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In addressing climate change, the shipping industry, which is regarded as one sector that cannot be ignored in controlling greenhouse gas emissions, has become a key area of concern for the international community to achieve emissions reduction targets. The International Maritime Organization-the body that regulates international shipping-as well as the European Union and other international entities have adopted a series of emissions reduction policies, beginning a new era of shipping emissions reduction. In view of the urgency and complexity of this issue, the future policy direction of shipping emissions reduction and whether or not existing policies can achieve the emissions reduction targets have become the focus of attention in the global shipping industry. In addition, China's dual identity as a shipping magnate and a developing country plays a crucial role in the development of shipping emissions reduction trends, and reducing shipping emissions is necessary for China to achieve the "double carbon" commitment. In view of the above, this study endeavours to compare the current major shipping emission reduction policies from the perspective of international law and the perspective of macro policies, and analyze the future direction of international shipping emissions reduction policy. At the same time, the study identify China as one of the key countries to influence future policy making and proposes the position and path for China's participation in international shipping emissions reduction, which provided valuable contributions for China to participate in accelerating energy transformation, exploring participation in the carbon emission market, and promoting international unified shipping policy.

Maritime jurisdiction plays an important role in international trade and marine transport. It involves special kinds of rules that vary among different countries and legal systems. Thus, in international maritime jurisdiction, the coordination and settlements of jurisdictional conflicts are vital for the uniformity of international maritime law. This study provides a comparative analysis of maritime jurisdiction in international trade and marine transport. First, it introduces the concept, category, and legal characteristics of maritime jurisdiction based on historical sources. Then, we conduct a comparative analysis of the civil law system, common law system, international conventions, and Chinese maritime jurisdiction provisions, focusing on their differences and the existing legal problems. Among other suggestions for the improvement of the rules of maritime jurisdiction, this study proposes the unification and coordination of maritime jurisdiction, which could impact international trade and marine transport.

The cruise industry has suffered heavy setbacks owing to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Domestic and global pandemic control measures-involving rules varying across countries as well as distinct legal systems-were escalated. We aimed to illustrate the need to establish a public health cooperation mechanism for the cruise industry. First, we analyzed the legal dilemma pertaining to pandemic prevention and control in cooperative situations; namely, the legal loopholes in the prevention, control, and rescue of cruise ships. Second, we focused on international collaboration during cruise ship rescues amid the pandemic, exploring solutions for current industry problems. Third, by analyzing Chinese practices in cruise-related areas, this paper guides the development of a public health cooperation mechanism for the cruise industry. In sum, we call upon the international community to develop such a mechanism within the scope of international law in terms of public health security and pandemic prevention. Research methodology: This is a practical research paper. Per our analysis of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization, we studied the global legal issues pertaining to cruise epidemic prevention and control by sorting out legal regulations. We conclude that an international cooperation mechanism for cruise epidemic prevention and control should be established to ensure the cruise industry's sustainable development.

Crew members aboard international voyage ships are susceptible to imported acute respiratory infections, leading to clusters of outbreaks that pose challenges to the health of crew members. The aim of the proposed study was to optimize a plan for the quarantine process and rescue measures in response to a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak at sea to provide policy guidance for the prevention and control of severe infectious diseases on international voyage ships. Here, we described the baseline characteristics of international voyage ships and crew members entering Zhoushan Port from 2020 to 2022 and analyzed the factors influencing the incidence rate of COVID-19 among crew members. There were 161 COVID-19 cases among cargo ships entering Zhoushan Port by sea, with an average incidence rate of 16.00% (95% CI: 13.73%-18.27%). The incidence rate of COVID-19 was significantly higher among crew members with replacement, long voyage, and those who stayed at multiple anchorages or stayed for a long time. The risk of COVID-19 infection for crew members staying at more than 4 anchorage was the highest, which was 2.667 (95% CI: 1.857-3.830) times that of crew members staying at less than 4 anchorage. We developed and refined the workflow for a public health assistance plan for outbreaks at sea on the basis of our experience with several COVID-19 outbreaks on international voyage ships. The workflow includes fundamental requirements, sampling and testing methods, personnel transfer procedures, medical waste disposal guidelines, and disinfection procedures for affected ships. Our public health assistance plan can be applied to other international voyage ships for which urgent public health assistance is needed during sudden infectious disease outbreaks.

With the worldwide spread of the global Coronavirus (COVID-19), the shipping industry has played an essential and irreplaceable role in combating the effects of the pandemic, promoting a trade-led economic recovery and maintaining the stability of industrial supply chains. The North Bund Forum advocated jointly promoting the continuous innovation and wide application of green low-carbon technologies and effectively implementing the reduction strategies of global greenhouse gas emission, thereby contributing to the creation of a safe, smooth and green global supply chain. With the epidemic under control worldwide, the international shipping industry has also ushered in a new development cycle and growth opportunities, which brings new strategic opportunities for the development of Shanghai International Shipping Center. Shanghai will accelerate the building of the world's first-class shipping center characterized as convenient and efficient, fully functional, open and integrated, green and intelligent. The forum is intended as a platform for exchanging ideas on major issues in global shipping, for incubating governance rules and norms of the international shipping industry, for releasing the latest policies and regulations in China and the world, and for showcasing the Shanghai International Shipping Center.

The rapid development of digital economy promotes the transformation and upgrading of China's shipping fields. Among them, the international shipping anti-monopoly legal system is one of the important contents of China's shipping legislation. In the era of digital economy, it is difficult for the existing system to better regulate the international liner shipping market with shipping alliance as the core. Countries have re-examined the anti-monopoly legal regulation system of international shipping. As both a major shipping and trading country, it is urgent for China to improve its shipping legislation with the anti-monopoly system as its core. In order to cope with the new pattern of shipping alliance in the era of digital economy, we should learn from the advanced experience of international shipping legislation, base on the perspective of China's shipping economic development and our own needs, and make effective exploration from the aspects of coordinating the development of digital economy and shipping management mechanism, improving shipping supervision ability and accelerating the improvement of shipping legal system with Chinese Characteristics.

The carbon emission of shipping industry accounts for about 3% of the global total. With the continuous growth of international trade, the decarbonization and carbon neutralization of shipping industry has become an important direction for future development. New technologies, fuels and operational measures can help reduce the industry's greenhouse gas emissions, but without appropriate laws and policies, it will be difficult to achieve the targets set by the industry. Therefore, this paper reviews the decarbonization laws and policies introduced by International Maritime Organization, the European Union and the national levels. Then, this paper reviews the literature from two aspects: applicability and evaluation of laws and policies, improvement of laws and policies. On this basis, we summarize the challenges of shipping in formulating laws and policies and suggestions for improving them. Among them, the most important problem is the coordination between unilateral regulation and uniform regulation. Finally, this paper proposes the development principles based on shipping decarbonization laws and policies, that is, to comply with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", to coordinate the relationship between international trade and international environmental protection, and to guarantee technical assistance to developing countries.

Maritime transport is a major source of pollution of marine environment, which is the essential object in a series of international maritime legislations and various countries' domestic laws. Focused on protecting the marine environment, China has spent over 40 years developing the rule of law for marine environmental governance in maritime transport, including efforts made in legislation, law enforcement, and the judiciary. In this article, we attempt to examine China's experience and practice in the marine environment, explain the logic and consideration in relevant practices, and summarize China's paradigm for the rule of law for such governance. China has sought to resolve two major issues: the relationship between domestic and international law and the balance of interests between flag, coastal, and port states, offering a vivid model of marine environmental governance on which other countries can base their own legal systems. The findings reveal that with following and enforcing the international law of the sea, now China's domestic laws have form lawful authority on binding foreign vessels. China is continually strengthening the construction of its legislative system to harmonize inconsistencies and keep pace with international marine environmental law. To eliminate administrative inefficiency resulting from cumbersome procedures, China has reformed its maritime enforcement system by consolidating multiple administrations. China's independent maritime judicial system is meeting the demand to develop environmental specialization, enabling further exploitation of its profession in solving maritime environment cases and implementing environmental legislation.

AISEF invites you to the first ever International Spice Conference, January 21st to 24th, 2016. International Spice Conference 2016, World Spices Congress, spices, Spice trading countries.

AISEF invites you to the first ever International Spice Conference, January 21st to 24th, 2016. International Spice Conference 2016, World Spices Congress, spices, Spice trading countries.

AISEF invites you to the first ever International Spice Conference, January 21st to 24th, 2016. International Spice Conference 2016, World Spices Congress, spices, Spice trading countries

The consequences of port closures during the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted flaws in the implementation of international law designed to protect the human rights of those at sea, according to a study by Dr Sofia Galani, Senior Lecturer in Public International Law at the University of Bristol and Human Rights at Sea Advisory Board member.

Emission trading is an efficient measure to combat climate change, which is one of the biggest threats to the international community and human health. The shipping industry has previously been considered an energy-saving industry but the growth rate of its emissions far exceeds that of other industries. On 10 May 2023, the EU enacted Regulation (EU) 2023/957, which officially included the shipping industry in the EU-ETS. Therefore, this may lead to investor-state disputes regarding emission trading in the marine industry due to the conflicts between the obligation to combat climate change and the obligation to protect investments of the host states. This has resulted in the breaching of International Investment Agreements. In this context, this study aimed to propose practical recommendations for global marine market practitioners to avoid the potential risks of disputes by reflecting on the existing practice regarding climate change-related investor-state dispute resolutions and identifying the trends and problems of the current dispute resolution mechanism. These included inconsistency in the review standard, inconsistency in the review scope, and broad interpretation by the tribunal. Finally, this study proposed that by setting public purpose and exception clauses in the preambles of the International Investment Agreements and incorporating the specific obligations of the foreign investors and the regulatory power of the hosting states in the drafting stage, the potential risks for disputes regarding the new EU directive in the global marine industry could be effectively reduced.

Arctic shipping is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including carbon dioxide and black carbon, which intensify climate risks in the region. While the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) to address environmental and safety concerns of polar navigation, it falls short in promoting the decarbonization of Arctic shipping. The collaboration between the IMO and the Arctic Council, along with the contributions of the Arctic Council's task forces, is essential but requires further strengthening. In response to the climate crisis, the IMO has raised environmental standards, leading efforts to promote low-carbon growth in Arctic shipping through measures such as sulfur limits, heavy fuel oil bans, and reductions in black carbon emissions. Despite these initiatives, the governance of Arctic shipping decarbonization remains fragmented. To achieve meaningful decarbonization, the Polar Code must be strengthened and expanded into a unified regulatory framework. Additionally, enhanced collaboration between the IMO and the Arctic Council is crucial to maximize their collective impact. As a key player in Arctic shipping, China must strengthen compliance with international regulations through updated domestic legislation and Arctic policies. By actively engaging in multilateral mechanisms and developing a port state control inspection network, China can play a pivotal role in advancing Arctic shipping governance and IMO energy efficiency standards, contributing to a more coordinated and sustainable approach to the region's environmental challenges and global maritime governance.

While pirate attacks on the world's seas have fallen for the third consecutive year, small tanker hijacks by armed gangs are escalating in Southeast Asia, reveals the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in its latest piracy report.

The rescue of all persons in distress at sea - including illegal migrants - is an obligation under international maritime law, as well as being a long established humanitarian duty, says the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). ICS is the global trade association for commercial ship operators, whose ships are currently involved on a daily basis in the rescue of refugees at sea in the Mediterranean.

Internal seawater systems (ISS) are critical to the proper functioning of maritime vessels. Sea water is pumped on board ships for a broad array of uses, primarily for temperature control (e.g., engine and electrical systems), cooling capacity (e.g., air conditioners and refrigeration), and water provision (e.g., drinking, firefighting, steam, and ballast). Although sea water may spend only a brief period within ISS of a vessel, it can carry microorganisms and larval stages of macroorganisms throughout the system leading to biofouling accumulation that can impair system function or integrity. ISS can also act as a sub-vector of species translocations, potentially facilitating biological invasions. This review describes ships' ISS with a focus on operational impacts of biofouling and current drivers and barriers associated with ISS biofouling management. As ISS internal components are difficult to access, reports and studies of ISS biofouling are uncommon and much of the dedicated literature is decades old. The impact of biofouling on ISS and vessel operations is based on increased surface roughness of pipework and equipment, restricted water flow, corrosion and subsequent component impingement, reduced surface functional efficiency, and potential contamination by pathogens that can affect human and aquatic animal health. Biofouling management is primarily achieved using antifouling coatings and marine growth prevention systems, but independent and accessible data on their efficacy in ISS remain limited. Further research is required to resolve the extent to which biofouling occurs in ISS of the modern commercial fleet and the efficacy of preventive systems. Such information can ultimately inform decisions to improve operational efficiency for vessel operators and ensure any biosecurity risks are appropriately managed.

The introduction of several alternative marine fuels is considered an important strategy for maritime decarbonization. These alternative marine fuels include liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied biogas (LBG), hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, ethanol, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), etc. In some studies, nuclear power and electricity are also included in the scope of alternative fuels for merchant ships. However, the operation of alternative-fuel-powered ships has some special risks, such as fuel spills, vapor dispersion and fuel pool fires. The existing international legal framework does not address these risks sufficiently. This research adopts the method of legal analysis to examine the existing international legal regime for regulating the development of alternative-fuel-powered ships. From a critical perspective, it evaluates and predicts the consequences of these policies together with their shortcomings. Also, this research explores the potential solutions and countermeasures that might be feasible to deal with the special marine environmental risks posed by alternative-fuel-powered ships in the future.

The international ship registration system is an important component of shipping policy. A review of its historical development in China reveals that its implementation has yet to achieve the intended outcomes. The construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port presents a valuable opportunity to advance the development of this system. Based on the Theory of Change Model, this study assesses the current state of China's international ship registration system within the context of the Hainan Free Trade Port. We also employ research methods such as SWOT analysis and comparative analysis to objectively assess the implementation of this innovative policy from both macro and micro perspectives, as well as from qualitative and quantitative angles. Our analysis identifies a range of persistent challenges, including imperfect supporting policies and insufficient regulatory oversight. In response, we propose a series of reform measures spanning legislative, judicial, and law enforcement dimensions. These include restructuring the taxation system for shipping enterprises, enhancing the regulatory framework for ship registration, and developing a robust system of ancillary services. Collectively, these reforms are essential for comprehensively strengthening the maritime soft power of China's shipping industry.

One hundred and two incidents of piracy and armed robbery have been reported for the first quarter of 2012, with dangerously increasing numbers in West African waters, according to figures released today in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) global piracy report.