NETHERLANDS Law and Practice Contributed by: Rik van Waasbergen, Sander Metzelaar, Wiebe Wajer, Iris Stielstra and Daan Komen, HerikLegal
HerikLegal is a Rotterdam-based law firm estab - lished on 1 January 2025 following the merger of HerikVerhulst and Borsboom & Hamm. HerikVerhulst was founded in 1936, and Borsboom & Hamm in 1978. The combined firm brings long-standing ex - pertise and specialisation through its corporate/M&A, litigation, restructuring and insolvency, employment, shipping, trade and insurance, and real estate sec - tions. The firm offers added value to clients through legal advice and guidance in matters of restructuring, transactions and litigation. In those fields, HerikLegal
has special expertise in cross-border, complex and urgent matters. Given this long history in Europe’s largest port of Rotterdam, HerikLegal is recognised for its deep-rooted specialisation in transport, ship - ping, logistics and international trade through its ship - ping, trade and insurance department. Positioned in one of the most significant hubs for both logistics and insurance in Europe, the department, under the di - rection of Rik van Waasbergen, offers clients a blend of decades of legal experience specific to the logis - tics sector and up-to-date, no-nonsense insights.
Authors
Rik van Waasbergen has been practising law since 1992. His areas of expertise include maritime and commercial disputes, transport law, insurance law and international trade law. With over three decades’
Wiebe Wajer practises shipping law, insurance law and international trade. He acts for insurers, logistics service providers, (ocean) carriers, cargo owners, trading houses and manufacturers. Wiebe is accessible
experience, Rik now leads the shipping, trade and insurance department of HerikLegal. Through that experience, Rik boasts a strong track record in proceedings before the Dutch courts and in arbitration proceedings, including UNUM, GAFTA, NAI, LLMC small claims and ICC arbitrations, and is listed as an UNUM arbitrator. In the capacity of both lawyer and arbitrator, he has been involved in matters including disputes related to vessel collisions, global limitation of liability, ship arrests, salvage and stevedoring, and admiralty law. particular interest in and knowledge of maritime transport and maritime law. He also handles cases concerning road transport (CMR) and logistics. As a lawyer, he acts for insurers, logistics service providers, (ocean) carriers and cargo owners. Additionally, Sander is registered with the Dutch Bar association as a specialist in insurance law and has broad experience acting on behalf of both Dutch and international insurance companies in cross- border matters. Sander has the specialist knowledge needed to decisively handle such cross-border cases in the dynamic transport and trade sector. Sander Metzelaar specialises in international transport and international trade law. He has a
and takes a practical and solution-oriented approach. Before his career in the legal profession, Wiebe worked for several years as a commodity trader in international trade and as a commodity buyer at a large food-producing company. Therefore, he has first-hand experience with the commercial and operational interests at play in companies active in international trade and transport.
Iris Stielstra is part of the shipping, trade and insurance department of HerikLegal. She primarily handles international disputes for (ocean) carriers, freight forwarders, cargo interests, ship-owners, terminal
operators and their insurers. Iris is a dedicated, practical and committed lawyer with a critical eye.
Daan Komen has been in legal practice for nearly 15 years. He is a litigation specialist whose practice primarily focuses on dry and wet shipping matters. Over the course of his career, he has worked at several
law firms, gaining broad experience and a strong understanding of the market. He frequently acts for ship-owners, terminal operators, carriers, freight forwarders, cargo interests and their insurers. His
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