VDSS and GMAA Conclude Cooperation Agreement

The Verband Deutscher Schifffahrts-Sachverständiger (VDSS) (Association of German Shipping Experts) and the German Maritime Arbitration Association (GMAA) wish to coop-erate on a closer basis in future. The chairs of both associations, Dipl.-Ing. Bernd Holst and Rechtsanwalt Jan Wölper have recently signed a corresponding cooperation agreement.

As the members of both associations offer to the same extent high-quality services to the maritime sector throughout the world in relation to technical and legal questions and both associations ensure independent decision-making and prejudice-free expertise via their members, the VDSS and GMAA wish to combine some marketing efforts in the future and organise events together.

The GMAA members have the possibility of calling upon the expertise of the VDSS if technical expert reports need to be obtained in the framework of arbitration proceedings. In addition, the GMAA will invite VDSS members to information, continued education and discussion events hosted by the GMAA in order mutually to get to know and better understand the requirements, expectations and decision parameters of arbitrators and experts.

“Even today only two thirds of GMAA members are lawyers and former judges; one third of the membership is already made up of those in the shipping industry and experts. We hope that through the closer cooperation with the VDSS we will obtain a greater balance from this two thirds / one third relationship and that the technical shipping expertise of GMAA arbitration will be further extended” states GMAA Secretary Dr. Christoph Hasche as a further reason for the cooperation. The next step, according to Dr. Hasche, will be for the GMAA to invite the VDSS members to an expert workshop on speeding up arbitration proceedings. “The VDSS and the GMAA have the common interest of promoting Germany as a location for maritime services where disputes are settled in a competent manner” added VDSS chair Mr. Holst.