Admiralty Law: Enforcement of Maritime Claims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The main principles which govern the enforcement of claims in the Admiralty court, including ship arrest and limitation of liability and how English law is influenced by international conventions.
• The areas of debate about what Admiralty Jurisdiction is and how it ought to be exercised, including the controversial nature of ship arrest and how it differs from other pre-trial measures.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Appraise and criticise existing debates surrounding the enforcement of claims in Admiralty, using appropriate legal research skills.
• Apply the legal principles, with appropriate legal authorities, in the solution of complex problems.
• Locate and analyse relevant legal and other primary and secondary source materials.
• Identify and explain the scope, nature and relevance of the Admiralty Jurisdiction and how it supports ship arrest and limitation of liability and is exercised subject to other conflict of laws rules.
• Analyse relevant legal materials, including statutes, case law and civil procedure rules (CPR).

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Think critically, develop coherent arguments in writing.
• Distinguish relevant from irrelevant materials.
• Identify and analyse key issues.
• Display clarity and objectivity in written discussion demonstrating an awareness of issue of academic integrity.

The following is an indicative list of the module content:

*Sources, scope and nature of Admiralty Jurisdiction

*Maritime and other liens

*Admiralty claims in rem

*Arrest of ships and comparison with freezing injunctions

*Judicial sale of ships and priorities

*Shipowners’ limitation of liability

*Admiralty Jurisdiction in the context of other international rules of jurisdiction

Teaching and learning methods

This module is taught by lectures (8x2hours) and seminars (3x2hours). Lectures will introduce the key principles and structure of the subject. You are expected to provide the main input to the seminars where the principles introduced in the lectures are applied to hypothetical scenarios.

The most important part of learning is your own independent study. This will, however, be closely guided, and firmly tied into the lectures, seminars and assessment. In the seminars you will have the opportunity to present arguments orally to a group of peers and defend your position under challenge.

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Sarah Derrington and James M. Turner (2016). The Law and Practice of Admiralty Matters.

Nigel Meeson and John A Kimbell (2017). Admiralty Jurisdiction and Practice.

Yvonne Baatz (ed) (2018). Maritime Law.

Dr Aleka Mandaraka-Sheppard (2013). Modern Maritime Law Volume 1: Jurisdiction and Risks.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External