West Marine Survey
Maritime Surveying Experts
Our Services
Authoritative technical expertise for maritime lawyers, courts and arbitration proceedings — independent, rigorous, and relied upon in the most complex disputes.
Discuss Your CaseMaritime disputes — whether in court, arbitration, or formal investigation — often turn on complex technical questions that require specialist expertise to resolve. West Marine Survey provides independent technical assistance to maritime lawyers, judicial experts, and arbitration panels, bringing the same rigour and impartiality to legal proceedings as to our survey work. West Marine Survey has the experience and authority to provide technical opinions that withstand the scrutiny of the most demanding legal and arbitration forums.
Our Technical & Legal Advisory Services
We produce independent expert reports on the technical aspects of maritime disputes — covering machinery failures, structural damage, cargo claims, collision liability, and operational incidents. Our reports are structured to meet the requirements of legal and arbitration proceedings, presenting complex technical findings in a clear and accessible way while maintaining the rigour required to withstand cross-examination and opposing expert challenge.
In French and civil law jurisdictions, courts may appoint a judicial expert to conduct an independent technical investigation and report directly to the court. West Marine Survey is experienced in the procedural requirements of formal judicial expertise, conducting investigations in accordance with court instructions and producing structured reports that address the questions posed by the judge with precision and impartiality.
We provide expert witness services in international maritime arbitration, including proceedings before the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) and other international tribunals. West Marine Survey produces written expert reports, responds to requests for further information, reviews and comments on opposing expert reports, and gives oral evidence at hearings — bringing clear, authoritative technical analysis to the most complex disputes. We assist counsel to understand the technical aspects of the case, enabling them to test the evidence and present it effectively before the tribunal.
When a maritime casualty occurs — a collision, grounding, machinery failure, fire, or structural incident — a thorough independent technical investigation is essential to establish the sequence of events and identify causal factors. Our casualty investigations are conducted with the rigour required for use in legal and regulatory proceedings, examining all available evidence, interviewing witnesses where appropriate, and producing a detailed technical account that can withstand legal scrutiny.
We work alongside legal teams throughout the dispute process — helping counsel understand the technical aspects of a case, identifying the key technical issues and strengths, reviewing opposing expert reports and highlighting areas for challenge, and translating complex maritime engineering and operational concepts into clear, accessible language. Our involvement helps lawyers ask the right technical questions and build the strongest possible case.
How We Work
We review the available evidence and documentation to understand the technical issues and confirm the scope of our involvement — before any commitment is made.
Thorough technical investigation of the incident, machinery, vessel or cargo — drawing on on-site inspection, document review, and technical analysis as required.
A structured, impartial expert report addressing the technical questions in dispute — produced to the standard required by courts, arbitration panels, and opposing counsel.
Where required, we attend hearings to give oral evidence, respond to cross-examination, and provide ongoing technical support to the legal team throughout proceedings.
Who We Work With
Maritime lawyers are our primary clients for technical assistance — we work with both claimant and defendant counsel, providing the independent technical analysis needed to build a case or assess its merits. P&I Clubs and their legal teams engage us for technical support in casualty investigations and liability disputes. H&M underwriters require technical expert evidence in complex machinery failure and structural damage cases. Courts and arbitration tribunals appoint us as independent experts where an impartial technical assessment is needed. In every case, our independence is absolute — we have no interest in the outcome, only in providing an accurate and defensible technical opinion.
Our technical expertise covers all vessel types and all aspects of maritime engineering, operations, and casualty investigation.
Recent Assignments
Frequently Asked Questions
Geographic Coverage
Based in Nantes and served by an international airport, our primary service area covers the French Atlantic seaboard from Brest to Bayonne. We deploy worldwide 24/7 upon request.
Contact us to discuss your requirements. We are available for confidential initial consultations and respond promptly to all enquiries.