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Shipping Law

Module description

Around 480 million tonnes of cargo passes through UK ports every year. Britain imports around 50% of its food, and most of that arrives by ship. Dover is one of the world’s busiest passenger ports. The English Channel is the world’s busiest shipping lane. Around 80% of global trade is transported by ship, with English law and London arbitration being the world’s top choice for international dispute resolution. Shipping is both big business and vitally important, and this module will introduce you to English shipping law.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module will introduce you to the main features of English shipping law, some of which are unusual and powerful (like the ability to arrest ships). We will cover those topics which arise most frequently in practice. We will explore the law through its guiding principles, along with illustrative case studies. By the end of the module, you should have a confident understanding of the overall shape of English shipping law, and the ability to navigate successfully some of its complexities. You should be able to apply the law to resolve factual disputes, and critique the law to suggest reform.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of English shipping law and a substantial range of major concepts, values and principles relevant to its application;
• 2. identify, explain and critically evaluate key issues in English shipping law and to apply relevant rules and theories.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. apply legal knowledge to a problem or case study and to suggest a conclusion supported by relevant arguments;
• 4. select, integrate and present coherently and reflectively relevant law and legal or theoretical arguments.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. manage relevant learning resources, information, learning strategies and to develop own arguments and opinions with minimum guidance;
• 6. work independently and to manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessment.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Admiralty jurisdiction
• Claims in rem
• Arrest of ships
• Admiralty procedure
• Salvage
• General average
• Limitation actions
• Charter parties
• Bills of lading
• Arbitration

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

This reading list is indicative, providing an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not a confirmed or compulsory reading list:

The latest editions of:

Tamblyn, Shipping Law: An Outline (Amazon)

Baughen, Shipping Law (Routledge)

Derrington and Turner, Law and Practice of Admiralty Matters (OUP)

Meeson and Kimbell, Admiralty Jurisdiction and Practice (Routledge)

Key words search

Shipping law – Maritime law – Admiralty law