General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW6349 |
| Course name: | Introduction to Maritime Law |
| Programme offered under: | LLM Programme |
| Semester: | First |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value: | Non-credit bearing |
1.2 Course description
This course provides the background for understanding maritime law. It explains the links between the various legal areas which students will study during their LLM and provides them with basic knowledge of the role of the various stakeholders in the shipping business.
The course first sicusses how international shipping operates within the legal framework of the Law of the Sea underpinned by the freedom of navigation, the flag state’s rights and responsibilities with respect to ships flying its flag and the global requirements for safe ships and clean seas. The importance of the regulatory regime and the way this is developed and implemented within the International Maritime Organisation, and the consequences for non-compliant ships are explained.
The second part provides an overview of the major stakeholders in shipping, namely, shipowners, the banks funding them, the charterers and cargo owners, the Classification Societies, the Hull and the Protection and Indemnity Insurers (P&I Clubs), the port services for towage and pilotage, the salvors, the crew and the passengers.
It introduces the major documents used in shipping, the way these are produced and explains how the legal issues arising between the stakeholders and third parties are explored further in the maritime LLM options
The purpose of the course is to provide a landscape for the embedment of the specialised courses dealing with the legal arrangements between specific stakeholders.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Michael Tsimplis | tsimplis@hku.hk | CCT 607 | By email |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Describe and explain the international legal framework for shipping.
CLO 2 Identify and describe the major stakeholders in maritime law.
CLO 3 Apply the knowledge and understanding to resolve issues regarding control of dangerous ships.
2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link:
LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| CLO 5 | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Quiz | 100% | 2 | 1, 2, 3 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s).
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Seminar: | 3 hours / week for 11 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 11 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
To be advised by course convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | TBA |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/