The Course Units

Shall we add a unit on maritime arbitration as reflected in the timetable? Or maybe include it in one of the current units?

Unit 1: The Common Law of England and Wales

An introduction to the Common Law, and particularly to the doctrine of precedent, which is found in the legal systems of (among others), England and Wales, the USA, Canada, Australia, and much of Africa and Asia. We will also look at some issues of Tort and Contract Law.

Unit 2: Admiralty Law and Practice

We will look at some of the core areas of Maritime Law. There will be a focus upon Admiralty practice, which will include an examination of ship arrest, (including sister ship arrest) and maritime liens. This unit will also develop an understanding of salvage issues.

Unit 3: Freight Forwarding, Logistics and Multimodal Transport

This unit will provide an introduction to the legal issues concerning freight forwarding and logistics operations with particular reference to their legal classification. The types of multimodal transport and the problems that arise in the development of a suitable international liability regime will be examined. International and national efforts to produce a regime and commercial responses will also be discussed as will the possible impact of the work on reforming the law of carriage by sea currently being undertaken by UNCITRAL.

Unit 4: Carriage of Goods by Sea & Cargo Claims

This unit will examine issues surrounding contracts of affreightment, principally time and voyage charterparties and bills of lading. This will include current developments in the Hague/Visbey rules and the recent Rotterdam Rules.

Unit 5: Maritime Economics

This part of the Summer School will give consideration to Maritime Economics and all the different markets that form the economic organisation of the Shipping Industry.

Unit 6: The International Law of the Sea

This unit will provide delegates with an opportunity to discuss the issues of oil pollution from ships and, more generally, the shipowner’s ability to limit liability. The module will examine the international conventions that regulate these matters. This is an area of great practical importance to shipowners and charters alike.

Unit 7: Marine Insurance

We will examine how the insurnace market operates in the industry and which is the current status of the law regarding shipping risk cover and that related to Protection and Indemnity Clubs.

Unit 8: London Maritime Arbitration

Most maritime disputes are dealt with in London, under English law, and by use of Arbitration. It is a must unit for all those involved in the shipping disputes resolution. We will look at general arbitration concepts and focus on maritime arbitration and the Rules of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association, and other institutional arbitration rules, such as the LCIA or the ICC.

Unit 9: Shipping Competition Law

This year the Maritime Conferences, in which carriers were aloud to agree freight rates, have been banned in Europe. This has caused a great impact in the European market. The effects of the ban will be discussed under an economic perspective.

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