The book is a study of the rules of procedure of international conferences. It examines the legal basis of these rules of procedure and the history of their development since the end of the Second World War. The central part of the work consists of an examination of the practical application of rules of procedure at international conferences. The book also compares the application of rules at conferences with the relevant practice of the UN General Assembly, and the assemblies of international organisations such as the WHO and ILO. The book examines whether certain procedural rules and applications have become so well established that they have by now attained the status of customary international law.

For the first time, this unique text brings together all private international maritime law conventions alongside expert commentary and analysis. Truly global in approach, the book covers each of the nineteen conventions currently in force, all scrutinised by this internationally-acclaimed author. It also examines important maritime conventions not yet fully ratified, including the topical Rotterdam Rules. This comprehensive resource provides a thorough treatment of both wet and dry shipping treaties, combining breadth of coverage with depth of analysis. In this third volume, the author covers the key conventions dealing with pollution and safety at sea. In particular, the author covers the following instruments: International Convention relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, 1969 and Protocol of 1973 International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC Convention) with its Protocol of 2000 (OPRC-HNS Protocol) International Convention for the prevention of pollution from ships (MARPOL) and protocol of 1978 International Convention for the Safety of life at sea, 1974 (SOLAS) Convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters, 1972 as amended by the protocol of 1996 International Convention for the control and management of ship’s ballast water and sediments, 2004 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 Nairobi International Convention on removal of wrecks 18 may 2007 Port state control: the Paris Memorandum of Understanding and the European Directive 2009/16 EC European Traffic Monitoring and Information System International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992 (CLC 1992) International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992, as amended by its Protocol of 2000 and its Supplementary Protocol of 2003 (the Fund Convention) International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 This book is an indispensable reference for maritime lawyers, academics and students of maritime law worldwide.

The book examines how the absence of insurance in the past led to some special maritime liability law principles such as ‘general average’ (i.e., losses or expenses shared by all the parties to a maritime adventure) and the limitation of shipowners’ liability. In the absence of insurance, these principles served the function of insurance mostly for shipowners. As commercial marine insurance is now widely available, these principles have lost their justification and may in fact interfere with the most important goal of liability law i.e., deterrence from negligence. The work thus recommends their abolition. It further argues that when insurance is easily available and affordable to the both parties to a liability claim, the main goal of liability law should be deterrence as opposed to compensation. This is exactly the case with the maritime cargo liability claims where both cargo owners and shipowners are invariably insured. As a result, the sole focus of cargo liability law should be and to a great extent, is deterrence. On the other hand in the vessel-source oil pollution liability setting, pollution victims are not usually insured. Therefore oil pollution liability law has to cater both for compensation and deterrence, the two traditional goals of liability law. The final question the work addresses is whether the deterrent effect of liability law is affected by the availability of liability insurance. Contrary to the popular belief the work attempts to prove that the presence of liability insurance is not necessarily a hindrance but can be a complementary force towards the realization of deterrent goal of liability law.

​This book presents a study on civil liability for accidents at sea, with a focus on the interests of parties that are not contractually participating in the maritime enterprise. Shipping and the maritime offshore industry are among the most international businesses in the world, and the operation of ships and facilities at sea can involve very different interests in a wide variety of relationships. Although there is an international legal framework that covers the most frequent types of cases, questions remain regarding the interplay of international and national legislation. Addressing those questions, the first part of this study analyses the rules and the limits of international regulation applicable at sea, namely regarding compensation for pollution damage. The second part focuses on the jurisdictional rules and conflict-of-law rules that may be used to deal with cases beyond the scope of international legislation, in accordance with the law of the sea.​

I. The importance of legal questions related to the sea is obvious to everyone. It is hardly surprising that the subjects that make up international current events illustrate the leading role played by maritime affairs. Indeed, it is no coincidence that three quarters of the earth's surface is covered by oceans. Territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, exploitation of the seabed, fishing, transport, insurance, collision, and pollution raise many unresolved questions. On the other hand, the contrast of this importance with the modest attention that existing periodical publications merit must be underscored. Without undervaluing these publications, there has been a need for some time to create a vehicle of common expression, based on three central tenets: interdisciplinary framework, tendency towards uniform law, and both a theoretical and practical approach. a. A framework of interdisciplinary nature seems to be relevant as it is desirable to overcome the artificial separation between public and private law.