IISTL

The 2010 HNS Convention will enter into force on 29 November 2027. The conditions for the treaty’s entry into force were met on 29 May 2026. Under article 21(1), the …

Singapore Arbitration 2/26 involved voyage charterer’s claim for damages after it became clear that owners would not or could not reach the load port by the cancellation date. Owners proposed …

Oscar Wilde said of a cigarette that it was “the perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied.” There’s something of this about the Supremes’ opinion today in …

The United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (also known as the Accra Convention) will officially open for signing during a formal ceremony in Accra, Ghana, on October 26, 2026. …

Professor Simon Baughen Professor Simon Baughen was appointed as Professor of Shipping Law in September 2013 (previously Reader at the University of Bristol Law School). Simon Baughen studied law at …

Tonzip Maritime Ltd v 2Rivers PTE Ltd (The Catalan Sea) [2026] EWCA Civ 641 involved a purported cancellation by owners of a charterparty under the Eastern Pacific Voyage Charter Trade …

Denial of the right of owners to limit their liability for maritime claims is possible under Article 4 of the LLMC 1976. However, limitation is regarded as virtually unbreakable, a …

The maritime sector will recall the tragic incident on 26 March 2024 in Maryland, USA, when the MV Dali, after suffering a loss of power, struck the Francis Scott Key …

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which met in London from 13 to 22 May 2026, took a significant first step towards establishing an international regulatory framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface …

Certain maritime claims may potentially fall within two of the heads of Art 2 (1) of the 1976 LLMC. If one would fail under one head, does that preclude it …

The operation of war risks clauses in the context of the current conflict in the Persian Gulf is very much on the mind of the shipping community right now. Similar …

In recent days, reports have emerged suggesting that Iran is developing a new state-backed maritime insurance system for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid the current regional security crisis. …

Trans Trade RK SA v Sebat Shipping and Trading (The Sebat) [2026] EWHC 950 (Comm) It is generally accepted that the commencement of laytime is contingent upon the service of …

IISTL IISTL exists as a specialist research and professional training centre within the School of Law at Swansea University, promoting research and teaching of the highest standard in international shipping …

. In early 2022, the vessel Goliath allided with two tugs and a wharf owned by the Tasmanian Ports Corporation Pty Ltd (TasPorts) while berthing in Devonport, Tasmania. This caused …

The last few weeks have seen increasing attention on the navigational restrictions imposed on the Gulf of Hormuz by Iran as one consequence of the aerial assault on that country …

Recent media commentary has asserted that insurers have withdrawn “war risk” cover for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz following the escalation of hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and …

INTRODUCTION In Mercuria Energy Trading SA v Onex DMCC [2026] EWHC 130 (Comm), the Commercial Court has provided important guidance on the contractual effect of “typicals” in a commodities sale …

The UK has included emissions from domestic shipping into its Emissions Trading Scheme with partial implementation to begin on 1 July 2026. The first scheme year will run until 31 …

On 7 January 2026 the President of the United States (POTUS) has announced his intention to withdraw the US from the International Framework on Climate Change Treaty stating that the …

Professor Simon Baughen Professor Simon Baughen was appointed as Professor of Shipping Law in September 2013 (previously Reader at the University of Bristol Law School). Simon Baughen studied law at …

Professor Simon Baughen Professor Simon Baughen was appointed as Professor of Shipping Law in September 2013 (previously Reader at the University of Bristol Law School). Simon Baughen studied law at …

Mode Management Ltd and Another v. AXA Insurance UK Plc [2025] EWHC 2035 (Comm) The property insured under the Property Investors’ Protection Plan Insurance was located in Brentwood and legally …

The recent US boarding of the oil tanker Marinera, formerly the Bella 1, raises the question of the legality of these actions by the US, with UK assistance. The UN …

In June 2018 the oil and chemical tanker, Bow Jubail, made contact with a jetty in the Port of Rotterdam spilling approximately 217 tonnes of bunker oil. During its previous …

London Arbitration 2/26 This dispute arose under the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMMA) Small Claims Procedure (SCP) and concerned a claim by the charterers for unpaid despatch in the amount …

ASDEM THE 33rd LONDON TANKER CONFERENCE ON OPERATIONS, FREIGHT, LAYTIME, DEMURRAGE, DEVIATION AND DETENTION IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY 29/30 JANUARY 2026 – LONDON Among the ten industry leading experts who …

Unity Ship Group SA v. Euroins Insurance JSC (The Happy Aras) [2026] EWHC 7 The vessel The Happy Aras was chartered by DTP on a voyage basis from Reni, Ukraine, …

On 28 January 2026, the UK Government released two documents that merit close legal and institutional attention. The first is His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) guidance on the use …

Oceanus Capital SARL v. Lloyd’s Insurance Co SA (The Vyssos) [2025] EWHC 3293 (Comm) The owners of the vessel Vyssos were insured against war risks on terms equivalent to the …

In Emotional Perception AI Ltd v Comptroller General of Patents [2026] UKSC 3, the UK Supreme Court was confronted with a deceptively simple question: can an artificial neural network be …

London Arbitration 11/25 concerns the relationship between the time charterer’s authority to direct the vessel’s voyage route and the master’s entitlement to depart from the most direct route when faced …

The “Maersk Katalin” is a claim for misdelivery brought by a bank, UOB, as indorsee of the bills of lading, against the carrier. A complicating factor was that the letter …

In a long-awaited judgment, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) clarified, for the first time, the legal status of a passenger’s pet—a dog travelling in the aircraft …

Professor Simon Baughen Professor Simon Baughen was appointed as Professor of Shipping Law in September 2013 (previously Reader at the University of Bristol Law School). Simon Baughen studied law at …

A “pay to be paid” term in a marine insurance policy means what you might think, the Court of Appeal confirmed today – much, one suspects, to the relief of …

London Arbitration 11/25 In time charters, the scope of the charterer’s right to issue employment instructions—and the potential limitations on that right—is often contentious and a frequent source of disputes. …

Maritime Trade volumes are set to triple by 2050 and international shipping contributes roughly 3% of global CO2 emissions. In April 2025 the IMO agreed a measure on a global …

Professor Simon Baughen Professor Simon Baughen was appointed as Professor of Shipping Law in September 2013 (previously Reader at the University of Bristol Law School). Simon Baughen studied law at …

The International Court of Justice has spoken. A change of weather on climate change? On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its Advisory Opinion on the …

Delos Shipholding SA & Ors v Allianz Global Corporate and Speciality SE & Ors (The Win Win) [2025] EWCA Civ 1019 The dispute concerned the detention of the insured vessel …

Malhotra Leisure Ltd v Aviva Insurance Ltd [2025] EWHC 1090 (Comm) The assured held a property damage and business interruption insurance policy with the defendant insurer (Aviva), covering a hotel …

Key Insights from the Law Commission’s Discussion Paper by Joe Cunningham * The Law Commission’s recent discussion paper, “AI and the Law”, provides a high-level examination of how the legal …