The Ship Supplier’s Lien: Taking a (Maple) Leaf out of the Canadian Statute Book?

Abstract

Ship suppliers’ claims have traditionally not enjoyed maritime lien status in Common Law jurisdictions outside the United States. Instead, ship suppliers have been treated as unsecured creditors with a mere right of action in rem against the relevant vessel. However, Canada has recently introduced a statutory maritime lien for certain ship suppliers’ claims. This article provides a comparative analysis of the historical development of ship suppliers’ claims in maritime law, evaluates the Canadian reform, and discusses its potential implications for the Asia-Pacific region.