Bowmans

Founded in 1885, Bowmans (formerly Bowman Gilfillan) is one of Africa’s oldest and most esteemed law firms​. Over more than 135 years, Bowmans has cultivated a maritime practice with over 125 years of specialist experience in transport law​.

From offices in major port cities like Durban and Cape Town, the firm services a wide range of maritime clients, including international shipping companies, marine insurers, and financial institutions. Bowmans’ admiralty team is regularly top-ranked (Chambers Global Band 1 for Shipping)​. The team is skilled in “wet” work such as ship collisions, groundings, salvage, and oil pollution incidents, often coordinating multi-jurisdictional responses to maritime casualties. In addition, Bowmans excels in “dry” shipping matters – it handles complex charterparty disputes, cargo claims, ship financing and mortgage enforcements, and ship construction contracts. The firm is particularly known for expertise in ship arrest and judicial sale proceedings in South African waters, having acted on numerous arrests on behalf of creditors and P&I clubs​.

Bowmans also advises on port and infrastructure projects; its lawyers have been involved in ports development and regulatory matters, reflecting the firm’s integration of maritime law with project finance and public law​. With nine offices in six African countries​, Bowmans brings a pan-African perspective—its maritime practice not only covers South Africa but also extends to matters in Namibia, Mozambique, Kenya, and other jurisdictions through alliance firms. The firm’s notable work includes representing underwriters and cruise line operators, handling cross-border marine insurance claims, and navigating clients through London-based maritime arbitrations given its familiarity with English admiralty law​.

Bowmans’ long history is studded with milestone cases in African admiralty law, and it continues to be the go-to counsel for major maritime incidents and transactions in the region. By combining deep local knowledge with international reach, Bowmans has significantly impacted the shipping industry in Africa, reinforcing its identity as a maritime law leader on the continent.