APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015

BIK 2935 International Shipping

Responsible for the course
Cathrine Bjune

Department
Department of Accounting - Auditing and Law

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
Norwegian and english

Introduction
The course will introduce students to the role of maritime transport in international trade. The course describes who the different players in the maritime industry are, and how they interact. The different ships types, trades and cargoes are carried, and the mechanism for freight setting and market analyses are explained. The ownership structure of ships and the concept of ship registration is covered.
The course offers a thorough introduction to the development, practice, economics and legal framework of international shipping.
The shipowners legal liabilities are explained, together with the concept of rules, conventions and commonly used contracts applicable to the ship and the daily trading of the ship. The students will learn about the methods for obtaining a profit on the ship, and the chartering contracts commonly used.

It aims at students who wish to specialize in the management of shipping companies, work in ship brokering or with consultants, finance, law firms and insurance organizations that include shipping in their portfolios. The courses also facilitate entry into management positions in those sectors of international commerce, industry and civil service that are prime users of maritime services.

Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge:
The students will acquire an understanding of the rules relating to shipping, in particular the ship types and measurement systems, as well as operational modes such as liner and bulk carrier trades, the basic cost elements of ship operations and the relationship between demand and supply for shipping services. The course focuses on the markets and the methods for earning hire or freight on the vessel.

Acquired skills:
The course will enable the students to identify and use available information sources, laws and regulations in order to:

• Define liabilities and applicable rules
• Enter into contracts regarding sale and purchase, chartering and carriage of cargo and passengers
• Define the basic cost elements of ship operations and analyze the relationship between demand and supply for shipping services
• Apply basic principles for rate setting
• Analyze freight markets;
• Describe the organisation of shipping companies
• Understand chartering practice.
• Understand the dynamics of shipping business cycles.
• Identify common legal problems within above areas and to solve them using applicable laws and contracts.
• Identify the ship owners legal liabilities in contract and in tort
• Solve practical legal cases of a maritime nature
• Interpret commonly used standard contracts such as Bills of Ladings, Charterparties and contracts used for the sale and purchase of ships

• Shipping and markets
• Cargoes and trades
• New building, Sale and Purchase and scrapping of vessels
• International Maritime Law
• National laws and international conventions
• Standard contracts
• Contracts of affreightment and charter parties
• Voyage calculations
• Shipowners liabilities in contract and tort
• Carriers liability to cargo and passengers
• Limitation rules
• Maritime Liens
• Case work