Insights

新冠病毒和不可抗力 随着新冠病毒疫情的快速升级，航运业受到了巨大冲击。许多人不得不根据事态发展，重新审视他们的合同义务。本文将着重关注不可抗力条款在新冠病毒疫情背景下的适用情况。

The UK has now left the EU and we are in a “transition period” (also known as the “implementation period”) during which the future relationship between the parties is under negotiation. UK sanctions regimes are currently very closely aligned with those of the EU. This is expected to be the case after the transition period, although there may be important distinctions of which Members should be aware.

Are you ready for the carriage ban? As of 1st March, 2020, ships that were not fitted with scrubbers will not be permitted to carry on board fuel with sulphur content in excess of 0.50%, even if such fuel is not intended to be used.  Any non-compliant fuel remaining on board will therefore need to be removed by 1st March.

As of 18th February, 2020, Rosneft Trading SA has been designated as a Specially Designated National (“SDN”) for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. The designation is subject to a wind down period, which expires on 20th May, 2020. Click to read more…

A court in Texas recently overturned a $2 million penalty imposed by OFAC against Exxon Mobil for alleged violations of US sanctions (Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Mnuchin, No. 3:17-CV-1930-B, 2019 WL 7370430 (N.D. Tex. Dec. 31, 2019)). The court held that OFAC contravened the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment, which requires that individuals or entities are given fair notice of conduct that is forbidden or required, in failing to give Exxon Mobil fair prior notice that its conduct contravened sanctions.