The 11th East Asia Maritime Law Forum was held in the 11th-floor conference hall of Guangzhou Maritime Court(GZMC) on Nov. 3, 2018. The forum was jointly organized by Dalian Maritime University(DLMU) Law School and GZMC, over 60 maritime law scholars, maritime judges, maritime lawyers and shipping professionals from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea(ROK) attended it.

The theme of the forum includes three aspects: issues related to vessel-sourced marine pollution, issues related to autonomous vessels and latest development of Maritime Law in China, Japan and ROK. Dean Chu Beiping of DLMU Law School and President Ye Liudong of GZMC delivered a welcome speech on behalf of the organizers, and Deputy Chief Judge Wang Shumei of Civil Adjudication Tribunal NO.4 of the Supreme People’s Court was invited to give a keynote speech. Speakers from different countries held a discussion on three issues.

Professor Filippo Lorenzon and Proshanto Mukherjee amd associate professor Wang Xin of DLMU Law School submitted the latest research achievements to the forum. Professor Zhu Zuoxian was invited to make a speech on issues related to autonomous vessels, Vice Dean Han Lixin and associate professor Zhang Jinlei were invited to host the discussion of two issues on vessel-sourced marine pollution and the latest development of Maritime Law in several countries. Judge Pingyang Danke of GZMC presided over the discussion on issues related to autonomous vessels of the third section of the meeting which received unanimous praise from the experts.

Since its inception in Japan co-sponsored by Law School of Waseda University, Dalian Maritime University and Korea University in 2008, the East Asia Maritime Law Forum has been held annually among Japan, China and ROK. The Forum has grown into an important academic platform for exchanging ideas, sharing experiences and seeking prosperity and development of marine economy for academia, judicial and shipping business communities in maritime law. The success of the Forum will contribute significantly to theoretical study of maritime law, development of maritime legislation and judicial practice, as well as integration and unification of maritime law among East Asian nations.

DLMU and GZMC jointly established the “Guangzhou Branch of Dalian Maritime University Maritime Law Research Institute”(Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Maritime Law Research Institute) in July 2018. It is also the first important cooperation for the two sides to jointly organize the East Asia Maritime Law Forum on the basis of the Guangzhou Branch .