Postgraduate Module Descriptor


LAWM067: Carriage of Goods by Sea

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

While the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is anticipated that the following topics will be covered:

Brief Introduction to English Contract Law

Introduction to Carriage of Goods by Sea

Implied Obligations in a Contract of Affreightment

Charterparties- Ships, Ports and Cargo

Voyage Charters: Freight, Laytime and Demurrage

Time Charters: Charter period, Hire and Employment and Indemnity

Liens, Damages and Frustration

Bills of Lading, charterparties and contracts of carriage

Functions of Bills of Lading

Bills of Lading and Third Parties

Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1992

Application of the Hague-Visby Rules (HVR) to Bills of Lading - Overview and Carriers’ Duties

Application of the HVR to Bills of Lading - Claims

Bills of Lading- Hamburg Rules and Rotterdam Rules

Limits and Exceptions under the HVR

Review of the module

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
302700

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled learning and teaching activities30Seminars: 10 x 3 hour lecturer-led seminars. Students will be expected to make at least one presentation during the course of the seminar programme.
Guided independent study52Preparation for seminars/follow-up reading.
Guided independent study108Preparation for seminars – approx. 12 hours per seminar. This will include reading the key texts and cases, so that each seminar can be conducted at a high level and can discuss complex issues of both practical and theoretical concern.
Guided independent study20Preparation for formative exercise
Guided independent study 40Preparation for summative assessment
Guided independent study50Other guided independent study. This is intended to give students greater opportunity to examine specific issues, in particular the various forms of agreement that are found and the merits and demerits of the differing international codes which may be adopted by the parties. Guided reading, primarily based on articles in learned journals, will be recommended.

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

I-law, Westlaw, LexisNexis and BAILII are where the principal case reports (Lloyd’s Law Reports, The Law Reports and The English Reports) can be found, as well as some specialised journals. These on-line databases supplement the use of library and paper documents. Statutes can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk.