Going around the world by boat: why contact a lawyer?

With these difficult times and this unprecedented confinement that the world had to go through, I questioned myself a lot and I thought a lot about the meaning I gave to my life. That's how I realized that I didn't like the way my life was going and that I wanted to do something else with my time on Earth.

Being a true enthusiast of the nautical world and navigation, I always dreamed of going on an adventure around the world thanks to the family boat. With this existential crisis, this crazy idea came back to my mind like an old buried dream and I decided to follow this idea to see how far it would take me. So I quit my job, rented my house, planned a route and, on the advice of a friend, contacted a customs lawyer to make sure I would not encounter any legal problems during my journey. 

Having the necessary administrative documents

The advantage of planning your trip with the help of a lawyer specialized in customs and international maritime law is that it avoids many potential problems. He is able to give you information that you would certainly never have found on your own and helps you to put together the administrative files that are essential to the smooth running of your trip.

Calculate the maritime costs of your trip

When we budget a project like this, we simply think about all the surface expenses (food, fuel, hygiene, leisure) but we forget to take into account the administrative expenses as well as the delivery time. If tomorrow you try to leave on a whim to go around the world, I wish you good luck to stay in a port at the other end of the world, you will probably never be accepted anywhere. 

In many countries, you will have to pay various taxes (tourist tax, visa and others). If you want to leave with peace of mind and make the most of this part of your life, budgeting correctly for your trip will be one of your priorities.

Defending yourself in case of a dispute

Finally, we have to imagine the worst case scenarios and think about the possibility that you may find yourself in a dispute with an institution, a customs service or individuals. At that point, having someone who knows your case perfectly and who can provide the appropriate documents to the justice system of the country in question will prove to be a real relief.