Istanbul to Host 8th International Maritime Law Congress in 2026

The agenda of maritime law in Istanbul: From Hormuz to bills of lading

The program of the 8th International Maritime and Admiralty Law Congress, scheduled for October 15-16, 2026, highlights maritime insurance, sanctions, bills of lading, container fees, and green transformation. Organized by Prof. Dr. Pınar Akan, the congress plans to host four scientific sessions and 16 presentations, with the expectation of welcoming 27 international guests.

The legal issues of international maritime trade are on the agenda of the 8th International Maritime and Admiralty Law Congress in Istanbul. The congress, organized by Prof. Dr. Pınar Akan, Head of the Maritime Law Department at Marmara University Faculty of Law, aims to bring together academics, legal professionals, insurers, and representatives of the maritime sector at the Millennium Istanbul Golden Horn Hotel on October 15-16, 2026.

The program, titled 'Current Problems in International Maritime and Admiralty Law-VIII,' covers a wide range of topics from the risks in the Hormuz Strait and the Black Sea to the delivery of cargo, the identification of attempts to evade sanctions, and carbon transportation. At the center of the two-day scientific agenda is the question of how to protect liability, insurance coverage, and legal predictability in changing trade conditions.

The tradition of the congress series dates back to 2010. The academic activities records of Marmara University also include the International Congress on Maritime and Admiralty Law held in Istanbul in October 2010. Thus, the eighth meeting continues a 16-year organizational history.

In her announcement prior to the congress, Prof. Dr. Pınar Akan pointed to the support of the Ministry of Justice and the maritime sector, particularly the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping. According to Akan's statement, it is planned to host 27 international guests, including speakers and delegates.

The published poster includes Dr. Funda Özdin, Dr. Cansu Çakan Çavuş, and Dr. Berçin Kuzu in the organizing committee. The structure of the program brings together universities, P&I clubs, insurance brokers, shipping companies, and international law firms around the same agenda.

Opening program features public administration, judiciary, and sector representatives

The opening session, scheduled for October 15, Thursday, from 09:00 to 10:00, will feature names such as Prof. Dr. Pınar Akan; Giorgio Berlingieri, President of the Italian Maritime Law Association (AIDIM); Judge John W. deGravelles of the U.S. Middle District of Louisiana Federal Court; Aret Taşçıyan, Honorary President of Lockton Omni; Mustafa Bankaoğlu, General Manager and Chairman of the Board of the Coastal Safety Authority; and Deputy Minister of Justice Can Tuncay.

A noteworthy detail regarding the opening is highlighted in ADVANT Nctm's announcement. The institution stated that Giorgio Berlingieri will deliver an opening speech on the unification of maritime law and the effectiveness of the legal instruments used for this purpose. This topic brings the discussion of common rules and uniform practices among maritime enterprises operating across different legal systems to the forefront of the congress.

Hormuz and the Black Sea: How will insurance coverage be protected?

According to the announced program, the morning session of the first day will be chaired by Prof. Rhidian Thomas from Swansea University. The session, planned to start at 10:30, will address maritime liability in a fragmented world, focusing on insurability, predictability, and the maintenance of common protection systems, presented by James Bean, CEO of London P&I Club.

Ben Johnson from UK P&I Club will present on the issues arising if the Hormuz Strait becomes a high-risk international waterway. Ali Özen from Lockton Omni will evaluate the difficulties posed by maritime accidents and damages in the Black Sea concerning marine insurance. Thus, the session will cover both the risk environment in a strategic strait and insurance issues stemming from the Black Sea.

Patrik Del Mestre from The Swedish Club will present 'The Zombie Vessel and the Silent Transfer,' examining the role of seafarers in identifying attempts to evade sanctions. This presentation expands the insurance discussion beyond damages and compensation to include compliance with sanctions and the identification of practices at sea.

Smart ports and carbon transportation in the same session

The second session, starting at 14:30 on October 15, will be chaired by Prof. Dr. Proshanto K. Mukherjee from Dalian Maritime University. Prof. Dr. José Manuel Martín Osante from the University of the Basque Country will present on 'Smart Ports: An Option Not to Be Missed.'

Berna Voigt from Holcim Group will discuss the role of liquefied carbon dioxide transportation by sea in the carbon capture, utilization, and storage chain. This topic opens a discussion on the role of shipping in transporting captured carbon in addition to reducing the vessels' own emissions.

Holcim's CCUS statements indicate that captured CO₂ can be transported to storage sites via pipeline, train, ship, or truck. In this context, the presentation at the congress highlights the direct connection between maritime transportation and industrial carbon management.

Prof. Dr. Alessio Claroni from the University of Trento will evaluate electrification and energy transformation in recreational vessels from a comparative law perspective. Prof. Dr. Murat Topuz from Marmara University will examine the liability of the lessor arising from the lessee's legal transactions in ship charter contracts through a case study from a civil law perspective.

The focus of the second day will be on bills of lading, demurrage, and cargo delivery

The first session on Friday, October 16, starting at 10:00, will be chaired by Prof. Dr. M. Januário da Costa Gomes from the University of Lisbon. This section will address complementary topics such as transport documents, fees related to container usage, customs disputes, and delivery procedures.

Prof. Dr. Ralph De Wit from Antwerp Maritime Academy will discuss the legal debates surrounding container demurrage and detention fees. In the presentation by Selda Süel Özüyamanbaş from MSC Shipping, the legal consequences of cargo shortages and surpluses, as well as dispute resolution in customs law, will be examined.

One of the prominent topics in terms of practice in Turkey will be the presentation by Prof. Dr. Pınar Akan on bills of lading and cargo delivery. According to the program's title, Akan will evaluate the delivery procedure in light of a recent decision by the Council of State, considering the positions of the customs authority, terminal, and carrier. The session will open a discussion on the roles of different actors in cargo delivery within the same legal framework.

Billions of dollars in commercial burden from container fees

The commercial weight of the demurrage and detention topic is also reflected in the data from the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). Nine major shipping lines providing data to the commission collected approximately $15.4 billion from these two fee items during the period from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2025. This figure does not represent the global total but reflects the scope of companies and periods disclosed by the FMC.

In the distinction used by the FMC, demurrage is associated with the container exceeding the free time at the terminal, while detention is related to the extended use of transport equipment. This distinction illustrates why it is important for billing purposes to know where and for how long the container is held.

The new UN convention is on the agenda just before the signing timeline

Associate Prof. Dr. Anna Montesano from the University of Ferrara will address the United Nations' new convention on transferable cargo documents and the modernization of the legal framework for goods in transit. This presentation directly coincides with a recent development in international law.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the convention titled 'United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents' on December 15, 2025. According to UNCITRAL's announcement, the convention aims to create a uniform legal framework for the regulation and use of transferable cargo documents.

According to the status report dated October 15, 2026, in the UN Treaty Collection, the convention has not yet entered into force. The text will be opened for signature in Accra, Ghana, ten days after the congress concludes, on October 26, 2026. Thus, the evaluation in Istanbul coincides with the immediate lead-up to the signing process of the new regulation.

IMO conventions, oil pollution, and liability for compensation

The final session of the congress will begin at 14:00 on October 16, Friday, chaired by Prof. Stefano Zunarelli from the University of Bologna. Prof. Dr. Norman A. Martínez Gutiérrez, Director of the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), will examine the possibility of applying IMO conventions to non-party states in terms of the impact of generally accepted international rules and standards.

Prof. Dr. Eliseo Sierra-Noguero from the Autonomous University of Barcelona will address the liability of shipowners and insurers arising from oil pollution in the context of the conflict situation in the Hormuz Strait. This presentation brings the topic of Hormuz, examined as an insurance risk on the first day, back to the agenda with an environmental damage and legal liability dimension on the second day.

Joanna Steele, a partner at Winter & Co Solicitors, will evaluate the court's approach to the implied liability for compensation in the dispute 'Sino East Transportation Pte Ltd. v Grand Amazon Shipping Ltd.' Thus, the session will address the impact of international conventions alongside contractual liability in concrete commercial disputes.

When is the shipowner's right to limit liability lost?

Maria Borg Barthet, a manager at Campbell Johnston Clark, will discuss the difficulty of contesting the shipowner's right to limit liability under the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC). The title of the presentation brings the high legal threshold required for the loss of this right to the closing agenda of the congress.

The IMO's LLMC statement emphasizes that the system strongly protects the right to limit liability. Regarding the loss of this right, it is necessary to prove that the damage arises from the personal act or negligence of the responsible person, who acted with intent to cause damage or recklessly knowing that such damage was likely to occur. Therefore, the issue is not only about the magnitude of the damage but also about the qualified behavior and proof requirements in the contract.

Two days, four scientific sessions, 16 presentations

The published program includes four scientific sessions and 16 presentations, in addition to the opening speeches. The sessions will be chaired by Prof. Rhidian Thomas, Prof. Dr. Proshanto K. Mukherjee, Prof. Dr. M. Januário da Costa Gomes, and Prof. Stefano Zunarelli. The final question-and-answer and discussion section is scheduled for October 16 from 16:15 to 16:30.

The organizational announcement stated that participation is limited to those who register in advance, with the registration deadline set for October 9. The congress venue has been announced as the Millennium Istanbul Golden Horn Hotel in the Ayvansaray district of Fatih, Istanbul.

The entirety of the program does not limit the agenda of maritime law to classic transport and charter contracts. Geopolitical risks, sanctions, digitalization, energy transformation, cargo delivery, and compensation regimes converge within the same scientific framework. The eighth congress in Istanbul aims to provide a discussion platform for the joint evaluation of these topics between academia and practice.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye