This publication brings together the essential source materials for the practice of shipping law, offering a convenient, single-volume reference for both practitioners with access to a specialist law library and those without.

Compiled with the needs of contentious shipping law practice primarily in mind, the collection includes the statutes, statutory instruments, international Conventions, and standard shipping documents most frequently referred to by practitioners — including materials of wider application, such as the Arbitration Act 1996.

Key Features:

• International Conventions selected based on frequency of practitioner use rather than UK ratification status — for example, both the Limitation Conventions of 1957 and 1976 are included, even though the UK is no longer party to the former
• Hague Rules and Hague-Visby Rules printed in full, including the SDR Protocol amendments, with the unamended text provided in notes for ease of reference
• The US Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1936 reproduced in full, given its frequent incorporation into bills of lading and charterparties
• The Lugano Convention 1988 cross-referenced against the Brussels Convention 1968, with variations clearly noted
• A list of State parties to each Convention, allowing quick reference on applicability
• Standard forms, organised by subject area — including Lloyd’s Open Form (Part H: Salvage, Towage and General Average) and charterparties (Part I)

Scope: This volume focuses on contentious shipping law materials and does not include case law or materials relating to non-contentious matters such as ship registration.

Compiled by Michael Bundock of Stephenson Harwood, with input from members of the shipping law community, this collection is designed as a practical, ready-to-hand reference for shipping law practitioners.