Page 24: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2020)

Legal Beat

Marine Casualties

Anatomy of the Investigation lank Rome’s maritime attorneys have rep- damage. resented clients in some of the largest mari- Our experience investigating and providing legal represen- time casualties in the last 20 years, includ- tation for clients because of these casualties has shown that, ing the Staten Island Ferry allision with a despite decades of implementing international safety pro-

B maintenance pier in New York, the blow tocols, advancements in ship design, and an industry-wide out and eventual loss of the Deepwater Ho- focus and dedication to improved safety, marine casualties rizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the will continue to occur; maybe not as often, but they will hap- sinking of the El Faro during Hurricane Joaquin, and the col- pen. And following all the safety protocols put in place may lision between the Navy Destroyer USS John S. McCain and not be enough to avoid a casualty. Simply put, large vessels the tanker ALNIC MC in the Singapore Strait. These casual- transiting the world’s oceans subjects them to in? uences be- ties have resulted in the catastrophic loss of life, signi? cant yond their control and creates the inherent risk of a casualty personal injuries, damage to the environment and property occurring.

MV Argo Merchant was an oil tanker that ran aground and sank southeast of Nantucket Island, Mass., on Dec. 15, 1976.

U.S. Coast Guard Archives 24 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • January 2020

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