Ninth IISTL International Colloquium - Another Resounding Success

On 9-10 September 2013 the Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law (IISTL) convened its Ninth International Colloquium, which attracted more attendees than ever before. The subject this year was “Offshore Contracts and Liabilities”, a matter of especially pressing importance in the light of ongoing legal developments following the Deepwater Horizon disaster and subsequent less publicised but still horrendous offshore incidents.

The event boasted a stellar cast of speakers, including the leading practitioners, academics and regulators. It opened with an analysis of recent industry documentation, such as WINDTIME and HEAVYCON, before considering problematic issues in current contractual and insurance practice. The second day featured presentations examining the regulation of industrial activities, liability concerns and environmental implications. Outside speakers and chairmen included Sir David Steel (the former English Admiralty Judge), Professor Erik Røsæg (Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law, Oslo University), Stephen Tromans QC (39 Essex Street), Simon Rainey QC (Quadrant Chambers), Gregory Jones QC (Francis Taylor Building), Elizabeth Blackburn QC (Stone Chambers), Chris Kidd (Ince & Co), Paul Dean (Holman Fenwick Willan LLP), Robert Gay (Hill Dickinson), Lars Rosenberg Overby (Kromann Reumer), Grant Hunter (BIMCO), and Fabien Lerede (Charles Taylor & Co Ltd). The IISTL's own contribution included presentations by Professors Bariş Soyer, Andrew Tettenborn, Richard Williams and Simon Baughen, and also excellent contributions from Drs George Leloudas and Richard Caddell. Professor Iwan Davies (Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University) also chaired one of the sessions and was actively involved in deliberations.

From left to right: Professor Simon Baughen (IISTL), Professor Marc Huybrechts (University of Leuven and Antwerp), Professor Bariş Soyer (IISTL) and Dr George Leloudas (IISTL)

Commenting on the event afterwards, Professor Soyer, Director of the IISTL, noted “It is gratifying to see that the offshore sector has responded in such a positive fashion to our Colloquium. We had a record number of delegates, not only from London but from maritime centres such as Aberdeen, Copenhagen, Oslo and Antwerp. That they were prepared to give up considerable time to be with us is the clearest possible indication of the esteem that the IISTL holds in maritime circles. And as ever, I am immensely grateful to my colleagues at the IISTL for their continuous support. Without them these Colloquia would be impossible.”

 From left to right: Gregory Jones QC (Francis Taylor Building), Professor Rhidian Thomas (IISTL), David Graham (Francis Taylor Building) and Dr Richard Caddell (IISTL)

This Colloquium was very generously sponsored by Informa, publishers of Lloyd's Law Reports and Lloyd's Maritime & Commercial Law Quarterly, who published the book featuring the conference papers (Offshore Contracts and Liabilities) in 2014.

NOTE: The IISTL Colloquia at Swansea Law School, which began in 2005 and swiftly established themselves as a key event within the maritime law calendar, take place every autumn in Swansea on a subject connected with maritime and commercial law. They provide an unrivalled opportunity to bring together delegates and speakers from academia, judiciary, legal practice and international governance. They invariably gather insightful and practical papers on a theme of timely importance.