advice to contentious defence.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is maritime law?

Maritime law gathers the rules applying to sea-related activities: carriage of goods, chartering, insurance, events at sea (collision, average, salvage), ships and ports. It combines domestic law, international conventions and the usages of maritime trade.

Does the group act throughout France and internationally?

Based in Paris, the group serves a French and international clientele and acts before the competent courts as well as in arbitration. Matters are handled in French, English and German.

Do I need to wait for a dispute to seek advice?

No. The group also acts upstream, to draft and secure contracts, audit insurance cover and prevent risks. Anticipating often avoids litigation — or improves its outcome.

Get in touch

A maritime or transport matter?

Dispute, contract, claim or regulatory question: tell the Asterias Avocats group about your situation. A clear analysis and a strategy tailored to your stakes.

Book a consultation