MARITIME LAW IN CENTRAL AFRICA

Maritime in Central Africa: Principles, Practice and Problems provides an account of the major features of central Africa maritime law for students, lawyers and other stakeholders from a Common law background.

The author gives an explanation of maritime institutions, concepts, techniques and problems and provides the reader with a clear meaning of important questions that surround the maritime practice in central Africa. The argumentation is based both on substantive law and case law. The comprehensive manner with which the book is written offers a holistic view on the central Africa maritime legal system in terms which a common law lawyer can understand, since the system is itself based on core principles of international maritime law.

I believe that the book will be of use to students studying Maritime law, Transport law, and Insurance law both in classical and professional programs and at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It will be a reference tool for scholars embarking on studies linked to the substantive law of the respective fields. On the eve of transformation of the South West coastal region of Cameroon to a deep sea port station, a book on maritime law will definitely be a useful guide to maritime practitioners with an international and national clientele.

 

Foreword        ..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Preface and Acknowledgements          ............................................................................................................................

Table of statutes          ......................................................................................................................................................................

Table of cases  ............................................................................................................................................................................

List of abbreviations/Acronyms         ...........................................................................................................................

Introduction    .....................................................................................................................................................................................

1.1 Historical Evolution of Maritime Law     ................................................................................

1.2 Theoretical and Philosophical Foundations
    Of Maritime Law           ........................................................................................................................................................

1.2.1 The theory of legal system     .......................................................................................................................

1.2.2 Basic theories applicable to the subject matter of the law        ......................................

1.2.1.1 The Personification theory          .......................................................................................................

1.2.1.2 The Seaworthiness theory           ..........................................................................................................

1.2.3 Basic theories applicable to the nature of the activity
            and the type of interest involved    ...................................................................................................

1.2.2.1 The theory of Risk          ...........................................................................................................................

1.2.2.2 The Human security theory        ..................................................................................................

1.3 Some Questions on Maritime Safety and Security
        in Central Africa        ............................................................................................................................................

1.3.1 The problem of maritime safety          ....................................................................................................

1.3.2 The problem of maritime security     ..............................................................................................

1.4 Evolution and Effect of Maritime Regulations
       and Policies in Central Africa        .......................................................................................................

1.5 The Title and Orientation of This Book  .........................................

Part I : REGULATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS OF MARITIME LAW             ........

Chapter 1 : General Overview of Maritime Law Norms          ..........

 

1.1 Nature of Maritime Law Norms     ..............................................................................................

1.1.1 The specific character of maritime law        .............................................................................

1.2.2 The international nature of maritime regulations    .................................................

1.2 Multifarious Sources of Maritime Norms In Central Africa: Their Compliance with International Laws    ...........................................................................................

1.2.1 International Conventions  .............................................................................................................

1.2.2 National legislations           ............................................................................................................................

1.2.3 Other applicable sources    .................................................................................................................

1.2.3.1 Informal sources: Customs, Usages and Standard clauses         ..................

1.2.3.2 Secondary sources: Case law and opinio juris    ..................................................

Chapter 2 : International Institutions of Maritime Law           ......................................

2.1 The International Maritime Organization (Imo):
The Engine for Shipping          ...............................................................................................................................

2.1.1 Purpose of the IMO           ..............................................................................................................................

2.1.2 Landmark conventions from IMO activities           ............................................................

2.1.3 Impact of the IMO activity in Central Africa           ..........................................................

2.2 Impact of Other Specialized International Institutions         ...................

2.2.1 Institutions from the United Nations system          ..........................................................

2.2.1.1 The United Nations Conference on Development and Trade (UNCTAD) .................................................

2.2.1.2 The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)  .............................................

2.2.1.3 Other Organizations     ................................................................................................................

2.2.2 International judicial institutions    .........................................................................................

2.3 Applicable Legal Regimes on Maritime Zones   .....................................................

2.3.1 The maritime navigation     .................................................................................................................

2.3.2 The maritime space under national jurisdiction      .....................................................

2.3.2.1 UNCLOS classification ..........................................................................................................

2.3.2.2 CEMAC Shipping Code classification   ...................................................................

2.3.3 The legal regime of the high seas: Maintaining freedom at the seas     ........

2.3.4 The regime of the deep sea bed      ..............................................................................................

Chapter 3 : COMMUNITY AND DOMESTIC MARITIME INSTITUTIONS     .... 53

3.1 Identification and Missions of Community
Institutions in the Domain of Maritime Activity    ...................................................................

3.1.1 Main institutions    ......................................................................................................................................

3.1.1.1 Community executive institutions         .............................................................................

3.1.1.2 Experts: Classification societies .......................................................................................

3.1.1.3 Courts  .......................................................................................................................................................

3.1.2 Specialized institutions       .....................................................................................................................

3.1.2.1 The Maritime Organization for West and Central
Africa (MOWCA)       ..........................................................................................................................................

3.1.2.2 The Regional Maritime Security Center of Central
Africa (CRESMAC)     ........................................................................................................................................

3.1.2.3 The Central Safety Committee and Commissions for
various visits on ships  ......................................................................................................................................

3.2 Cameroon Maritime Institutions ........................................................................................

3.2.1 The determination of the administrative maritime authorities         ...............

3.2.1.1 General administrative authorities        .............................................................................

3.2.1.2 Port authorities ................................................................................................................................

3.2.1.3 Other para-public bodies          ......................................................................................................

3.2.1.4 Customs administration .......................................................................................................

3.2.2 Judicial authorities  ................................................................................................................................

3.2.2.1 Judicial courts   ...................................................................................................................................

3.2.2.2 Arbitration courts         .........................................................................................................................

3.2.3 Professional institutions     ...................................................................................................................

Part II : SHIPPING ACTIVITY ............................................................................................................

Chapter 4 : Legal Regime of the Ship     .................................................................................................

4.1 Notion and Nature of Ship           ............................................................................................................

4.1.1 Notion of the ship  ..................................................................................................................................

4.1.1.1 Definition         .............................................................................................................................................

4.1.1.2 Classification of ships   ...............................................................................................................

4.1.2 Nature of the ship  ..................................................................................................................................

4.1.2.1 Ship as individual property        .................................................................................................

4.1.2.2 Ship as controlled property       .................................................................................................

4.2 Manned or Unmanned Ships: The Rising Question
       of Autonomous Ships          ..............................................................................................................................

4.2.1 Potential benefits to shipping industry        ..............................................................................

4.2.2 Adverse potential effects and Responses of the
            International Community ..........................................................................................................

4.3 Contracts Relating to Ships As Assets    ..........................................................................

4.3.1 Shipbuilding Contract        ......................................................................................................................

4.3.2 Sale of ships           ....................................................................................................................................................

4.3.3 Co-ownership management .........................................................................................................

Chapter 5 : Shipping Company       .........................................................................................................................

5.1 The Shipowner           ..................................................................................................................................................

5.1.1 Determination of the owner of a ship         ...............................................................................

5.1.2 Shipowners’ rights and obligations .......................................................................................

5.1.2.1 Rights of the shipowner .........................................................................................................

5.1.2.2 Obligations of the shipowner    .........................................................................................

5.1.3 Liability and limitation regimes       ..............................................................................................

5.1.3.1 Liability of the shipowner         ....................................................................................................

5.1.3.2 Limitation to the liability          .................................................................................................

5.1.4 Do Central African states provide incentives for shipping activities?  ..

5.2 Personnel Of Shipping Company  .........................................................................................

5.2.1 Overview of Maritime Labour Law ................................................................................

5.2.1.1 Stakes and Challenges   .........................................................................................................

5.2.1.2 Formation and Conclusion of maritime employment contract     ....

5.2.1.3 Termination of maritime employment contract .......................................

5.2.1.4 Maritime social facilities             .....................................................................................................

5.2.1.5 Settlement of maritime labour disputes ............................................................

5.2.2 The Captain/Master           ...........................................................................................................................

5.2.2.1 Definition         .........................................................................................................................................

5.2.2.2 Status    ........................................................................................................................................................

5.2.2.3 Functions         ...........................................................................................................................................

5.2.3 Sailors/Seamen      .......................................................................................................................................

5.2.3.1 Status    .....................................................................................................................................................

5.2.3.2 Conditions and contents of engagement           ..........................................................

5.2.3.3 Obligations towards the shipowner        .......................................................................

Chapter 6 : Auxiliary Companies to the Shipping Company ...........................................

6.1 Auxiliaries to the Legal Activity of The Shipping Company   ..........

6.1.1 Agents        ........................................................................................................................................................

6.1.1.1 Ship’s agents or ship chandlers  .....................................................................................

6.1.1.2 Cargo agents or consignees       ..............................................................................................

6.1.1.3 Port agents         .......................................................................................................................................

6.1.1.4 Other agents      ..................................................................................................................................

6.1.2 Maritime brokers    ..................................................................................................................................

6.1.3 Ocean freight forwarder     ................................................................................................................

6.1.4 Multimodal Transport Operator (MTO)    ................................................................

6.2 Auxiliaries to the Material Activity of the Shipping Company .....

6.2.1 Handling companies/ Stevedoring companies        .....................................................

6.2.1.1 Notion and definition   ........................................................................................................

6.2.1.2 Legal regime     ..................................................................................................................................

6.2.1.3 The handling operator’s agent: the crane operator        ..................................

6.2.2 Towage        .............................................................................................................................................................

6.2.2.1 Notion and types          ........................................................................................................................

6.2.2.2 Contractual legal aspects           ...................................................................................................

6.2.3 Pilotage      .............................................................................................................................................................

6.2.3.1 Definition         ..........................................................................................................................................

6.2.3.2 Liabilities of parties       ...................................................................................................................

6.2.3.3 Liability of port authorities       ..............................................................................................

6.2.4 Mooring     ..........................................................................................................................................................

6.2.5 Protection and Indemnity Clubs     ......................................................................................

Chapter 7 : Exploitation of the Ship  ................................................................................................

7.1 Modalities of Commercial Ship     ............................................................................................

7.1.1 States regulations    ....................................................................................................................................

7.1.2 Liner Conference System    ...........................................................................................................

7.1.3 Consortiums          ...............................................................................................................................................

7.2 Exploitation in Compliance with Environmental Regulations:
A Discourse on Marine Environmental Protection In Central
Africa      ...................................................................................................................................................................................

7.2.1 Regulations .................................................................................................................................................

7.2.2 Remedies    ......................................................................................................................................................

7.2.2.1 The notification of the damage to the shipowner          ...................................

7.2.2.2 Liability of the shipowner for damage due to pollution ....................

7.3 Main Incidents of Ship Exploitation       .............................................................................

7.3.1 Collisions at Sea      ....................................................................................................................................

7.3.1.1 The concept of collision           ......................................................................................................

7.3.1.2 Liability for collision damage     .........................................................................................

7.3.1.3 Limitation of liability for collision         ...........................................................................

7.3.2 Law of Salvage       ..........................................................................................................................................

7.3.2.1 Definition          ........................................................................................................................................

7.3.2.2 Elements of Salvage      ..................................................................................................................

7.3.2.3 Reward’s criteria           ............................................................................................................................

7.3.3 Principle of General Average          .....................................................................................................

7.3.3.1 Classification as General Average         ............................................................................

7.3.3.2 Contribution to General Average          ...........................................................................

7.3.3.3 Settlement of General Average disputes             ..........................................................

Chapter 8 : Securities Arising from Ships’ Exploitation             ...........................................

8.1 Maritime Claims       ........................................................................................................................................

8.2 Maritime Liens           ..............................................................................................................................................

8.2.1 Lien or Privilege? Common law/Civil law compared          ....................................

8.2.2 Enforcement of maritime liens       ...........................................................................................

8.2.3 Implication of divergence of rules: conflict of laws ...........................................

8.3 SHIP MORTGAGES  .............................................................................................................................

8.3.1 Creation and registration of ship mortgage .............................................................

8.3.2 Rights and Obligations of parties    .......................................................................................

8.3.2.1 Obligations of the mortgagor    .....................................................................................

8.3.2.2 Rights of the mortgagee ....................................................................................................

8.4 Remedies: The Arrest Of Ship        ...................................................................................................

8.4.1 Conservatory arrest of the ship       ............................................................................................

8.4.1.1 Nature of the conservatory arrest          ..............................................................................

8.4.1.2 Procedure of the conservatory arrest     .....................................................................

8.4.2 Court orders for sale of a ship        ................................................................................................

8.4.2.1 Procedure of arrest for judicial sale       .........................................................................

8.4.2.2 Judicial sale of the ship, distribution of proceeds and effects on other contracts of the arrested ship   ...........................................................................................

Part III : MARITIME CONTRACTS        ...............................................................................................

Chapter 9 : Charter Parties         ........................................................................................................................

9.1 An Overview of Charter Parties  ..........................................................................................

9.1.1 Definition and distinction of charter parties with carriage contracts   ...

9.1.1.1 Definition         .......................................................................................................................................

9.1.1.2 Elements of distinction of charter parties with carriage
               (bill of lading) contracts         .................................................................................................

9.1.2 Conclusion of charter parties          .................................................................................................

9.1.2.1 Parties to the contract   ............................................................................................................

9.1.2.2 Formalities of the contract        ..............................................................................................

9.1.2.3 Documents       .......................................................................................................................................

9.1.3 Elements of disputes          .........................................................................................................................

9.1.4 The legal regime of Sub-charter parties       ..........................................................................

9.2 Specific Rules Applicable to Various Charter Parties      ......................................

9.2.1 Particularity of each charter party contract  .............................................................

9.2.1.1 Voyage charter parties   ...........................................................................................................

9.2.1.2 Time charter parties      ................................................................................................................

9.2.1.3 Bareboat or Demise charter parties       ..........................................................................

9.2.2 Obligations and rights of parties under each charter party  ......................

9.2.2.1 Obligations and rights of the shipowner           ..........................................................

9.2.2.2 Obligations and rights of the charterer  ................................................................

9.2.3 Liability regime of parties under each charter party .........................................

9.2.3.1 Liability of the shipowner         .................................................................................................

9.2.3.2 Liability of the charterer .....................................................................................................

Chapter 10 :  Carriage by Sea Contracts ......................................................................................

10.1 Contract of Carriage of Goods by Sea ...................................................................

10.1.1 Parties to the contract       ..................................................................................................................

10.1.2 Conclusion of the contract           .....................................................................................................

10.1.2.1 Negotiable transport document: the Bill of Lading      ...........................

10.1.2.2 Non-negotiable transport document: the Seaway bill  .....................

10.1.2.3 Electronic transport document            ............................................................................

10.1.2.4 The right to reservations on transport documents       ...............................

10.1.3 Performance of the contract         ................................................................................................

10.1.3.1 Obligations of the carrier        ..............................................................................................

10.1.3.2 Obligations of the cargo owners         ..........................................................................

10.1.4 Liability of parties ...........................................................................................................................

10.1.4.1 Carrier’s liability          .......................................................................................................................

10.1.4.2 Cargo owners’ liability .....................................................................................................

10.1.5 A bird eye’s view of volume contracts      ..........................................................................

10.1.6 Elements of disputes in carriage of goods by sea   ...............................................

10.1.6.1 Parties to marine carriage disputes      ......................................................................

10.1.6.2 Competence and Time limit for claim ..........................................................

10.1.6.3 Compensation regime .....................................................................................................

10.2 Contract of Carriage of Passengers by Sea     ....................................................

10.2.1 Conclusion and Performance of the contract of passenger by sea    .....

10.2.1.1 Conclusion of the contract      .........................................................................................

10.2.1.2 Performance of the contract   ......................................................................................

10.2.2 Liability of passengers’ carriers     .........................................................................................

10.2.2.1 Liability as a result of damage due to delay and accidents
to passengers on ships  ..............................................................................................................................

10.2.2.2 Liability for damage to luggage           .............................................................................

10.2.3 The question of stowaways           .....................................................................................................

10.3 Multimodal Carriage       ..................................................................................................

10.3.1 Characteristics of multimodal transport    .................................................................

10.3.2 Nature of multimodal transport documents          .......................................................

10.3.3 Basis of carrier’s liability under the multimodal conventions          ............

Chapter 11 : Marine Insurance    ...............................................................................................

11.1 Common Rules to Sundry Marine Insurance    ................................................

11.1.1 Formation of the marine insurance contract         .......................................................

11.1.1.1 Insurable interest        .....................................................................................................................

11.1.1.2 Essentials of a valid marine insurance contract            ........................................

11.1.1.3 Classification of policies          .................................................................................................

11.1.2 Obligations of parties       ...............................................................................................................

11.1.2.1 Obligations of the insurer       ..............................................................................................

11.1.2.2 Obligations of the insured       ...........................................................................................

11.1.3 General applicable principles        .............................................................................................

11.1.3.1 Causation in marine insurance .................................................................................

11.1.3.2 Principle of Utmost Good Faith         .............................................................................

11.1.3.3 Principle of Indemnity ......................................................................................................

11.2 Specific Rules to Various Marine Insurance    ..................................................

11.2.1 Hull insurance      .....................................................................................................................................

11.2.2 Cargo insurance    ................................................................................................................................

11.2.3 Liability insurance ............................................................................................................................

Part IV : PROBLEMS RAISED BY THE CENTRAL
              AFRICAN MERCHANT SHIPPING CODE    .................................................

Chapter 12 : Readings in the Central African Shipping Code From A Cameroonian Perspective          .................................................

12.1 The Cemac Merchant Shipping Code: A Harbour
of Conflicts in Cameroon?      ...................................................................................................................

12.1.1 Conflict of system of laws: Divergence in Common and
Civil laws proceedings     ...................................................................................................................................

12.1.2 Conflict of laws: Mandatory provisions of international law
versus mandatory provisions of community law  ..........................................

12.1.3 Conflict of competence: Political versus judicial authorities          ..............

12.1.4 Conflict of jurisdictions: The adverse effects of jurisdiction clause         ..........

12.2 Infrastructural Problems: The Question of Port Facilities              ...

12.3 The Question of Progressive Implementation of the
Cemac Code in Cameroon         .......................................................................................................................

12.4 Poor Policy Protection in Cemac Region        .....................

General Conclusion     ........................................................................................................................................................

Selected Bibliography  .....................................................................................................................................................

Index   ................................................................................................................................................................................................