Host Molly Taylor interviews Savannah maritime attorneys David Sippel and Colin McCray of Hunter McLean about admiralty/maritime law, explaining that admiralty concerns ships, shipping, and navigable waters, while “maritime” is broader and laws seek international uniformity.

They discuss key doctrines including the Jones Act for injured seamen and the Limitation of Liability Act, plus collision vs. allision and the narrow channel rule. Case stories include the African Neptune allision with Brunswick’s old Sidney Lanier Bridge causing 10 deaths, the Golden Ray ro-ro capsizing near St. Simons with four crew rescued after 36 hours, the Archangel G collision that cut a shrimp boat in half, and the Sun Sapphire allision with an LNG dock.

They describe P&I Clubs, shipboard investigations, Coast Guard inquiries, “magic pipe” pollution cases, stowaways, and the practice’s 24/7 demands and collegial network.

The Ships of the Sea podcast is recorded on location at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, housed in the historic William Scarbrough House, an elegant example of early Greek Revival architecture in the South. Built in 1819 for William Scarbrough, a prominent shipping merchant and the first president of the Savannah Steamship Company, the museum showcases a remarkable collection of ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques. In addition to its exquisite interior, the museum features the largest private gardens within Savannah’s historic district, designed to reflect a typical 19th-century parlor garden.

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A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

Museum EVENTS

Education and Group Programs

Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome and Guests

01:15 What Is Maritime Law

02:22 Key Maritime Statutes

04:17 Allision vs Collision

04:57 Bridge Disaster Lessons

07:04 How They Got Started

09:52 Admiralty Schools and Training

11:27 African Neptune Case

12:53 P&I Clubs Explained

14:43 Life Aboard Cargo Ships

17:33 Golden Ray Capsize

22:21 Salvage and Environmental Claims

26:28 Advice for New Maritime Lawyers

27:45 Archangel G Collision Story

29:50 Wheel Tied Off Crash

30:50 Lawsuit And Channel Rules

32:18 Danger Signal And Evidence

34:10 Coast Guard Oil Spill Call

36:33 Magic Pipe Pollution Cases

39:32 Bunkering And Big Spills

41:30 NRDA And Wildlife Costs

42:53 Territory And Inland Barges

44:54 LNG Dock Allision

48:22 First Onboard Fire

50:32 Lost At Sea In Brazil

52:08 Shipboard Meals And Culture

54:45 Stowaways And Repatriation

59:49 Maritime Lawyer Network

01:00:47 Museum Support Outro

Host Molly Taylor, Executive Director of the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, speaks with Myra Reynolds and Len James of the John S. James Company about what customs brokers and freight forwarders do, clearing imports with government agencies and arranging exports onto vessels.

Len, the family-business CFO and co-owner, describes growing up in the industry and how Savannah’s port ecosystem has changed since the 1980s. Myra recounts joining the company in 1977, becoming a licensed customs broker in 1986, and explains licensing, corporate permits, and the shift to remote filing, electronic documentation, and “single window” systems involving 47 agencies.

They discuss Georgia Ports Authority-led efficiency innovations (including COAT), post‑9/11 security targeting, inspections, radiation monitoring, and IPR enforcement, plus notable cases involving marijuana shipments and stolen vehicle exports. They also cover tariff-driven complexity, AI tools, national association lobbying, expanded customs port limits, recruitment challenges, and the breadth of commodities handled in Savannah.

The Ships of the Sea podcast is recorded on location at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, housed in the historic William Scarbrough House, an elegant example of early Greek Revival architecture in the South. Built in 1819 for William Scarbrough, a prominent shipping merchant and the first president of the Savannah Steamship Company, the museum showcases a remarkable collection of ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques. In addition to its exquisite interior, the museum features the largest private gardens within Savannah’s historic district, designed to reflect a typical 19th-century parlor garden.

CONNECT WITH US:

A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

Museum EVENTS

Education and Group Programs

Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome to Ships of the Sea

00:20 Customs Broker Basics

00:56 Len’s Family Business Story

02:36 Warehouse Work Lessons

03:40 Myra’s Path Into Shipping

05:06 Becoming a Licensed Broker

07:01 Savannah Brokerage Landscape

07:32 National Permits and Remote Filing

09:11 Tech Shifts and COAT System

12:30 GPA Efficiency and Early Innovations

16:24 Single Window and Customs Origins

19:07 Duties Tariffs and Counterfeits

22:33 Security Targeting and Inspections

25:41 Myra’s Marijuana Case Files

28:12 Post 9/11 Broker Partnership

29:59 Reporting Suspicious Imports

30:52 CFO Life and Tariff Stress

32:09 AI and Broken Systems

34:10 Lobbying for Tariff Delays

36:16 Tracking Rules and Proclamations

38:38 Expanding Port Limits Story

41:32 Careers and Skills in Brokerage

43:38 Youth Training Pipeline

48:11 Wildest Imports and Logistics

50:50 Partnerships and Final Takeaways

53:53 Support the Maritime Museum

Host Molly Taylor interviews Captain Judy Helmey of Miss Judy Charters on the Ships of the Sea podcast recorded in the Ships of the Sea Maritime Musuem located in the historic William Scarbrough House and Gardens about becoming a charter captain through sea school, time on the water, and mastering safety, responsibility, and people skills.

Helmey reflects on 61 years fishing - starting on her father’s boat as a child - and describes how the job requires roles from counselor to nurse, plus pairing customers with the right captain now that she runs the company. She shares navigation and seamanship stories, Gulf Stream distances and her past pace of 250 trips a year, learning storms with modern equipment, and extraordinary encounters including waterspouts/tornadoes, a submarine snagging her gear, and Navy live-fire zones.

She discusses sexism, varied clientele, famous passengers, reading birds to find wahoo, and her father’s influence, Savannah charter history, and conducting burials at sea, including sinking caskets.

CONNECT WITH US:

A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

Museum EVENTS

Education and Group Programs

Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Podcast Introduction

00:42 Becoming a Captain

01:47 Best Parts of Charter Life

04:05 Running the Business Today

05:58 Knowing the Waters

08:05 Family Roots on the Island

10:03 Learning to Drive Young

13:13 Seasickness and Customer Care

15:41 Weather and Water Spouts

19:54 Safety and Seasoning

20:38 Submarine Snags Gear

22:01 Live Fire Hot Zone

24:42 Sexism on the Dock

27:15 Handling Every Client

28:37 Famous Faces Aboard

30:12 Birds Lead to Wahoo

33:15 Glitter Chum Trick

35:04 Dad’s Hustle Origins

37:19 Burials at Sea Finale