Commercial Ship Accident Law

The Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee of TIPS is the only organized ABA group devoted to the study and practice of admiralty and maritime law.

In the performance of their duties, all Coast Guard Administrative Law Judges are bound by law and the regulations in this chapter or in 33 CFR chapter I. Statements of policy, clarification of points of procedure, and general administrative instructions are published in Administrative Law Judges' Circulars and Administrative Law Judges' Internal Practices and Procedures Series.

The Commission regulates common carriers by water and other persons involved in the oceanborne foreign commerce of the United States under provisions of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. 40101-41309); section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 (46 U.S.C. 42101-42109); the Foreign Shipping Practices Act of 1988 (46 U.S.C. 42301-42307); sections 2 and 3, Public Law 89-777, Financial Responsibility for Death or Injury to Passengers and for Non-Performance of Voyages (46 U.S.C. 44101-44106); and other applicable statutes.

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is a deep draft waterway extending 3,700 km (2,340 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean to the head of the Great Lakes, in the heart of North America. The St. Lawrence Seaway portion of the System extends from Montreal to mid-Lake Erie. Ranked as one of the outstanding engineering feats of the twentieth century, the St. Lawrence Seaway includes 13 Canadian and 2 U.S. locks.

The Maritime Administration is the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation dealing with waterborne transportation. Its programs promote the use of waterborne transportation and its seamless integration with other segments of the transportation system, and the viability of the U.S. merchant marine. The Maritime Administration works in many areas involving ships and shipping, shipbuilding, port operations, vessel operations, national security, environment, and safety.

The regulations in this part govern practice and procedure before the Maritime Administration and Maritime Subsidy Board (as described in 49 CFR 1.66 and 1.67), hereinafter referred to collectively as the Administration,'' under the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, as amended, Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, Merchant Ship Sales Act, 1946, Administrative Procedure Act, and related Acts.

The MAA is the national organization of the maritime community for alternative dispute resolution. We educate the public about alternative dispute resolution, facilitate training for neutrals in this specialized field, and administer dispute resolution proceedings on a nonprofit basis.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is an independent regulatory agency responsible for the regulation of oceanborne transportation in the foreign commerce of the U.S. The principal statutes or statutory provisions administered by the Commission are: the Shipping Act of 1984, the Foreign Shipping Practices Act of 1988, section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, and Public Law 89-777.

The Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship is responsible for developing and promulgating national marine safety, security and environmental protection doctrine, policy, and regulations. Additionally it ensures policy alignment throughout the Coast Guard, and among federal and international partners. Furthermore it leads and oversees the important work of numerous federal advisory committees, industry/stakeholder partnerships, and international delegations on marine safety, security, and environmental protection.

Its principle objective is to develop and foster good relations and cooperation among all ports and harbors in the world by proving a forum to exchange opinions and share experiences on the latest trends of port management and operations. IAPH strives to emphasize and promote the fact that ports form a vital link in the waterborne transportation and play such a vital role in today's global economy.

Our mission: To bring together shippers, carriers, intermediaries and ports and elaborate global business positions on issues such as liberalization, competition and the environment. The committee maintains that shipping can best serve world trade if allowed to operate on a commercial basis, in a competitive market free from protectionism and other forms of market-distorting government support.

We are an international umbrella organisation dedicated to the practical implementation of the International Labour Organisation instruments on Seafarers Welfare Convention 163 & Recommendation 173 and the Marine Labour Convention 2006. The ICSW is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered under United Kingdom Law. The ICSW is a 'Not For Profit' organisation governed by its Memorandum of Association, Articles of Association and Rules.

IMO is primarily concerned with the safety of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution, but the Organization has also introduced regulations covering liability and compensation for damage, such as pollution, caused by ships.

International Salvage Union (ISU) member salvors provide essential services for the world's maritime and insurance communities. Members are engaged in marine casualty response, pollution defence, wreck removal, cargo recovery, towage and related activities. The principles of salvage and salvage law have evolved over many centuries. A fundamental concept is that the salvor should be encouraged by the prospect of an appropriate salvage award to intervene in any casualty situation to salve the ship, property and, in particular, to save life and prevent pollution. The salvor's right to a reward is based on natural equity, which allows the salvor to participate in the benefit conferred to shipowner, the ship itself and the ship's cargo.

Founded as ISMA InterManager was founded origionally under the name ISMA - International Ship Management Association. The idea behind ISMA at its foundation in 1991 was to improve standards in ship management and achieve a safer, more environmentally conscious, more reliable, and more controllable ship management industry. This continues to be the aim of the Association.

ITSA covers all modes of transportation, including aviation, marine, railways, road transport, pipelines and underground infrastructure as well as multimodal systems. Actual involvement of members in investigating transportation accidents may vary considerable across modes and countries. Summaries of reports and documents are made available to share information of a general interest to members and others in the transportation field. For access to full reports or documents, visit the websites of each member noted in the related websites section. Other international organisations are also referenced.

Navigational rights, territorial sea limits, economic jurisdiction, legal status of resources on the seabed beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, passage of ships through narrow straits, conservation and management of living marine resources, protection of the marine environment, a marine research regime and, a more unique feature, a binding procedure for settlement of disputes between States - these are among the important features of the treaty. In short, the Convention is an unprecedented attempt by the international community to regulate all aspects of the resources of the sea and uses of the ocean, and thus bring a stable order to mankind's very source of life.

American Maritime Officers is the largest union of merchant marine officers in the U.S. AMO officers work aboard U.S.-flagged merchant and military sealift vessels, and AMO holds an exclusive and expanding presence in the international energy transportation trades.

The American Salvage Association meets with various federal and state agencies to exchange views on the improvement of salvage and firefighting response in the U.S. It is the intent to also interface with vessel owners and their underwriting interests as well as various public interest groups to assure a better understanding of all views to assure a successful and protective response when required in the future.

The Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) represents 33 U.S. based companies that either own, operate or charter oceangoing tankers, container ships, dry bulk vessels engaged in both the domestic and international trades and companies that maintain a commercial interest in the operation of such oceangoing vessels. Current members include companies that own or operate U.S. flag or foreign-flag ships.

The purpose of the CMTS is to create a partnership of Federal departments and agencies with responsibility for the Marine Transportation System.

The goal of the Transportation Institute is to help maintain America's political and economic strength and national security. The Transportation Institute advocates and works for sound national maritime policy, without which America's global position would falter.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) was established as an independent regulatory agency by Reorganization Plan No. 7, effective August 12, 1961. Prior to that time, the Federal Maritime Board was responsible for both the regulation of ocean commerce and the promotion of the United States Merchant Marine.