Freedom in International Shipping.- Shipping as a Vital Service to World Trade -- The Sectors of Shipping -- Private Shipping Organisations -- The Interface with Governments: National and International -- Shipping Nationalism and Government Involvement -- Demise of Protectionism and Rise of Liberalisation -- Co-operation in Liner Shipping -- Development of Competition Policy and its Historical Evolution -- Maritime Governance -- Nationality and Registration of Ships: Concept and Practice -- Maritime Safety Standards: Compliance and Enforcement -- Maritime Security: Legal Framework in International Law -- Protection of the Marine Environment -- The Private Law of Marine Pollution -- Liability and Limitation of Liability.- Conclusion: The Current Milieu and Beyond.

The book provides an introduction to shipping in all its aspects. It is a valuable source of information for students of traditional maritime law as well as for those who seek to understand maritime and shipping services on a global scale. The text includes information and analytical content on national and international practices in shipping, including the age-old dichotomy between freedom in international shipping and the persistent demands of states to control specific maritime areas, as well as the tension between, on the one hand, the desire on the part of sovereign states to regulate and protect their shipping interests and, on the other, the abiding concern and unquestioned right of the international community to regulate the global shipping industry effectively, in order to ensure maritime safety, protection of the environment and fair competition.