Law of the Sea - Advanced

This micro-credential is intended for professionals and interested participants who wish to deepen their knowledge of international public law of the sea and operational maritime regulation. The course covers, among other topics, treaty law, case law, maritime incidents, safety, environmental regulation, and the role of intergovernmental organisations.

The programme is suitable for seafarers, ship officers, maritime managers, legal professionals, policymakers, and anyone aiming to make legally sound decisions in an international maritime environment.

By the end of the course, you are expected to be able to:

• understand and apply international law of the sea as a coherent body of rules aimed at solving specific legal problems;
• identify and critically discuss the content of international law of the sea, with sufficient command of treaty law, national law, case law, and legal doctrine;
• understand the dynamics and functions of intergovernmental organisations within the framework of international public law;
• recognise and critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of international law of the sea as a body of public order rules, in relation to contemporary issues such as marine pollution and the treatment of stowaways;
• conduct independent legal research.

This course offers an in-depth analysis and further development of concepts that were introduced briefly in the introductory course Law of the Sea – Basics.

The programme includes, among other topics, the following elements (which may vary from one academic year to another, as topics may be selected or emphasised in light of current developments):

• international law of the sea in general (delimitation of maritime zones, specific legal regimes such as port state control and flag states, dispute settlement in international law);
• incidents at sea (collision, assistance and salvage, marine pollution);
• maritime monitoring and surveillance techniques (security, safety, and pollution, with emphasis on legal limitations based on privacy and commercial necessity, ISPS, cybersecurity, maritime crimes such as piracy and cargo theft);
• renewable energy (including the impact of the dredging industry — of particular importance to Belgium — and the legal status of submarine cables and pipelines).

• Number of credits: 5
• FQF-level: 7 (Master)