Mateusz Zieliński

Experience at the Intersection of Law and the Quay

Mateusz joined Gdynia Maritime Dialogue in April 2017. Previously, for 4 years, he worked directly at port operations in Gdynia, which gives him an advantage over lawyers who know the sea only from books. With us, he handles what is most difficult: hard charter contract negotiations. In 2023 alone, he closed 19 negotiation processes, most of which concerned complicated clauses regarding ship loading time.

His approach is quayside practice in its pure form. Mateusz does not use complicated terms unless necessary. Instead, he analyzes facts. In March last year, he helped one of our clients avoid a demurrage penalty of 8,350 euros. He demonstrated that the port delay did not result from the shipowner's fault, but from the terminal's poor work organization. Such concrete actions are a norm for him.

He can be direct and always tells the truth about the chances of winning. If he sees that Charter Party clauses are extremely unfavorable for the client, he doesn't mince words. (Heads-up: Mateusz usually starts work at 7:15 AM to finish document analysis before the first shift in the port). Thanks to this, our clients get answers to key questions within 3-4 hours, rather than after several days.

At Gdynia Maritime Dialogue, Mateusz ensures every dot in the agreement is in its place. He specializes in laytime settlements and ship downtime disputes. In 2024, he audited 12 contracts for a local exporter, allowing for a reduction in negotiation time for new terminal rates by 9 business days. Facts and concrete amounts staying in the shipowner's pocket are what count.

Privately, Mateusz is strongly connected to the region. He knows the realities of working in Szczecin-Świnoujście Ports and our native Port of Gdynia. He has completed 3 certified maritime logistics courses, but as he claims himself — he learned the most while settling his first 47 charters. With him, negotiations take place without unnecessary talk, but with full focus on the client's interest.