Durban-based maritime law firm Velden Pike Nichols joined law firm Bowman Gilfillan’s maritime, transport and logistics practice earlier this month.

Bowman Gilfillan partner Craig Cunningham states that, with a substantial Cape office that services Cape Town’s maritime, transport and logistics sectors, as well as those in Saldanha Bay, this transaction gives Bowman Gilfillan a physical presence in Durban from where the firm is also able to serve the important Richards Bay market.

“We have been able to consolidate and expand our maritime, logistics and transport offering to clients who will also benefit from the combined experience of leading maritime practitioners at Velden Pike Nichols joining the Bowman Gilfillan team,” he notes.

Complex Matters Cunnigham points out that, in the process, Bowman Gilfillan has enhanced its capacity to deal with the high-profile and complex matters its clients sometimes face, including trade disputes, ship casualties or port regulatory issues.

He explains that Velden Pike Nichols has three partners – Mark van Velden, Andrew Pike and Trudie Nichols – as well as one senior associate, four associates, one candidate attorney and four support staff, all of whom will join the Bowman Gilfillan team.

He adds that Durban and Richards Bay are the country’s most important commercial ports. Durban is the busiest by number of vessel calls and where many shipping and logistics companies and other maritime industry players have their head offices. Durban also provides a gateway to the East African and Indian Ocean Island maritime and logistics markets.

Richards Bay is the third-busiest port by number of vessel calls, but also the top port meas-ured by cargo moved by volume. Cape Town and Saldanha Bay are South Africa’s other major ports.

Bowman Gilfillan’s maritime, transport and logistics practice area represents a number of South African and international clients – in many cases, ship owners and their third-party and hull insurers.
The firm represents international banks involved in shipping finance and various support entities within the maritime sector. Velden Pike Nichols services a similar client base and, in many cases, the same clients, who will benefit from the expertise of the combined team, under the Bowman Gilfillan banner, covering ports along the entire coast of South Africa.