International maritime law is far from inert, everyday international affairs constantly test existing law and, in many occasions, require its development. Serving the Rule of International Maritime Law is thus not limited to a description of the current state of the law, but contains innovative studies on current issues and events that are testing the present state of international maritime law.

The book is intended as a Liber Amicorum to Professor David Joseph Attard. It celebrates his career in international law; he played a crucial role in establishing the IMO International Maritime Law Institute in 1988, the main purpose of which is to train lawyers in private and public international maritime law. Over the last twenty years he has continued to teach at the Institute and has played an important role in contributing to the work of international fora concerned with the development of international law.

This work represents a close collaboration amongst practitioners and academics involved in the field of international maritime law including IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, Judge Helmut Tuerk, Professor Francis Reynolds Q.C. and Patrick J.S. Griggs CBE.

Part I contains general articles in international maritime law, Part II is dedicated to the law of the sea, and Part III is devoted to issues on shipping law.

Serving the Rule of International Maritime Law is of great interest to professionals in the shipping industry as well as practitioners, academics and students.