Maritime Law Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Maritime Law facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A 'constructive total loss' (CTL) in marine insurance arises when: → The cost of repair or recovery exceeds the insured value of the vessel
2. The 'New Jason Clause' modernized the original Jason clause primarily by: → Covering general average even for unseaworthiness unknown to the owner
3. Under COGSA, the carrier's liability for loss or damage is limited to: → $500 per package or customary freight unit
4. The seabed, ocean floor, and subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of sovereign jurisdiction are known by what common English term? → The “Area”
5. The 'NYPE' form referenced in charter party practice stands for: → New York Produce Exchange
6. Article 14 of the 1989 Salvage Convention introduced 'special compensation' to incentivize salvors to: → Prevent or minimize environmental damage even when property value is minimal
7. Under the 'discovery rule' applied to maritime latent disease claims (like asbestosis), the statute of limitations begins to run when: → The plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known of both the injury and its cause
8. Which organization provides the internationally recognized arbitration forum for resolving LOF salvage disputes? → Lloyd's of London (through the Lloyd's Salvage Arbitration Branch)
9. Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), who bears strict liability for oil spills from vessels in US waters? → The responsible party, including the vessel owner and operator, up to statutory limits
10. What is 'demurrage' in the context of a charter party? → Liquidated damages paid by the charterer for detaining the vessel beyond laytime
11. Which U.S. statute requires that goods transported between U.S. ports be carried on U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged, and U.S.-crewed vessels? → Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act)
12. Admiralty courts apply the doctrine of 'laches' rather than statutes of limitations primarily because maritime claims are rooted in which legal tradition? → Equity
13. Which U.S. federal court has original jurisdiction over admiralty and maritime cases? → U.S. District Courts under 28 U.S.C. § 1333
14. Which type of marine insurance policy covers cargo owners for loss or damage to goods during transit? → Cargo (marine cargo insurance)
15. What doctrine allows a cargo owner to hold a vessel responsible for cargo damage even if the vessel was on a deviation ordered by the government? → The doctrine of compulsory deviation
16. Which legal standard determines whether a waterway qualifies as 'navigable' for admiralty jurisdiction purposes in the United States? → The Daniel Ball test — capable of interstate commerce in its ordinary condition
17. True or False: For a very long time, shipping has been acknowledged as one of the major drivers of socioeconomic progress. → True
18. Which of the following is not represented in this image as a marine territory? → Internal waters
19. Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), what triggered its enactment? → The Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska in 1989
20. Which U.S. statute provides the Coast Guard with authority to direct and compel salvage operations in U.S. waters to protect the environment? → Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90, 33 U.S.C. § 1321)
21. What federal law is the primary U.S. statute governing oil pollution liability and compensation from vessels? → Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90)
22. Which document is required by the IMO and sets out the conditions of a seafarer's employment? → Seafarers' Employment Agreement (SEA)
23. Which doctrine allows a federal admiralty court to hear state-law claims that arise from the same nucleus of operative fact as a maritime claim? → Pendent admiralty jurisdiction
24. Under SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), what is the primary international standard for vessel safety? → Minimum safety standards for ship construction, equipment, and operation
25. A ship owner files a Petition for Exoneration or Limitation of Liability. Under which federal statute is this procedure governed? → 46 U.S.C. §§ 30501–30512 (Limitation of Liability Act)
26. Which convention governs salvage operations and the rights of salvors under international maritime law? → 1989 International Salvage Convention
27. The 'warehouse-to-warehouse' clause in cargo policies provides coverage from: → The point of origin warehouse to the final destination warehouse
28. The factors a court considers when assessing a salvage award include all of the following EXCEPT: → The nationality of the salvage vessel
29. Which of the following claims regarding marine surveyors is TRUE? → Marine surveyors can inspect all types of ships.
30. Lloyd's Open Form (LOF) is used in salvage primarily because it allows: → Salvage to commence immediately without negotiating detailed contract terms