Maritime and aviation lawyers in Iceland

Maritime, aviation and transport law covers the carriage of goods and passengers by sea, air and road: shipping contracts and cargo claims, the sale and registration of vessels, seafarers' employment, aviation matters and passenger rights. As an island nation with a large fishing fleet, Iceland has a long tradition in this field.

The legal framework

• Maritime Act No. 34/1985 (siglingalög): carriage of goods by sea, collisions, salvage and limitation of liability.
• Seamen's Act No. 35/1985 (sjómannalög): employment, wages and safety of seafarers.
• The Aviation Act (lög um loftferðir) and the EU passenger rights rules that apply in Iceland through the EEA Agreement.
• International conventions on maritime and air transport to which Iceland is a party.

Shipping and cargo

Disputes about lost or damaged cargo, delays and freight charges depend on the bill of lading and the applicable conventions, which limit the carrier's liability and set short deadlines for notice and claims. Vessels are registered in the Icelandic ship register, where mortgages and other rights over ships are also recorded.

Air passenger rights

Because the EU rules on air passenger rights apply in Iceland, passengers can be entitled to compensation for long delays, cancellations and denied boarding on flights departing from Iceland and on flights by EEA airlines. Complaints can be sent to the Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa), which also supervises aviation and shipping safety.

Fishing and seafarers

Seafarers' pay is often based on a share of the catch under collective agreements, which can lead to disputes about how the catch value is calculated. Injuries at sea are covered by special insurance rules. See also employment law and personal injury law.

When to contact a maritime or transport lawyer

Contact a lawyer when goods are lost or damaged in transport, when you buy, sell or finance a vessel, when an airline refuses a valid claim, or after an accident at sea. Notice deadlines in transport law can be very short, sometimes only days.