Mark C. Manning has practiced Alaska maritime law since 1981, accumulating more than four decades of experience in a field that demands detailed knowledge of federal admiralty statutes, Alaska fisheries regulations, and the operational realities of commercial vessels. The firm limits its practice entirely to admiralty, maritime, and fisheries law, making it one of the most narrowly specialized maritime practices in the state.

Practice Areas

The Law Office of Mark C. Manning, P.C. handles the full spectrum of maritime and admiralty matters that arise in Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, shipping lanes, and coastal operations.

Vessel Collisions and Personal Injury

The firm represents clients in vessel collision cases, including claims for lost profits resulting from a collision. Personal injury arising from pleasure boat collisions is also within scope. Slip-and-fall incidents occurring on cruise ships present a distinct set of liability questions under maritime law, and the firm handles those claims as well.

Vessel Arrests and Maritime Liens

Manning handles vessel arrests for maritime liens throughout Alaska. This includes preferred ship mortgages, necessaries liens covering supplies and services provided to vessels, and maritime repair liens. Arrest proceedings have been conducted in Dutch Harbor, Egegik, Kodiak, and throughout Southeast Alaska.

Fisheries and Fishing Business Matters

The firm’s fisheries practice covers breach of fishing quota contracts and fishing business divorces, which arise when co-owners of a fishing operation dissolve a partnership and must divide permits, vessels, and quota. Defective processed fish claims are also handled, addressing situations where commercially processed seafood fails to meet quality or contractual standards.

Marine Insurance and Professional Liability

Marine insurance broker malpractice cases fall within the firm’s scope, representing clients who have suffered losses because their insurance professional failed to secure adequate or proper coverage. These cases often require close analysis of the broker’s duty of care alongside the underlying policy language.

Additional Maritime Matters

The full list of matters the firm handles includes cargo subrogation claims, fuel spill representations, salvage claims, safe berth clause violations, limitation of vessel owner liability proceedings, criminal defense for negligent vessel handling, and collection of unpaid charter hire.

Attorney Profile

Mark C. Manning has been practicing Alaska maritime law since 1981. His 29-plus years assisting clients in the Alaska maritime world reflects sustained experience across the range of disputes that arise in Alaska’s commercial and recreational marine environment. The firm’s exclusive focus on maritime, admiralty, and fisheries law means every matter it accepts falls within Manning’s core area of knowledge.

Location and Service Area

The firm is based in Anchorage with the capacity to conduct vessel arrests and represent clients throughout Alaska:

1000 O’Malley Road, Suite 202
Anchorage, Alaska 99515
Phone: 907-278-9794
Cell: 907-440-1548
Website: alaskamarinelaw.com/

Geographic reach for vessel arrests includes Dutch Harbor, Egegik, Kodiak, and Southeast Alaska.

Client Focus

The firm’s clientele reflects the diversity of Alaska’s maritime economy: commercial fishermen holding quota and permits, vessel owners facing arrest proceedings, fishing business co-owners dissolving partnerships, crewmen injured aboard vessels, and cargo interests pursuing subrogation after losses at sea. The firm also defends vessel operators in criminal proceedings for negligent handling and assists charter operators collecting unpaid hire. This range reflects the range of disputes that arise whenever commerce depends on vessels operating in Alaska waters.

FAQ

What is a maritime lien and why does it matter?
A maritime lien is a legal claim against a vessel itself, not merely against its owner. Creditors who have supplied necessaries, performed repairs, or hold a preferred ship mortgage can arrest a vessel to enforce that lien, even if the vessel has changed hands.

What is a fishing business divorce?
When co-owners of a fishing business separate, they must divide assets that include permits, fishing quota, vessels, and gear. These divisions require analysis under both maritime law and applicable state property rules and can involve complex valuation questions.

Can a vessel owner limit liability after an accident?
Under federal admiralty law, a vessel owner may petition a court to limit their liability to the post-accident value of the vessel. This limitation of liability proceeding is a specialized admiralty remedy and requires timely filing.

What is a safe berth clause violation?
Charter parties frequently include a clause requiring the charterer to designate a safe berth for the vessel. If the berth proves unsafe and the vessel suffers damage, the charterer may be liable for breach of that clause.

What does cargo subrogation mean?
When a cargo insurer pays a claim for lost or damaged goods, it acquires the right to pursue the party responsible for the loss. That process is subrogation. The firm represents those interests in claims against carriers and other responsible parties.

Closing

Alaska’s maritime economy depends on a legal infrastructure capable of resolving disputes that arise at sea, in port, and in the boardrooms where fishing businesses are structured and dissolved. The Law Office of Mark C. Manning, P.C. has operated within that infrastructure since 1981, handling the precise categories of disputes that commercial fishing, shipping, and coastal operations generate. For maritime matters requiring counsel with deep Alaska-specific experience, contact the firm at 907-278-9794 or by cell at 907-440-1548. Full information is available at alaskamarinelaw.com/