Captain Ömer Asmalı imparts his 36 years of Coast Guard experience to young lawyers at Esenyel Law Office, focusing on maritime law and salvage operations.
Captain Ömer Asmalı shared his 36 years of experience in the Coast Guard with the young lawyers of Esenyel Law Office. The training covered ship salvage operations, intervention processes in maritime accidents, and the practical applications of legislation in the field.
The legal dimension of salvage operations conducted after maritime accidents was brought together in the in-house training sessions of Esenyel Law Office. After serving in various roles for 36 years at the General Directorate of Coastal Safety, Captain Ömer Asmalı, who retired as a ship salvage expert, explained to the young lawyers the intervention processes at sea and the relationship of these processes with law.
The training aimed to enhance the knowledge of lawyers working in maritime law regarding technical issues, focusing on the practical application of legislation. Asmalı emphasized that evaluating a maritime accident requires an understanding of both the legal aspects of the incident and the conditions in the field.
In Asmalı's presentations, salvage operations targeting grounded, fire-affected, flooding, or uncontrollably drifting vessels were highlighted. The roles undertaken by the salvage master and the salvage company, as well as the steps that the distressed vessel and its associated company must take in these situations, were discussed.
The meaning of ship salvage, the operations carried out in different hazardous situations, and how the parties involved in the intervention act were among the main topics shared with the young lawyers. Thus, the technical processes on which legal evaluations regarding maritime accidents are based were examined through the experiences of an expert who has worked in the field.
The seminars also provided information about grounding and collision cases, the technical processes that develop after maritime accidents, and the decisions required for emergency intervention. The focus of the training was on the connection between maritime practices and legal evaluations.
Asmalı noted that while conveying salvage activities, he also tried to explain how regulations such as the Turkish Commercial Code and the Regulation on Maritime Traffic in the Turkish Straits are reflected in practice.
This approach focused on helping young lawyers grasp the development of incidents at sea and the intervention process alongside the provisions of legislation. In Asmalı’s narrative, learning the unique conditions of the profession that constitute the subject of a dispute and consulting experts in that field when necessary emerged as elements that enhance lawyers' mastery of the subject.
The protection of the environment also holds significant importance in the international legal background of the subject. According to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) statement on the 1989 International Salvage Convention, skills and efforts to prevent or mitigate environmental damage are also taken into account when assessing salvage fees.
The convention also includes special compensation provisions for salvors' expenses under certain conditions, outside the ordinary fee mechanism related to the salvage of the ship and cargo. These regulations indicate that salvage operations carry legal significance not only for the protection of the ship and cargo but also for reducing threats to the environment.
Asmalı emphasized that theoretical knowledge and practice should progress together in professional development, stating that education should not be limited to an office or classroom environment but should be supported by observations in the field. He highlighted the role of internships and on-the-job experiences in reinforcing the knowledge learned in educational institutions.
"Many professions are interconnected and almost feed off each other."
Asmalı explained that it is not possible for one person to acquire all professional experiences alone and stressed the importance of knowledge sharing among different areas of expertise. He noted that specialization in law also requires understanding the workings of the relevant sector and benefiting from the experiences of individuals working in that field.
Expressing his pleasure in meeting with young lawyers working in maritime law, Asmalı said, "The desire of young lawyers to learn and advance makes me happy."
Selçuk Esenyel, the founder of Esenyel Law Office, stated that the legal profession requires continuous development and emphasized the importance of working with competent individuals in the field of maritime law.
"While law requires continuous self-improvement, it is a great privilege for us to work with competent individuals in maritime law, which is indispensable in global geopolitics."
Esenyel expressed that Asmalı's experiences contributed to the young colleagues' understanding of the technical processes in maritime affairs more closely. In the office's in-house training approach, the development of specialization in maritime law and sectoral knowledge accumulation is highlighted together.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
