Legal Definitions - Admiralty Extension Act

The Admiralty Extension Act (AEA) is a United States federal law enacted in 1948. It expands the legal authority of maritime courts (known as admiralty jurisdiction) to cover situations where a vessel on navigable water causes damage or injury, even if that damage or injury occurs on land rather than directly on the water.

Before the AEA, maritime courts typically only had jurisdiction over incidents that happened entirely on the water. This Act ensures that if a ship or boat causes harm, whether to property or people, that extends beyond the water's edge onto land, the case can still be heard under maritime law. This simplifies legal proceedings by allowing a single body of law to govern incidents originating from a vessel's actions, regardless of the precise location of the resulting harm.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of the Admiralty Extension Act:

• Example 1: A large container ship, while attempting to dock in a busy port, suffers a mechanical failure and collides with a shore-side grain silo, causing significant structural damage and spilling its contents.
  Explanation: Even though the grain silo is entirely on land, the damage was directly caused by the container ship, a vessel on navigable water. The AEA allows a maritime court to hear a claim for the damage to the silo.

• Example 2: A high-speed recreational boat creates an unusually large wake while passing through a narrow river channel. The wake crashes over a private dock, causing a person standing on the dock to fall and break their arm.
  Explanation: The injury occurred on the private dock, which is land-based property. However, the injury was directly caused by the wake generated by a vessel on navigable water. The AEA ensures that the injured party can pursue a claim under maritime law.

• Example 3: During a refueling operation, a small amount of fuel accidentally spills from a fishing trawler moored in a harbor. The tide carries the spilled fuel onto a nearby public beach, contaminating the sand and requiring an expensive environmental cleanup.
  Explanation: The contamination and cleanup costs occurred on the beach, which is land. However, the initial cause was a spill from a vessel on navigable water. The AEA extends maritime jurisdiction to cover the damages incurred on the beach due to the vessel's actions.