Published Article
Maritime Liens on Equipment
Read Time: 1 minBen Schupp (New Orleans) authored an article on maritime liens on equipment in the Winter 2021 issue of Marine Money Magazine, the ship finance publication of record. Ben has been engaged in marine finance and the litigation of maritime lien claims for 30 years.
Maritime liens on equipment fall into two general categories: equipment that is an appurtenance of a vessel, and equipment that is cargo aboard a vessel. While both are maritime liens, the type of person that can exercise such liens differs greatly. Liens on appurtenances must be asserted by “strangers to the vessel,” while liens on cargo are only available to vessel owners or bareboat charterers, i.e. owners pro hac vice of the vessel. The “appurtenance” lien is enforced through arrest of the vessel to which it pertains, and the cargo lien is enforced through arrest of the cargo itself. Two different liens, but with the same name and the same powerful priority.