Book Review

Book title: Maritime Law (Revised Edition)

Author: Dr. Teresita San Diego Oblepias

ISBN: 978-971-0306-45-9

Date Revised: February, 2014

The first edition of this book was published in 1999 and the author followed
the syllabus provided by the Commission on Higher Education in the writing of the
contents the urgency in the production of the book was in view of the inclusion of
maritime law as a curricular subject for the courses in BS Marin Transportation and
BS Maritime Engineering as prescribed by the STCW 78, as amended in 1995. The
book was revised in 2002 to include additional information on the legal aspects of
shipping and support industries based on the adoption, ratification and enforcement
by different countries of international maritime laws and conventions that
essentially affected shipping practices worldwide. The latest revision of the book
actually include amendments to the different forms of standard contracts used in
shipping and the different documents required by the international maritime
conventions to be carried onboard the ships. Specifically, the YAR Rules and LOF
forms have been amended as well as other forms of charter parties.

The first Unit of this edition comprises Chapters 1, 2 and 3. These three
chapters include topics about maritime law nature and domain, ship nationality and
registration and ship survey certificates. It state and explain the basic meaning of
law and understand the major classification and subdivisions of law. Distinguish the
meaning of maritime law from the other classifications of law and give its origin and
importance. Also the legal definition of a ship and explain its registration and
understand the relationship between ships registration and her nationality. The
second Unit contains Chapters 4, 5 6 and 7 which deal with the Carriage of Goods
by the Sea and Contracts for the Use of Ships. Unit two helps us to describe the
meaning terms, conditions and documents used in the carriage of goods and
contract for the use of ships and understand the meaning of bills of lading and the
different charter parties. The third Unit has two chapters and these are Chapter 8
and 9, which deal with ancillary contracts such as pilotage and towage services
contracts. It helps to understand the need for ancillary contracts, ancillary services
in the port, pilotage and towage services, salvage from the towage services,
understand the meaning of stevedoring services and know the liabilities of
stevedores to the ship and her cargo in case of accidents. The fourth and the final
Unit is composed of Chapters 10, 11 and 12 and contains topics about legal aspects
of marine accidents, such as collision, salvage and general average. This helps to
understand the legal liabilities of the parties involved in a collision. Also the rules of
salvage operation including the various conditions to claims for salvage rewards and
the legal conditions and terms to make good on general average claim.

The author of this revised edition, Dr. Teresita S. Oblepias, CMILT recognizes
the importance of providing samples and copies of the full text of different charter
parties and standard forms used in shipping. The revision provides more citations
with simplified interpretations of the salient provisions of charter parties and
standard forms.