MARITIME LAW
Maritime means things of, relating to, or bordering on the sea, especially in relation to seaborne trade or naval matters while Maritime law is the body of laws that relates to the affairs of the sea, such as seamen, ships, shipping, navigation, and the like. They set the rules for shipping, marine commerce, towing, recreational boating, navigation-related tort, and contracts. It also oversees workers’ compensation claims pertaining to accidents, injuries, and deaths that occur on navigable, domestic, or international waters. In essence, they are rules that govern activities that take place on oceans and seas. Maritime law is also referred to as Admiralty law.
These rules help clear up various disputes that can occur and ensure that the people and organizations that work on the water behave correctly and are protected.
The sea is a crucial medium through which human trade and commerce are conducted; it is also a means of voyage, a valuable source for mineral extraction and power generation and an essential source of the blue economy.
The legal framework for maritime protection in Nigeria includes the Constitution, Section 251 (1) (g) vests the exclusive jurisdiction on the Federal High Court to determine admiralty matters whether civil or criminal in Nigeria.
The applicable laws that govern maritime practices in Nigeria are The Admiralty Jurisdiction Act 1991, the Merchant Shipping Act 2007, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 2007 (the NIMASA) Act, and the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act No.5, 2003.
Apart from Nigerian laws, there are international laws governing Maritime trade in Nigeria. These laws are called International Conventions.
At the international level, the regulation of shipping and maritime activity is done through a specialized agency of the United Nations called the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO has 174 member states. Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.
The International Laws governing Maritime are called maritime agreements and treaties:
(1) 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
(2) The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS 1974)
(3) International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1997
(4) The Geneva Convention on Territorial Sea, 1958
Maritime laws are essential to dealing with maritime-related issues, accidents, and injury claims from maritime disputes about international shipping regulations to crew members experiencing personal injuries on the high seas.
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