The Marine & Shipping Law Unit (MASLU) is established within the TC Beirne School of Law, led by a Director who is a staff member within the School of Law and a member of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Vision

The vision of the MASLU is to achieve international recognition for scholarship, research and consultative skills in Maritime Law, International Law of the Sea and related areas. The vision includes liaising with other marine centres in multi-disciplinary projects.

Mission

The mission of the MASLU includes:

• promoting teaching and research in all aspects of maritime law and the law of the sea
• providing the legal profession and academia, law students, the marine and shipping industries with detailed information and specialist expertise relating to developments in and the application of maritime law
• monitoring international developments in maritime law and providing advice and expertise to governments on policy and legislation related to maritime law and the law of the sea
• encouraging and promoting visits and exchanges with international scholars publishing and promoting publications in all aspects of maritime law and the law of the sea
• co-operating with other major centres in The University of Queensland to develop inter-disciplinary policies, research and teaching.
• co-operating with other major centres in Australia and internationally to develop inter-disciplinary policies, research and teaching.

Role

The role of MASLU includes addressing the law arising from the extensive area of maritime commercial activity in the Australian, regional and international context in the following principal areas:

• oceans policy
• governance of the oceans, nationally and internationally
• international conventions on marine matters; including the marine environment, fisheries, shipping and international marine boundaries
• application of Australian domestic law to Australia’s international marine obligations
• marine aspects of constitutional law
• admiralty jurisdiction
• international law of the sea
• marine environment
• carriage of goods by sea
• ship sales, financing, registration and securities
• marine insurance
• general average
• limitation of liability
• choice of law and jurisdiction
• collisions and groundings
• salvage
• towage and wreck
• pilotage
• port state control
• prize, bounty and ransom
• crimes at sea
• marine dispute resolution: mediation, arbitration and litigation and developing liaisons and exchange programs with established centres of maritime law and international law of the sea in other countries.

Director

The Unit's Director is Dr Sarah Derrington (BA/LLB(Hons), LLM, PhD). Sarah has taught in Maritime Law for some years and is the course co-ordinator for the courses. Her PhD was on marine insurance. Enquiries to Dr Derrington at email s.derrington@law.uq.edu.au