Legal Definitions - AEA

The AEA stands for the Admiralty Extension Act.

The Admiralty Extension Act is a United States federal law that expands the reach of maritime law (also known as admiralty law) to cover certain incidents where a vessel on navigable water causes damage or injury that occurs on land. Before this Act, admiralty jurisdiction was generally limited to incidents that happened entirely on the water. The AEA ensures that if a ship, boat, or other vessel causes harm that is "consummated on land," the injured party can still pursue a claim under maritime law, which has specific rules and procedures.

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

• Example 1: A large cargo ship, navigating a river, experiences a steering malfunction and collides with a bridge support structure. The impact causes a section of the bridge deck to collapse onto the riverbank, damaging several parked vehicles and a small maintenance shed located on land.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the damage to the vehicles and the shed occurred on land, but it was directly caused by the cargo ship, a vessel on navigable water. The AEA allows the owners of the damaged property to bring their claims under admiralty law, even though the final damage manifested on land.

• Example 2: During a refueling operation in a harbor, a tanker ship accidentally discharges a significant amount of fuel oil into the water. The oil slick then drifts with the current and washes ashore, contaminating a public beach and the private docks of several waterfront homes.

  Explanation: Although the oil spill originated from the tanker on navigable water, the environmental and property damage (contamination of the beach and private docks) occurred on land. The AEA would enable the affected property owners and environmental agencies to pursue their claims against the tanker's owner under maritime law for the land-based damages.

• Example 3: A powerful tugboat, assisting a larger vessel, creates an exceptionally strong wake while passing through a narrow canal. The force of this wake causes severe erosion to the canal bank, leading to the collapse of a retaining wall and damage to a nearby restaurant's outdoor patio area, which is situated on land.

  Explanation: Here, the damage to the retaining wall and the restaurant's patio happened on land, but it was directly caused by the wake generated by the tugboat, a vessel operating on navigable water. The AEA would allow the restaurant owner to seek compensation under maritime law for the land-based property damage caused by the vessel's operation.