Did a seller hide serious defects before selling a vessel in Turkey? Learn how foreign buyers can seek cancellation, price reduction, repair costs and compensation for concealed ship defects in 2026.

A foreign buyer who discovers serious defects after purchasing a vessel in Turkey may have substantial legal remedies if the seller knew about the problems and concealed them before the sale. A vessel may appear commercially and technically sound during negotiations but, shortly after delivery, the buyer may discover main-engine damage, structural cracking, corrosion, defective machinery, undisclosed collision damage, previous flooding, class problems, temporary repairs or other conditions that materially reduce the vessel’s value.

The financial consequences can be severe. A foreign buyer may have paid millions of dollars for the vessel, only to face an immediate dry-docking, machinery overhaul, class-related repairs and weeks or months of commercial downtime.

The situation becomes particularly serious where evidence suggests that the seller did more than simply fail to discover a problem. The seller may have known about the defect, performed temporary repairs, removed warning records, provided inaccurate information, withheld survey reports or deliberately prevented the buyer from discovering the vessel’s true condition.

Under Turkish law, the distinction between an ordinary defect and a deliberately concealed defect is critical. Depending on the circumstances and the governing contract, the buyer may potentially pursue repair-related damages, reduction of the purchase price, cancellation or rescission-type remedies, recovery of the purchase price and additional compensation.

For foreign buyers, however, timing is essential. Once a concealed defect is discovered, the vessel’s condition must be documented before repairs alter the evidence.

What Is a Concealed Defect in a Vessel Sale?

A concealed or hidden defect is generally a problem that was not reasonably apparent to the buyer during the transaction and which affects the vessel’s value, intended use or contractual characteristics.

Not every post-sale mechanical problem qualifies.

The central question is whether the problem existed at the legally relevant time and whether the seller bears responsibility for it.

Ordinary Defect Versus Concealed Defect

These concepts should not automatically be treated as identical.

An ordinary hidden defect may have existed without either party knowing about it.

A deliberately concealed defect involves a more serious allegation: that the seller knew about the problem and intentionally prevented the buyer from discovering it.

That distinction can materially affect contractual defenses, notice arguments and compensation claims.

Examples of Concealed Vessel Defects

Potential examples include previously discovered structural cracks that were temporarily covered, known engine problems not disclosed to the buyer, undisclosed grounding damage, corrosion hidden beneath cosmetic repairs, falsified maintenance information, previous flooding concealed from the purchaser, known gearbox problems, inaccurate machinery-hour records or undisclosed class-related deficiencies.

Each allegation must be supported by evidence.

Seller Knew About Main Engine Damage

Consider a foreign buyer purchasing a commercial vessel for USD 15 million.

Two weeks after delivery, the main engine suffers catastrophic failure.

During dismantling, engineers discover evidence that the same component had been damaged months earlier and temporarily repaired.

If records establish that the seller knew about the earlier failure but deliberately withheld it, the buyer may have a significantly stronger case than an ordinary post-delivery breakdown claim.

The Vessel Sale Agreement Comes First

The first document to review is the sale agreement or Memorandum of Agreement.

International vessel sale contracts frequently allocate considerable technical-condition risk to the buyer.

The agreement may contain inspection provisions, acceptance clauses, representations, warranties, “as is” language, delivery conditions and limitations of liability.

These provisions must be analyzed together.

Memorandum of Agreement

The MOA should be preserved in its complete executed form.

Any amendments, addenda and side agreements should also be collected.

A dispute cannot safely be analyzed using only the signature page or deposit clause.

Seller’s Representations

The seller may have expressly represented matters concerning ownership, encumbrances, class status or vessel condition.

If a representation was materially false when made, it can become central to the buyer’s claim.

The exact wording matters.

Pre-Contract Representations

Important statements may also have been made during negotiations.

Emails, broker communications, technical presentations and written responses to buyer questions should therefore be preserved.

Whether those statements have contractual or other legal effect requires case-specific analysis.

“As Is, Where Is” Vessel Sales

Second-hand vessels are frequently sold on an “as is, where is” basis or under provisions allocating substantial condition risk to the buyer.

This can significantly restrict post-delivery claims.

But such clauses should not automatically be treated as permission for deliberate deception.

What Does “As Is” Normally Mean?

Broadly, the buyer accepts significant risks concerning the vessel’s actual physical condition.

The commercial purpose is to provide finality after inspection and acceptance.

The precise legal consequences depend on the contract and governing law.

Does “As Is” Protect Deliberate Concealment?

A seller accused of intentionally hiding a known material defect faces a different issue from a seller confronted with an ordinary defect that neither party knew existed.

Contractual exclusions, acceptance provisions and inspection clauses must therefore be examined in light of the seller’s alleged knowledge and conduct.

Buyer Inspected the Vessel

The seller may argue:

“The buyer inspected and accepted the ship.”

That can be an important defense.

The buyer must then explain why the particular defect could not reasonably have been identified during the agreed inspection.

Inspection Does Not Reveal Everything

A pre-purchase inspection has practical limitations.

The buyer may not be permitted to dismantle the main engine, open every component, remove coatings or conduct destructive testing.

A serious internal machinery defect may therefore remain undiscoverable during an ordinary inspection.

Seller Prevented a Proper Inspection

The buyer’s position may become stronger if the seller actively restricted access to an area later found defective.

For example, the seller may have refused machinery opening, prevented access to repair records or claimed that certain documents did not exist.

These events should be documented.

Seller Gives False Explanation

Suppose the buyer notices abnormal engine vibration during inspection.

The seller states in writing that the problem resulted from a minor temporary condition.

After delivery, evidence shows the seller had previously received an engineering report identifying serious shaft damage.

That earlier report could become critical evidence of knowledge.

Main Engine Defects

Machinery defects generate some of the highest-value post-sale disputes.

A main-engine failure can immediately immobilize the vessel and require expensive repairs.

The buyer should establish whether the problem resulted from ordinary wear, poor post-delivery operation or a pre-existing condition.

Previous Engine Overhaul Records

Maintenance and overhaul records can reveal the history of the problem.

The buyer should compare documents received before closing with records discovered afterward.

Missing pages, inconsistent dates or unexplained component replacements can justify further investigation.

Temporary Repairs

Temporary repairs can be particularly important.

A seller may perform a short-term repair to keep machinery operating until the vessel is sold.

A temporary repair is not inherently unlawful.

The key issue is whether material information concerning the underlying condition should have been disclosed under the contract and applicable law.

Structural Defects

Hidden structural problems can threaten both vessel value and safety.

Examples include cracks, deformation, severe corrosion and previously damaged steel structures.

An independent naval architect or marine surveyor may be required.

Concealed Corrosion

Fresh coating shortly before inspection does not itself prove concealment.

However, if evidence shows that severe corrosion was known, superficially covered and deliberately withheld from the buyer, the circumstances become much more significant.

Previous Collision Damage

A vessel may have experienced a collision years before sale.

The existence of a historical casualty does not necessarily make the vessel defective.

The important questions concern whether damage remained, whether repairs were properly completed and what the seller represented.

Previous Grounding

Undisclosed grounding can raise similar issues.

The buyer should seek contemporaneous casualty reports, dry-docking records, class documents and repair invoices where available.

Classification Society Records

Class documentation can be extremely valuable in concealed-defect disputes.

It may identify previous recommendations, conditions, repairs or inspections.

The buyer should compare class information with representations made during the sale process.

Outstanding Class Conditions

If the seller represented that the vessel would be delivered with a particular class status but significant undisclosed conditions existed, the contractual consequences should be examined immediately.

Class Approval Does Not Necessarily End the Case

The seller may argue that the vessel had valid class certification at delivery.

That fact can be important but does not necessarily determine every contractual or defect issue.

A vessel can potentially satisfy class requirements while still differing from specific contractual representations.

Maintenance Records

Maintenance history can provide some of the strongest evidence of seller knowledge.

Records may show repeated alarms, recurring machinery failures or previous recommendations for major repairs.

Deleted Maintenance Records

If relevant electronic records appear to have been deleted shortly before the sale, forensic preservation may become important.

However, deletion alone should not automatically be characterized as fraudulent concealment without supporting evidence.

Engine Logbooks

Engine-room records may reveal recurring temperatures, pressures, alarms and breakdowns.

Entries from the months preceding the sale can be particularly valuable.

Repair Invoices

An invoice issued before the sale may identify the exact component that later fails.

The repair contractor’s records can therefore become significant evidence.

Seller’s Knowledge Is Critical

A deliberate-concealment claim becomes much stronger where the buyer can prove that the seller knew about the defect.

The buyer should therefore focus not only on proving the defect but also on establishing knowledge before closing.

How Can Seller Knowledge Be Proved?

Evidence can include previous survey reports, repair quotations, invoices, crew correspondence, superintendent reports, internal emails, class communications and manufacturer recommendations.

A chronology should be prepared.

Crew Knowledge

The vessel’s master, chief engineer or technical personnel may have known about recurring problems.

Whether their knowledge can legally be attributed to the seller requires case-specific analysis.

Their factual evidence can nevertheless be extremely important.

Technical Manager Knowledge

The seller’s technical management company may have received repeated reports concerning the problem.

Maintenance records and correspondence can therefore help establish what was known before the sale.

Defects Discovered Immediately After Delivery

Timing can be evidentially important.

A catastrophic failure occurring hours after delivery may make a pre-existing cause more plausible than a failure occurring years later.

However, timing alone does not prove liability.

Technical causation remains necessary.

Defects Discovered Months Later

A latent defect may become apparent only after extended operation.

The buyer should investigate whether physical evidence can establish that the underlying problem existed before delivery.

Metallurgical or engineering analysis may sometimes help determine the age or development of damage.

Buyer’s Inspection and Notification Duties

A buyer should not ignore a discovered defect while continuing to operate the vessel for months.

Prompt inspection and notification can be critical.

Notify the Seller Immediately

Once a potentially serious pre-existing defect is discovered, written notice should normally be considered without unnecessary delay.

The notice should identify the defect and preserve the buyer’s rights.

The exact contractual notification requirements should be followed.

Invite the Seller to Inspect

Where circumstances permit, the seller should be invited to participate in an inspection.

This can prevent a later argument that the buyer destroyed or altered the evidence.

Emergency Situations

Safety may require immediate repairs.

A vessel suffering serious propulsion failure cannot always remain immobilized while the parties argue about inspection.

The buyer should nevertheless document the emergency and notify the seller as quickly as reasonably possible.

Preserve the Failed Components

This is one of the most important steps in a vessel defect dispute.

A failed bearing, shaft component, valve or machinery part may contain physical evidence showing that the problem existed long before the sale.

It should not be discarded unnecessarily.

Do Not Destroy Evidence During Repairs

Corrective work can unintentionally eliminate the strongest evidence.

Before major repairs, the buyer should consider photographs, measurements, sampling, independent surveying and joint inspection.

Independent Marine Survey

An independent surveyor should generally identify:

What failed? Why did it fail? When did the underlying damage probably begin? Was it reasonably detectable during pre-purchase inspection? Is there evidence of previous repair? What corrective work is necessary?

A report answering these questions can become central to the claim.

Cancellation of the Vessel Sale

One of the most important questions is whether the buyer can unwind the transaction.

This is potentially available only in circumstances satisfying the contractual and applicable legal requirements.

The seriousness of the defect matters.

When Can Cancellation Become Relevant?

Cancellation may become particularly important where the vessel is so seriously defective that the buyer would not reasonably have entered the transaction had the true condition been disclosed.

The exact remedy depends on the contract and governing law.

Minor Defects Usually Require a Different Approach

A relatively minor repair issue will not normally justify treating a multimillion-dollar vessel sale as though it never occurred.

Proportionality and the available statutory or contractual remedies matter.

Price reduction or damages may be more appropriate.

Return of the Purchase Price

If the sale is lawfully unwound, the financial consequences can include return of the purchase price subject to the applicable legal framework.

This can become complex after the buyer has registered and operated the vessel.

The practical consequences of restoring both parties to their positions must therefore be considered.

Return of the Vessel

Cancellation is not simply a demand for money while the buyer permanently keeps the vessel.

Unwinding the transaction can require dealing with possession, title, registration, benefits received and expenses incurred.

For commercial vessels, these issues can be substantial.

Price Reduction

A buyer may prefer to retain the vessel and seek a reduction reflecting the defect.

This can be commercially preferable where the vessel remains useful after repair.

How Is the Reduction Calculated?

The calculation depends on the legal basis of the claim and circumstances.

Repair cost can be important evidence but does not necessarily represent the only measure of reduced value.

Independent valuation may therefore be necessary.

Compensation for Repair Costs

Where legally recoverable, the buyer may pursue reasonable costs necessary to correct the concealed defect.

The buyer should obtain detailed invoices and technical explanations.

Second Dry-Docking Costs

A hidden structural or machinery defect may require dry-docking shortly after purchase.

The buyer should separately record docking charges, repair work and associated necessary expenses.

Towage Costs

If the defect disables the vessel, emergency towage may become necessary.

The buyer should establish the causal relationship between the concealed defect and towage.

Port Expenses

Additional berth, agency and port expenses may accumulate while repairs are performed.

These should be documented contemporaneously.

Loss of Hire

A concealed defect can remove the vessel from commercial service for weeks.

The resulting loss of hire may exceed the physical repair costs.

Whether such losses can be recovered depends on the governing law, contract, causation and any liability exclusions.

Existing Charterparty

An existing charter provides strong evidence of actual earning capacity.

The buyer should preserve the charterparty, fixture recap, hire rate and off-hire communications.

Lost Fixture

If the defect causes the buyer to lose a future fixture, broker correspondence should be retained.

Claims based on actual contractual opportunities are generally easier to substantiate than purely hypothetical earnings.

Difference Between Purchase Price and Actual Value

Suppose a buyer pays USD 20 million for a vessel represented as being in a particular condition.

Evidence later establishes that its actual value at closing, because of the concealed condition, was substantially lower.

Valuation evidence may become relevant to the buyer’s financial claim.

Survey Costs

The buyer may incur significant costs investigating the defect.

Specialist engineers, metallurgists and marine surveyors may be required.

These expenses should be documented.

Fraud and Intentional Misrepresentation

Some concealed-defect cases extend beyond ordinary warranty liability.

If the seller deliberately provides false information to induce the buyer to purchase the vessel, broader contractual, civil and potentially criminal issues may arise.

Contractual Dispute Is Not Automatically Fraud

This distinction is important.

A seller’s refusal to accept liability does not make the transaction criminal.

Evidence of intentional deception should exist before allegations of fraud are made.

Forged Technical Records

If maintenance or inspection records were deliberately falsified, the buyer should preserve the original files and investigate their provenance.

The authenticity of documents can become an independent issue.

Manipulated Engine Hours

A seller may allegedly manipulate records to make machinery appear less heavily used.

The buyer should compare electronic control data, maintenance intervals and manufacturer records where available.

False Class Documents

Any suspected manipulation of class documentation should be investigated carefully.

The relevant classification records should be independently verified.

Deposit Versus Completed Sale

A concealed defect may be discovered before closing rather than after delivery.

In that situation, the buyer may be dealing with a deposit-refund and termination dispute rather than cancellation of a completed vessel sale.

The procedural strategy can therefore be significantly different.

Defect Discovered Before Closing

If inspection reveals a material undisclosed problem before final payment, the buyer should not simply complete the transaction and assume the issue can easily be resolved later.

The inspection, termination and deposit provisions should be reviewed immediately.

Seller Demands Closing Despite Defect

The buyer should determine whether the discovered problem gives it a contractual right to reject, terminate or require another remedy.

Wrongfully refusing closing can expose the buyer to its own default claim.

Seller Threatens to Keep the Deposit

The buyer should distinguish between its rights concerning the vessel defect and the separate contractual rules governing deposit forfeiture.

If the seller’s own breach justified termination, the buyer may have a strong argument for repayment.

Vessel Already Resold by Buyer

A concealed defect may emerge after the original foreign buyer has resold the vessel.

This creates additional issues concerning standing, losses and potential liability to the subsequent buyer.

The contractual chain should be reviewed carefully.

Limitation Periods

A concealed-defect claim should never be delayed merely because negotiations with the seller are continuing.

Applicable deadlines depend on the governing law, contract and legal characterization of the claim.

Intentional concealment can also affect the legal analysis of certain defenses.

Contractual Notice Periods

The MOA may contain short notification periods.

These should be treated separately from statutory limitation periods.

Both need to be protected.

Arbitration Clauses

International vessel sale agreements commonly contain arbitration clauses.

The merits of the concealed-defect dispute may therefore be decided by arbitration even where the vessel was delivered in Turkey.

The seat, rules and governing law should be identified immediately.

Governing Law

A vessel sale taking place in Turkey is not automatically governed entirely by Turkish substantive law.

The MOA may contain a foreign governing-law provision.

This is one of the first clauses that should be checked.

Turkish Proceedings and Foreign Arbitration

Even where foreign arbitration governs the merits, evidence or assets may be located in Turkey.

The buyer should therefore consider whether Turkish procedural measures are relevant to evidence preservation or asset protection.

Asset Preservation

A buyer pursuing a multimillion-dollar cancellation or compensation claim should consider whether the seller will remain able to satisfy an eventual award or judgment.

This is particularly important if evidence suggests that the seller is disposing of vessels or other substantial assets.

Seller Sells Its Remaining Vessel

If the seller begins disposing of significant assets immediately after receiving a defect claim, the buyer should assess available security options.

A successful judgment against an assetless company may have little practical value.

Precautionary Measures

Depending on the nature of the monetary claim, available evidence and applicable procedural requirements, provisional security may need to be considered.

The appropriate remedy must be selected carefully.

Ship Arrest Considerations

Claims arising from a contract for the sale of a ship are significant within the Turkish maritime-claim framework.

However, whether a particular vessel can be arrested for the buyer’s specific claim requires separate analysis of the statutory conditions.

A maritime claim should not automatically be equated with an unrestricted right to arrest any vessel connected with the seller.

Evidence Checklist for Concealed Vessel Defects

A strong case should reconstruct the entire chronology:

Sale Advertisement → Seller Representations → MOA → Pre-Purchase Inspection → Technical Questions → Seller Responses → Class Records → Closing → Delivery → First Symptoms → Failure → Independent Survey → Previous Repair Evidence → Proof of Seller Knowledge → Corrective Repairs → Vessel Downtime → Financial Loss.

The closer this evidentiary chain is, the stronger the buyer’s position becomes.

First 24 Hours After Discovering a Concealed Defect

The buyer should secure the vessel and prevent unnecessary additional damage.

Photographs and video should be taken.

The failed equipment should be preserved.

Relevant electronic machinery data should be copied.

The seller should receive appropriate written notification.

First 48 Hours

An independent marine surveyor or relevant technical specialist should inspect the problem.

The MOA, inspection report, class records and seller representations should be collected.

The seller should normally be given an opportunity to participate in an inspection where circumstances permit.

First 72 Hours

The buyer should investigate evidence of previous knowledge.

Maintenance records, historical survey reports, repair invoices and crew documentation should be reviewed.

The buyer should also calculate preliminary repair expenses and commercial downtime.

Example: Hidden Main Engine Damage

A foreign buyer purchases a vessel for USD 18 million.

Three weeks after delivery, the main engine fails.

During repairs, engineers discover evidence of an earlier serious failure and temporary repair.

Documents subsequently obtained show that the seller’s technical manager had received a recommendation for complete component replacement before the vessel was advertised.

This evidence could materially strengthen an allegation that the problem was known before sale.

Example: Concealed Structural Cracking

A buyer discovers structural cracks during the vessel’s first dry-docking after purchase.

Analysis suggests the cracks existed before closing and had previously been covered.

The buyer should preserve samples, photographs and expert findings capable of establishing the age and previous treatment of the damage.

Example: Undisclosed Grounding

After purchase, the buyer obtains historical repair records showing that the vessel suffered a substantial grounding before the sale.

Whether the buyer has a claim depends not simply on the casualty having occurred but on the contractual representations, actual remaining damage and seller’s disclosure obligations.

Example: False Machinery Records

The seller provides records suggesting machinery had relatively low operating hours.

After delivery, manufacturer data indicates substantially greater use.

The buyer should investigate whether the discrepancy resulted from an innocent records problem or intentional manipulation.

Example: Defect Discovered Before Final Payment

A foreign buyer pays a 10% deposit.

Before closing, inspection reveals serious hull damage allegedly concealed during negotiations.

The buyer should analyze the inspection, termination and deposit provisions before refusing completion.

If the seller’s conduct legally justifies termination, recovery of the advance payment may become part of the dispute.

Can the Buyer Keep the Vessel and Claim Compensation?

Potentially.

Cancellation is not necessarily the only remedy.

A buyer may prefer to retain the vessel, complete repairs and pursue an appropriate price reduction or damages claim.

The contract and applicable law determine the available remedies.

Can the Buyer Cancel After Using the Vessel?

The longer the vessel has been operated after discovery, the more complicated cancellation can become.

Continued use may affect arguments concerning acceptance, election of remedies, causation and restoration.

A buyer considering cancellation should therefore obtain legal advice before taking steps inconsistent with that remedy.

What If the Seller Offers to Repair?

The buyer should evaluate the proposal carefully.

A commercially reasonable repair can potentially resolve the dispute more efficiently than cancellation.

However, the buyer should not sign a broad waiver of claims without understanding its effect on downtime and other losses.

Settlement

Many concealed-defect disputes ultimately involve commercial settlement.

Possible structures include seller-funded repairs, purchase-price adjustment, reimbursement of dry-docking expenses or a negotiated compensation payment.

Any settlement should clearly identify which claims are released and which remain reserved.

2026 Legal Strategy for Foreign Buyers in Concealed Vessel Defect Cases

A foreign buyer who discovers a concealed defect after purchasing a vessel in Turkey should treat the case as a combination of technical evidence, seller knowledge, contractual remedies and asset recovery.

The first objective is to prove the defect itself. The vessel should be inspected before corrective repairs materially alter the evidence. Failed components, electronic data, photographs and technical measurements should be preserved. An independent expert should determine the cause of failure and, where possible, whether the underlying condition existed before delivery.

The second objective is to determine what the seller knew. Historical repair records, class documentation, maintenance files, crew reports, previous surveys and manufacturer correspondence should be investigated. The buyer should compare these materials with the representations made during negotiations.

The third objective is to select the appropriate remedy. Depending on the seriousness of the defect, contract and governing law, the buyer may need to consider repair costs, price reduction, compensation or cancellation of the transaction. If cancellation is contemplated, the buyer should act carefully because continued operation or inconsistent conduct can complicate unwinding the sale.

The practical roadmap is therefore: secure the MOA → identify governing law → review inspection and acceptance clauses → identify seller representations → preserve pre-purchase survey records → document the defect → preserve failed components → obtain an independent marine survey → determine whether the defect existed before delivery → investigate previous repairs → obtain historical class records → investigate seller knowledge → notify the seller → invite a joint inspection → preserve emergency-repair evidence → calculate repair costs → calculate dry-docking and towage expenses → document loss of hire → obtain valuation evidence → determine whether price reduction is appropriate → assess cancellation rights → protect notice and limitation deadlines → review arbitration or jurisdiction provisions → investigate seller assets where necessary → obtain appropriate provisional protection where legally available → pursue cancellation, repayment, price reduction or compensation according to the facts of the case.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can a foreign buyer cancel a vessel purchase after discovering concealed defects?

Potentially, yes. Serious defects may support cancellation or comparable remedies where the contractual and applicable legal requirements are satisfied. The seriousness of the defect and seller’s conduct are important.

2. Does an “as is” clause prevent every defect claim?

Not necessarily. Such clauses can significantly allocate condition risk to the buyer, but deliberately concealed defects or intentional misrepresentations require separate analysis.

3. What if the buyer inspected the vessel before purchase?

Inspection can affect the buyer’s rights concerning defects that should reasonably have been discovered. A genuinely latent defect that could not reasonably be identified during the permitted inspection presents a different issue.

4. How can the buyer prove that the seller knew about the defect?

Previous repair invoices, survey reports, class records, crew reports, manufacturer correspondence, maintenance records and internal communications can help establish prior knowledge.

5. Can the buyer recover repair costs?

Potentially, where seller liability and the applicable requirements for damages are established. Repairs should be technically documented and reasonably necessary.

6. Can the buyer claim the cost of another dry-docking?

Potentially. If a second dry-docking was reasonably necessary because of a legally actionable concealed defect, those costs may form part of the claim subject to the contract and applicable law.

7. Can loss of hire be recovered?

Potentially, but contractual exclusions, causation and proof are critical. Existing charterparty documentation can be particularly important.

8. What happens if the defect is discovered before closing?

The buyer should immediately review inspection, rejection, termination and deposit provisions before refusing to complete the transaction. The issue may become a termination and deposit-recovery dispute rather than cancellation of a completed sale.

9. Should the defective component be kept after repair?

Yes, where reasonably possible. Physical components can provide crucial evidence concerning causation, previous repairs and whether the condition existed before the sale.

10. What should a foreign buyer do immediately after discovering a suspected concealed defect?

Preserve the vessel’s condition and failed components, obtain an independent technical inspection, notify the seller, secure historical maintenance and class records, investigate evidence of prior knowledge and review the MOA before selecting cancellation, price reduction or compensation.

Legal Support for Foreign Buyers in Concealed Vessel Defect Disputes in Turkey

Foreign shipowners, shipping companies, maritime investors and international vessel buyers facing concealed vessel defects, undisclosed machinery damage, structural defects, false technical representations, hidden casualty damage, post-sale engine failure, vessel sale cancellation or compensation claims in Turkey should preserve the technical evidence before repairs alter the condition of the vessel.

Firat Fesih Kaya Law Office assists foreign buyers and international maritime companies in vessel sale disputes involving concealed defects in Turkey. Firat Fesih Kaya can assist with reviewing vessel sale agreements, evaluating inspection and acceptance provisions, coordinating technical evidence, assessing cancellation and price-reduction rights and pursuing compensation arising from undisclosed vessel defects.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile Phone: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No: 221, Yildirim Tower, Balgat, Cankaya / Ankara, Turkey