Transport and Logistics

Transport asset acquisitions and disposals

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Our team is experienced in transactions involving significant assets across a range of transport sectors. We advise on the sale and purchase of vessels, rolling stock and locomotives, port cranes, loaders and other critical plant items. We assist on the acquisition and sale of transport industry businesses, handle due diligence for buyers and sellers, and prepare and review contracts.

Transport infrastructure construction, engineering and development

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Transport and logistics infrastructure projects are large, complex, costly and important to get right. Our lawyers assist with port, rail, terminal, pipeline and warehouse development contracts, and associated leases and licences and development agreements. We also advise on design and construct contracts and contract management, as well as project management, consultancy, dredging and demolition contracts. The team are highly experienced assisting with wharf, jetty, rail, pipeline, conveyor and fuel facilities construction and development. They can also help with tendering and tender risk management.

Transport services contracts

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We advise clients across all transport and logistics sectors when engaging in services contracts including rail, stevedoring, towage, pilotage, lines, road haulage, mooring, pilot boat and bunkering services contracts. We assist on competition law issues and associated risk management, as well as joint ventures, strategic alliances and teaming arrangements. Our team is also skilled in capital and cost recovery price structuring, delay cost and delay liability regimes and take-or-pay regimes.

Logistics

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For goods to move into and around the country they require reliable and efficient logistics. How that infrastructure is run is critical to successful supply chains. Thomson Geer's lawyers advise on supply base services contracts, onshore and offshore logistics services contracts, fuel pipeline and terminal contracts, terminal management contracts and warehousing, storage and distribution contracts. We also help with logistics joint ventures, multi service provider contracts and price structuring, fuel and labour cost reviews and rise and fall mechanisms.

Shipping

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As an island nation, the bulk of Australia's imports and exports arrive and leave by sea. As such, shipping is a critical part of the Australian economy. Our team advises on vessel chartering and management terms and conditions, maritime insurance, vessel design and construction contracts, mortgages, caveats, securities and vessel recycling. We also assist with dry docking and slipway contracts, foreign crew issues and vessel acquisitions, disposals and registration.

Regulatory and access issues

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Our lawyers have many years of experience advising on laws and regulations that are specific to Australia's transport and logistics infrastructure and services contracting, including competition law. We also advise on port and rail access terms and conditions, environmental conventions such as MARPOL and Basel, and third party access regimes for private terminals and access to, pipelines, storage facilities, wharves, jetties, roads and channels. The team also assists with land and facilities banking solutions and deterrents and regulated port service provider licencing such as stevedoring, towage, pilotage, mooring and bunkering.