Stephen C. Hanemann

"International trade is the lifeblood of our global, regional, and local economy. New Orleans is fortunate to sit aside our nation’s greatest natural resource for trade, the Mississippi River. Our trade and marine asset finance practice cultivates creative solutions to improve efficiency in existing trade routes. We strive to add value to our clients’ business endeavors by helping them spot emerging markets and develop new and existing trades by expanding their supplier and customer base, and financing the acquisition of newer, technologically enhanced, and functionally competitive transportation, intermodal, or marine assets. We also offer practical advice in the fields of import, export, and domestic trade compliance."

International trade, maritime, and transportation law thought innovator, Stephen Hanemann, guides some of the world’s most advanced and sophisticated companies through leveraging their trade, finance, and logistics-related challenges and opportunities. He is among a small class of lawyers in the country who bring the depth of skill to navigate company owners, executives, and senior legal counsel through the intricacies of the Jones Act and other coastwise laws and trade-based regulations.

Stephen believes in real-time, practical legal solutions for clients engaged in admiralty and maritime operations, intermodal and multi-modal shipment; project and asset-acquisition finance; import-export and customs regulation compliance. He also supports his clients in the arenas of municipal law, land use, and construction. Stephen earned his stellar reputation for ABO and permit procurement, premises liability, conditional use, and efficient and compliant daily operating best practices by servicing national restaurant brands, local and regional hotels, restaurants, and bars, as well as wholesome and organic foods and international specialty markets.

Stephen takes pride in facilitating the commercial objectives of bulk, break-bulk, and containerized cargo handlers, shippers, trans-loaders, and LPG and LNG terminals and facilities – no matter how complex or difficult. He thrives by providing uniquely creative solutions for projects and circumstances that require immediate attention and practical-real-time results.

His legal breadth spans from project conception through completion and ongoing advisory services that support continuous growth and development. Stephen has formed numerous companies for well-established and new businesses alike in the marine, transport, and construction industries.

For commercial bankers, lending institutions, and private investors, Stephen negotiates, documents, and closes all types of marine asset financing deals. He advises on commercial leases and the finance, sale, and purchase of real property. His fluency in a wide array of asset classes includes real estate, river-based fleeting operations, ship berths and anchorages, deep-water ports, oil and gas equipment and rigs, and transferable holdings.

Stephen’s experience in U.S. Coast Guard procedure and vessel documentation is manifest in his ability to guide clients beyond traditional lending and borrowing practices in vessel finance, sales, construction, and in properly filing and perfecting instruments with the National Vessel Documentation Center. Stephen also provides guidance on USCG, USACE, and other federal and state agency regulatory and permit compliance. His practice supports the drafting of domestic-terminal operating tariffs, and guidance on the impact to shipping operators of changes in international-trade regulations, tariffs, and trade agreements.

Stephen’s clients return again and again because he is dedicated to working harder, being even more accessible, and providing a deeper level of commitment to monetizing client opportunities while minimizing risk. A bonafide value-add, Stephen brings his extensive connectivity to problem-solving via his established network of industry insiders throughout Louisiana, across the country, and around the world.

Clients appreciate the individual attention, actionable legal solutions, smart instincts, and natural ability to establish and maintain the momentum and rapport needed to turn vision into reality. A down-to-earth-people person who values everyone, from CEOs to boat captains and crew, Stephen always thinks about how to help his clients by putting their needs first, taking the time to understand their business operations, and to personally know the individuals at every level who make the company’s strategic plan a reality.

Stephen is about delivering legal solutions that enhance international trade facilitation and efficiency by advising on such issues as:

• Jones Act and coastwise law compliance
• Emergency Response
• Marine asset purchase and sale agreements
• International products sales agreement
• Trade and transportation asset finance and related agreements
• Commercial finance and associated documentation
• Oil and gas exploration
• Pipeline spills, regulations, facility safety plan, and tank-farm compliance
• Cyber-security compliance
• Drilling accidents and well blowouts
• Cargo loss and damage
• Ship, vessel, and barge collisions and allisions
• Vessel groundings/sinkings/recovery/salvage
• Lift boat and jack-up rig accidents
• Dock damage
• Vessel liens and seizures
• Cargo seizures
• Product sales
• Commercial lease agreements
• Terminal tariffs and port-lease agreements
• Inland and offshore vessel-charter parties
• Carriage and affreightment contracts
• Time, bareboat, and ocean-freight charter parties
• INCOTERMS
• Heavy-lift and project cargo charter parties and facility fabrication agreements
• Terminal servicing arrangements
• Vessel construction agreements
• Licensing and permit procurement
• Production engineering and design contracts
• Corporate M&As
• Marine and industrial project development and concept implementation
• Import and Export documentation and compliance
• Inland trucking regulatory compliance and transportation agreements
• Rail and terminaling contracts
• USCG, USACE, CBP, MarAd, FMCSA, and federal agency documentation and regulatory compliance