International Admiralty and Maritime Law

Over 90% of Australian trade is transported by sea and the law governing the ships that facilitate this trade is of great commercial importance. Maritime Law concerns issues such as the ownership and flagging of ships, salvage and wreck law, and liabilities arising from incidents such as collisions at sea and marine pollution. It also covers the enforcement of maritime claims, including arrest of ships, jurisdiction, and securities, such as maritime liens. 

Maritime Law is a blend of general principles of contract and tort law, specialised maritime laws arising out of the ancient law merchant, international conventions, customary international law and domestic (both Commonwealth and State) law. Consideration is therefore also given to jurisdictional issues, including an introduction to the international maritime zones and a more detailed consideration of the jurisdictional competencies of flag and port States.

The international nature of shipping, and the international legal structure underpinning it, means that shipping law throughout the world is similar and skills acquired in one jurisdiction are readily transferable to another. The course is therefore of particular interest to students who wish to pursue an international career in either the private or government sectors or in international trade.