Shipping, aviation and transport disputes in the UAE

Identify the transport mode, route, carrier and contracting parties, then the delay, damage, cancellation or loss. Provide the ticket or carriage document and complaint history. Cargo and passenger claims, and domestic and international routes, should not be assumed to follow identical rules.

Useful records include: Bill of lading, air waybill, ticket or carriage agreement; Booking terms, route and carrier details; Delivery records, survey and damage photographs; Claim notice, response and evidence of value or loss. Add a dated summary and explain the outcome you seek. Redact information unrelated to the matter.

Topics explained on this page include: Charterparties and bills of lading; Cargo loss and damage; Ship arrest and maritime security. The team reviews the facts and jurisdiction, then confirms the engagement scope and fee before work begins.

The answer depends on the parties, Emirate, activity, contract and chosen forum. The initial review considers UAE Maritime Law, Carrier liability and limitation, Ship arrest and jurisdiction, Aviation and transport regulation before a recommendation is made.

UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure provides relevant official information. Identify the authority named in the decision or case file and the applicable federal, Emirate or free-zone procedure. A practitioner checks subject-matter jurisdiction and any required complaint or review step; a private agreement does not itself change statutory authority.

Provide a short chronology and the key documents, including the following where relevant: Bill of lading, air waybill, ticket or carriage agreement; Booking terms, route and carrier details; and any notice or decision carrying a deadline.

Yes. The initial assessment and document review can begin online in Arabic or English. Formal representation, filing, notarisation or attendance is scoped separately with an appropriately licensed UAE practitioner where required.

Seek advice before signing, responding to a regulator, terminating a relationship, transferring funds or assets, or allowing a notice, limitation, objection or appeal period to expire.

List the missing records concerning Charterparties and bills of lading, who holds them and any steps already taken to obtain copies. Keep original files and distinguish confirmed facts from recollection; do not alter a record to resolve a discrepancy. The review can then identify which gaps prevent a reliable assessment.

Provide the complete agreements, amendments, notices and relevant decisions involving Carrier liability and limitation. Identify the parties and dates for each obligation. A review must establish the applicable rules and priority of obligations before recommending compliance, negotiation or a challenge; one document should not be assumed to override another.

Send the complete notice or decision, proof of when and how it was received, and a chronology promptly. Do not assume that a consultation, negotiation or unanswered message suspends a deadline. The applicable period, filing route and any possible remedy for lateness require assessment of the actual procedure and forum; no extension or remedy is guaranteed.

Preserve originals, dated communications and available transaction records without changing them, and describe the specific risk and when it may occur. Do not access another person's account or obtain material unlawfully. A practitioner must assess the competent forum, available interim measure, supporting evidence and filing requirements before urgent protection can be sought; relief is not automatic.