Ship Lawyer Expertise 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under maritime law, what is a 'lien' on a vessel?
- A right to retain the ship as security for a debt (Correct answer)
- A government tax on cargo
- A captain's license
- A type of insurance policy
Correct answer: A right to retain the ship as security for a debt
A maritime lien is a charge against a vessel that secures a creditor's claim and travels with the ship.
Question 2: Which international convention governs liability for oil pollution from ships?
- CLC (Civil Liability Convention) (Correct answer)
- SOLAS
- STCW
- COLREGs
Correct answer: CLC (Civil Liability Convention)
The Civil Liability Convention establishes shipowner liability for oil pollution damage.
Question 3: In a charterparty dispute, what does 'laytime' refer to?
- Time allowed for loading and unloading cargo (Correct answer)
- The vessel's idle time at sea
- Crew rest periods
- Time for vessel inspection
Correct answer: Time allowed for loading and unloading cargo
Laytime is the period agreed for cargo operations before demurrage charges accrue.
Question 4: What is 'demurrage' in shipping law?
- Compensation for exceeding agreed laytime (Correct answer)
- A port docking fee
- A fuel surcharge
- A cargo insurance premium
Correct answer: Compensation for exceeding agreed laytime
Demurrage is the sum payable to the shipowner when cargo operations exceed the agreed laytime.
Question 5: Which document serves as both a receipt for cargo and evidence of the contract of carriage?
- Bill of lading (Correct answer)
- Charter party
- Manifest
- Certificate of origin
Correct answer: Bill of lading
A bill of lading acknowledges receipt of goods and embodies the carriage contract terms.
Question 6: Under the Hague-Visby Rules, the carrier's liability for cargo is limited per what?
- Package or unit of weight (Correct answer)
- Total voyage distance
- Crew size
- Vessel tonnage
Correct answer: Package or unit of weight
The Hague-Visby Rules cap liability based on package or kilogram of gross weight, whichever is higher.
Question 7: What is 'general average' in admiralty law?
- Shared loss when cargo is sacrificed to save the voyage (Correct answer)
- An average cargo weight calculation
- The mean speed of a vessel
- A standard freight rate
Correct answer: Shared loss when cargo is sacrificed to save the voyage
General average requires all parties to share proportionally in losses from voluntary sacrifice for common safety.
Ship Lawyer Expertise 2
Under maritime law, what is a 'lien' on a vessel?