Arnold van Steenderen (admitted 1976) is considered an outstanding wet and dry shipping lawyer with a deep understanding of the shipping industry. He specialises in all forms of dispute resolution, domestic and international arbitration and mediation. His work i.a involves drafting and negotiating shipbuilding contracts (any type of vessel, from superyachts to drilling rigs), collision and salvage work, the arrest/release of ships, shipfinance and registration, P&I work, dealing with charterparty disputes, cargo claims and marine insurance disputes. He is recognised for the distress work the firm has conducted in regard to sudden charterers defaults, foreclosure of mortgages etc. The Netherlands being a favourite jurisdiction for the foreclosure of ship mortgages he has represented clients in numerous court actions in this area. He is highly regarded as one of the few specialists in the Netherlands in the field of shipbuilding litigation and arbitration.
As a graduate of Erasmus University Rotterdam (1976), Arnold started his professional career in the maritime law practice of what was then Nauta Lambert Blussé. He was a partner in NautaDutilh from 1983 until 2005. It was upon his initiative that Van Steenderen MainportLawyers was started up by the end of 2005. Next to having an outstanding reputation as an international shipping lawyer, he is also frequently appointed as an arbitrator in all kinds of maritime, insurance and logistics disputes. He is a member of the IBA Committee on Maritime and Insurance Law, the Netherlands Maritime & Transport Law Association (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Zee- en Vervoersrecht) and the Netherlands Association of Transport Lawyers. As a member of the Rotterdam Bar, Arnold has lectured (Erasmus University Rotterdam and Technical University Delft) and has been a panellist at international conferences on maritime law. He is recognised in Who's Who Legal-Shipping 2008 as a leader in his field (Shipping & Maritime). Chambers-Europe noted: "described as a pragmatic, sharp and solution oriented lawyer, he is active in all kinds of dispute resolution". The Legal500:"..has good sensitivity to what clients want". Next to being an outstanding lawyer Arnold van Steenderen is also practising Mediation Advocacy, i.e. guiding clients through all aspects of mediation. Now, especially since the judiciary in the Netherlands is promoting mediation as an alternative to court proceedings, the importance of a profound knowledge of negotiation skills and tactics is growing. He has passed the exam of Master of Dispute Resolution, undertaken the professional training of ADR-Specialist / Legal Mediator at the Amsterdam ADR Institute of the University of Amsterdam. He is a member of the International Maritime Conciliation and Mediation Panel (Imcam). His practice has generated a number of landmark decisions by the Dutch Supreme Court. He has dealt with these cases in the fact-finding instances of the High Court of Justice and Court of Appeal. The following judgments given in the last instance by the Supreme Court should be mentioned: Frenkel / Foortse q.q. (NJ 1984, 651), Olau Britannia / Pieniny II (NJ 1988, 74), Tobias (NJ 1989, 201), Valkom and Nordström / Van Nievelt, Goudriaan & Co. (NJ 1989, 400), Sylt (NJ 1992, 652), Serra (NJ 1995, 389), Vertrouwen – TX 68 (NJ 1996, 534), Zilverstad (NJ 1998, 297). Arnold J. van Steenderen
Van Steenderen MainportLawyers
Zeemansstraat 13, 3016 CN Rotterdam
P.O. Box 23493, 3001 KL Rotterdam
T: +31 (0)10 - 266 78 61
F: +31 (0)10 - 266 78 68
CELL: +31 (0)6 - 53 62 28 76
arnold.vansteenderen@mainportlawyers.com
www.mainportlawyers.com 
vCard A.J. van Steenderen