Revisiting Trade, Transport, and Marine Law: Risk and Technology in Perspective
The Conference explores the relationship between risk and technology and its place in the theory and practice in trade, maritime, and marine law.
Update
In light of developments relating to COVID-19, the Conference will not be able to proceed on 14-15 October 2020, as previously planned. This decision follows the persisting uncertainty and risk for conference participants and the community. We have decided to postpone the Conference and hold it on 18-19 March 2021.
About the Conference
The Conference explores the relationship between risk and technology and its place in the theory and practice in trade, maritime, and marine law. Evolving technology and risk creates new challenges and opportunities for trade, transport and the environment. In the trade and transport front, technologies such as blockchain (distributed ledgers), artificial intelligence, big-data analytics, and behavioural analytics impact the way of doing business and require companies to adopt new business models and/or processes. Alongside, the economic (dis)integration caused by conflicting trends of greater interconnection and isolation creates new risks for various stakeholders engaged in international trade. The evolving technologies and risks pose unprecedented legal challenges that, in many instances, require revisiting the law and adoption of new governance techniques. In the environmental domain, technologies such as geo-engineering, sensors and related data analytics, modern shipbuilding techniques, and bio-prospecting enhance States' capacities to prevent degradation of the marine environment and to enforce legal rules and standards. However, technological advances bring new threats to delicate marine environments, such as ice-covered areas, where new trading routes are being developed. In this context, how can law manage these emerging risks and make use of technological advances? And what theoretical and practical challenges is law facing in this domain?
The Conference will be organized according to three broad thematics. Some topics for paper submissions are broadly listed below, but the list is not exhaustive.
Panel 1: Emerging trends in trade law
• Global economy and new trends in international lawmaking
• Emerging technologies and trade
• Digital trade
• Sustainable development and trade
• Trade and finance
• Economic sanctions
Panel 2: Evolving landscape of transport law
• Artificial intelligence, distributed ledger technology and smart contracts in transport
• Autonomous transport
• Electronic trade documents
• New trade routes over land and sea
• Sustainability, competition and air transport
Panel 3: Novel approaches to marine environmental protection
• New approaches to lawmaking for ocean governance and marine environmental protection: concepts, principles and institutions
• Emerging technologies and oceans
• Role of judicial interpretation in development of the law of the sea
Confirmed speakers
The Conference is pleased to announce the following speakers:
Rhidian Thomas Professor Emeritus of Maritime Law and Founder Director of the Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law at Swansea University, Wales, UK.
Proshanto Mukherjee Professor of Maritime Law at Dalian Maritime University, China. Professor Emeritus of Maritime Law and Policy at the World Maritime University, Sweden.
Jason Chuah Professor of Commercial and Maritime Law, The City Law School, City, University of London, UK and Chair of the London Universities Maritime Law and Policy Research Group, UK.
Johan Woxenius Professor of Industrial and Financial Management & Logistics, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Maximo Mejia Professor, Director of the PhD Program and Head of the Maritime Law and Policy Specialization at the World Maritime University, Sweden.
David Langlet Professor in Ocean Governance Law, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Call for Papers
The Call for Papers is closed.
Publication
The Conference proceedings will be published as an edited book.
Finances
The Conference is free of charge. The event does not cover expenses for travel and accommodation. A small bursary to encourage and facilitate attendance of a young scholar is available on application.
Important dates
Full paper submission: Friday, 18 September 2020.
Conference registration opens: Monday, 11 January 2021.
Contact
For further information, please write to the conference e-mail maritime2020@law.gu.se