Official Sources
Resources
A directory of Official Government and Public Resources, including the Constitution, Courts, Agencies, Legislatures, Public-records Offices, and Legal-aid Organizations.
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Regulations
Shipping & Maritime Law
Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA)
U.S. statute (46 U.S.C. App. § 1300 et seq) governing the rights and liabilities of carriers and shippers in the international carriage of goods by sea to or from U.S. ports; it incorporates the Hague Rules.
Hague Rules (1924)
The International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading (1924), establishing baseline carrier liabilities and immunities for cargo carried by sea; the foundation of modern maritime cargo law.
Hague-Visby Rules (1968)
The 1968 Protocol amending the Hague Rules, increasing carrier liability limits and clarifying provisions; widely adopted as the standard regime for international carriage of goods by sea.
Hamburg Rules (1978)
UN Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea (1978), which replaced the carrier's 'errors in navigation' defense with a fault-based liability standard; adopted by some nations but not the United States.
Rotterdam Rules (2009)
UN Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea (2009), a modern 'door-to-door' regime covering both maritime and ancillary legs; not yet in force.
Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920)
46 U.S.C. § 30104 — allows an injured seaman to sue their employer for negligence and to recover damages for injury or death caused by the employer's or vessel's negligence.
Limitation of Liability Act (1851)
46 U.S.C. § 30501 et seq — allows a vessel owner to limit liability for certain maritime claims to the post-casualty value of the vessel and pending freight, subject to exceptions for the owner's privity or knowledge.
Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA)
46 U.S.C. § 30301 et seq — provides a wrongful-death remedy for deaths caused by wrongful acts or negligence occurring on the high seas beyond a marine league from shore.
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA)
33 U.S.C. § 901 et seq — a federal workers' compensation scheme covering maritime employees injured on navigable waters or adjoining areas (piers, terminals, docks).
Bills of Lading Act (Pomerene Act)
49 U.S.C. § 80101 et seq — federal law governing bills of lading issued by common carriers in interstate and foreign commerce, defining their legal effect and transferability.
Admiralty and Maritime Jurisdiction
28 U.S.C. § 1333 — grants U.S. federal district courts original jurisdiction over admiralty and maritime civil cases, a key basis for maritime litigation in federal court.
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
The 1982 convention defining maritime zones (territorial sea, EEZ, continental shelf), navigation rights, and seabed resources; the foundational treaty of the international law of the sea.
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
The 1974 SOLAS Convention, administered by the IMO, sets minimum safety standards for the construction, equipment, and operation of merchant ships to protect life at sea.
MARPOL (Marine Pollution Convention)
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (73/78), the principal international treaty for preventing and minimizing ship-source marine pollution.
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The UN specialized agency responsible for developing and maintaining international standards for maritime safety, security, and environmental performance of shipping.
Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)
The independent U.S. federal agency regulating oceanborne transportation, ensuring fair practices and suppressing discriminatory practices in the international ocean shipping trades.
Comité Maritime International (CMI)
The oldest international maritime law organization, responsible for drafting many of the principal maritime conventions including the Hague and Hague-Visby Rules.
U.S. Coast Guard (Maritime Safety & Enforcement)
The U.S. maritime service responsible for maritime safety, security, environmental protection, and enforcement of U.S. maritime laws and regulations.
Marine Insurance Act 1906 (UK)
Historic UK statute codifying the principles of marine insurance — including utmost good faith (uberrimae fidei), insurable interest, and indemnity — influential worldwide.
General Maritime Law
The body of judge-made admiralty law developed over centuries, governing maritime torts, contracts, liens, and remedies, applied alongside statutory maritime statutes in U.S. courts.