VARIETY is the spice of life

VARIETY is the spice of life. In this issue you will find a wide range of topics, from the changing face of maritime law in China to the small print of the new Incoterms, from the jurisdictional outreach of Puerto Rico to the liability worries of logistics providers in the port of Antwerp.

We look at the changing face of Hong Kong, and at the very different face of Singapore. Stuart Hetherington examines the pros and the cons of the Australian government's decision to call for a review of the Marine Insurance Act of 1909. And the new president of the US Maritime Law Association, Bill Dorsey, in our In Camera feature, says,'"We work for a unique brand of law in a unique industry and our aim should be for uniformity nationally and internationally'. This is an interesting concept, putting uniqueness alongside uniformity. But Bill Dorsey is right.

The overriding message at Maritime London at the beginning of May was how important it is for shipping to remain internationally minded, rather than submit to regional and often short-term political interests. London, of course, is international, even if some of its industry spokesmen have failed to recognise over the years that the world does not begin and end at Leadenhall Street.

Chairing a panel discussion at a Maritime London seminar, Bill O'Neil, secretary-general of IMO, outlined different factors that pose a threat to the quality and professionalism of international shipping, not least the public and political perception that shipping poses an ongoing threat to the environment. The public perception is that the shipping industry at large failed in regard to the Erika.

Bill O'Neil stressed the personal responsibilities of owners for safety at sea. But other have responsibilities too. Malcolm Strong, in our Loose Change feature, asks how owners of substandard tonnage can get finance to buy substandard ships in the first place. We all know, of course, but the question bears repeating.

The aim of organisations such as Maritime London and the Mare Forum in Europe are to promote regional maritime interests and to encourage inward location of foreign investment. Surely there is also a need for these organisations, and similar bodies, to forge links with their contemporaries in the international maritime community in order to focus on the promotion of shipping around the globe? As one maritime lawyer said in London this week, "We need to develop a worldwide corporate strategy for shipping".

Wish or reality? Email us on edi...@maritimeadvocate.com with your views. We look forward to hearing from you. Remember, you can subscribe to future editions of the Maritime Advocate here.

Georgina Noakes