Biography: Shipping & Maritime

Ann Fenech is the managing partner of Fenech and Fenech Advocates and heads the firm's marine litigation department. In 1986 she joined Holman Fenwick and Willan in London until 1991, when she moved to New Orleans firm Chaffe, McCall, Phillips, Toler & Sarpy.

She deals exclusively with marine-related issues. She handles disputes arising from charterparties and bills of lading; ship-building and ship-repair contracts; and salvage, collision, towage, pilotage and the carriage of petroleum products. She provides immediate response and assistance following a casualty and she has substantial experience in handling pre-contractual and contractual negotiations in ship sale and purchase contracts. In addition she has been involved in every official maritime inquiry held under the Merchant Shipping Act, and has recently represented shipowners Finaval Spa in an action against Scorpio Ship Management Sam, where the Court of Appeal, in July this year, confirmed the largest award in Maltese legal history of $22.2 million to Finaval. Recent cases include investigations and procedures relating to the vessels Sichem Pandora, Coral Water and Samsher; is assisting the Privatisation Unit in the privatisation of Malta Shipyards Ltd, and has also been assisting the attorney general in the defence of the government of Malta in the proceedings commenced by the European Commission alleging breach by Malta of Regulation 3577.

Ann Fenech lectures extensively in the subject in Malta and abroad; she is the president of the Malta Maritime Law Association and vice president of the yachting section at the Malta Chamber of Commerce.