2012 International Foundation of the Law of the Sea – Week 3

By Will Russell, Legal Research Intern at WWF-Canada
Often referred to as ‘shipping law,’ the final two weeks covered the legal and financial aspects of the shipping industry, from raising the funds to construct a new build to issues of classification and registration. The lectures were interspersed with several field trips, including to the Vloss & Blom shipyard, and the shipping firm of Leonhardt & Blumberg. Coming from the Halifax, which boasts its own proud tradition of ship building and maritime commerce, the scale of the maritime industry in Hamburg is incredible. Standing in front of a dry-docked cargo ship, with the bow rising nearly six stories overhead is an awe-inspiring sight!

Classes aside, two events dominated the last weeks in Hamburg. First, a weekend visit to Berlin, and the Moot Court. The visit to Berlin was an opportunity to experience the rich history of Germany’s modern capital city. It was fascinating to witness a city, still very much in the shadow of the East-West divide, slowly emerge as a world-class hub. Visiting the Berlin Wall, which ironically enough now has to be protected from souvenir huntera by its own wall, is hard to believe that the Wall fell within my lifetime.
The Moot Court was an opportunity our new Law of the Sea training to good use. Four teams were asked to represent two fictitious states, grappling with a maritime boundary agreement following changes in coastal geography due to the effects of sea level rise. The moot was a valuable chance to argue before several leading scholars within the field, and to experience presenting in the main courtroom of the Tribunal. Far from an academic exercise only, the issues regarding sea level rise for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as the Maldives is a looming concern which will have to be addressed by the international community.
Time to start packing!