On the 17th and 18th of May, the Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law organised an in-person workshop, funded by the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS), on “The Protection of Vulnerable People at Sea”.
The event’s primary objective was to reflect on the existing international legal framework applicable to the protection of vulnerable people at sea, as well as to identify any gaps and deficiencies contained therein.
Connected to this, the workshop explored how such gaps and weaknesses in the law relating to the protection of vulnerable people at sea (i.e., human rights law and the law of the sea) could be remedied.
The event had contributions from many reputable figures in the field. These included:
- Dr Lia Amaxilati (IISTL, Swansea University),
- Professor Richard Barnes (University of Lincoln/University of Tromsø),
- Professor Richard Collins (Queen’s University Belfast),
- Professor Edwin Egede (Cardiff University),
- Professor Steven Haines (University of Greenwich),
- Mr Neil Henderson (Gard),
- Dr Richard L. Kilpatrick Jr. (College of Charleston),
- Dr Aphrodite Papachristodoulou (University of Galway),
- Professor Irini Papanicolopulu (SOAS University of London),
- Dr Mercedes Rosello (Leeds Beckett University), and
- Dr Jessica Schechinger (University of Glasgow).
The panels were expertly chaired by:
- Dr Richard Caddell (Cardiff University),
- Dr Youri van Logchem (IISTL, Swansea University),
- Professor Bariş Soyer (IISTL, Swansea University),
- Chris Whomersley CMG, and
- Sir Michael Wood KC (Twenty Essex Chambers, London).
Speaking after the event, Professor Soyer (Director of the IISTL) said:
“The event provided an excellent opportunity to debate intertwined legal issues between public international law aspects of maritime law and human rights. We are grateful for the SLS for providing us the opportunity to host this event and bring this issue under spotlight.
We are also grateful to Dr Youri van Logchem for leading it from academic and organisational perspectives.”
