By Raphaël MORENON
18 March 2025
The maritime world has its own rules. When a ship is immobilised by a preventive seizure, an entire economic equilibrium is turned upside down. Downtime is expensive. The shipowner loses money. The goods do not arrive at their destination. Release then becomes a crucial issue for the shipowner. It represents the regained freedom of his ship. I. Principle of release Definition and legal basis Release is the act that puts an end to the detention of a seized vessel. It allows the vessel to sail again. It has its legal basis in the French Transport Code (article L. 5114-21) and the Brussels Convention of 10 May 1952. Article 5 of the Brussels Convention states: "The Court or any other competent Judicial Authority [...] shall authorise the release of the vessel when a sufficient bond or security has been provided". Different types of release There are several types of release:...
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