Pauline is a highly experienced shipping and maritime law practitioner, who has practised extensively in the fields of marine insurance, international trade and shipping generally.
Pauline practised for many years in New Zealand and was previously admitted in Samoa.
Pauline advises on a wide range of issues relating to the movement of goods both domestically and internationally, including the commercial transactions that underpin such moves, insurance matters, dispute resolution and recovery of losses. She maintains a large international network of contacts in these fields to ensure that advice in other jurisdictions can be promptly obtained, and has often successfully directed the conduct of maritime cases throughout the Pacific region.
'Pauline Davies is extremely knowledgeable and approachable in the marine field.'
Pauline’s contentious and non-contentious practice covers:
- Shipping and transport: Advising shipowners, charterers, freight forwarders, domestic carriers and cargo interests on appropriate contractual arrangements and on matters in dispute, including ship arrest and negotiation of P & I security arrangements.
- Marine insurance: Advising cargo, hull, liability and pleasurecraft insurers on policy response issues and recoveries;
- Warehousing and storage: Arranging commercial terms, and dispute resolution for both warehouse operators and their customers;
- Litigation, mediation and arbitration: Pauline has extensive trial and appellate experience, but also routinely deals with mediations and arbitrations, including LMAA.
- Successful defence of the three co-insurers of a marine insurance policy who declined claims for typhoon damage to second-hand motor vehicles intended to be exported from Japan, and were sued in a representative action. The exporters’ appeal failed, and leave to appeal further was declined.
- Successful recovery action against the repairer of a helicopter which crashed shortly after leaving the repairer’s premises.
- Successful application on behalf of the master and crew of an arrested ship, with the arresting party being ordered to fund payments to those persons for their outstanding wages and other expenses, despite the ship not having been sold.
- Counsel in a representative action brought by boat owners against the liability insurer of an insolvent marina owner, after the boats were badly damaged in a storm and the surrounding breakwater broke up. The original judgment in favour of the boat owners was upheld on appeal.
- Defence of a ship repairer which was alleged to have negligently repaired the rudder of a fishing vessel which then broke down at sea. The defence succeeded.
- Counsel in a range of matters arising from the grounding of the MV “Rena” on Astrolabe Reef, including litigation over the removal of oil from the vessel.
- Maritime cases in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Samoa, including successfully applying to strike out a claim of breach of contract by vessel owners against the Samoa Ports Authority. In that case the ship had been berthed while effecting engine repairs. The port ordered her to be towed away from the berth to make way for another vessel. She grounded after one of the tugs broke down.
Chambers Asia Pacific Guide 2025
Band 1: Shipping
Best Lawyers 2016 and 2017
Auckland Maritime Lawyer of the Year
Asia-Pacific Legal 500
Leading individual