Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic director focused on measurable results and operational excellence in maritime education. Integrates IMO/STCW regulations and ISO 21001/9001 f
Masters · 1500 h · 11 modules
Master's in International Maritime Law
The Master in International Maritime LawThis program offers an in-depth immersion into the legal framework governing the oceans and maritime activities globally. It equips professionals to address complex legal challenges in ar
Duration1500 h
FormatOnline
Starts16 November
Places20 / 20
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Programme overview
What is the Master’s in International Maritime Law?
The Master in International Maritime Law
This program offers an in-depth immersion into the legal framework governing the oceans and maritime activities globally. It equips professionals to address complex legal challenges in areas such as maritime trade, maritime security, marine environmental protection, and international dispute resolution. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of key treaties, conventions, and case law, as well as the skills needed to advise, negotiate, and litigate in this specialized field.
Differential Advantages
- Global Approach: Comparative analysis of maritime legal systems and their impact on international trade.
- Practical Experience: Arbitration and litigation simulations, real-world case studies, and applied research projects.
- Networking: Access to international experts, leading professionals, and networking opportunities in the maritime industry.
- Skills Development: Negotiation, legal writing, critical analysis, and effective communication in an international environment.
- Flexibility: Online format with multimedia resources and personalized tutoring to adapt to your professional needs.
Programme type
Master's Degree
Study mode
Online
Duration
1,500 hours
Modules
11
Start date
26-11-2026
Programme highlights
- Comprehensive Mastery: Delve into global maritime law, from the law of the sea to international transport and trade.
- Practical Approach: Learn through real-world cases and simulations, preparing you for the legal challenges of the maritime sector.
- International Experts: Receive training from prestigious lawyers and professionals with experience in maritime litigation and consulting.
- Networking: Expand your professional network by connecting with peers and experts from around the world.
- Global Perspective: Gain a complete overview of maritime law, including aspects of insurance, liability, and security. environmental.
- Boost your career in the maritime sector with a master's degree that will make you an expert in International Maritime Law.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 11 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
Foundations of International Maritime Law, Historical Evolution and Global Maritime Legal System
- Concept of international maritime law and differences between maritime law, law of the sea, port law, naval law and international maritime trade
- Historical evolution of maritime norms from naval customs to modern international agreements
- Sources of international maritime law: treaties, conventions, international custom, jurisprudence, doctrine and national legislation
- Fundamental principles of freedom of navigation, maritime jurisdiction, responsibility, international cooperation and maritime security
- Relationship between international maritime law, global trade, maritime transport, logistics and world economy
- Relevant international organisations: IMO, ILO, UN, UNCTAD, WCC and specialised regional organisations
- Interaction between national and international jurisdictions in cross-border maritime activities
- Resolution of regulatory conflicts between different legal systems applicable to international maritime transport
- Contemporary trends in maritime regulation, sustainability, digitization and global governance of the oceans
- Systemic approach to international maritime law as integration of security, trade, environment and global legal cooperation
02
Law of the sea, maritime spaces and international jurisdiction over the oceans
- Legal foundations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and its normative structure
- Legal regime of internal waters, ports, bays and spaces subject to full state sovereignty
- Territorial sea, adjoining zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf from the international legal perspective
- High seas regime and principles of freedom of navigation, research, fishing and laying of submarine cables
- Maritime delimitation between States and resolution of disputes over international marine borders
- Rights and obligations of coastal states, flag States and port states governing
- Legal regime of international straits, archipelagos and strategic sea routes
- Legal protection of marine resources, biodiversity and spaces outside national jurisdiction
- International maritime dispute settlement mechanisms and specialised courts
- Construction of legal criteria to interpret and apply the international regime of maritime spaces
03
Contracts for maritime transport, commercial documentation and international trade by sea
- Legal foundations of international maritime transport of goods and passengers
- Chartering contracts for trips, for time, a bare hull and other maritime contractual modalities
- Bill of Lading, Sea Waybill, Electronic Documents and Legal Functions of Maritime Documentation
- Rights and obligations of shippers, carriers, consignees, logistics operators and stakeholders
- General cargo legal regime, containers, bulk, dangerous goods and special cargo
- Contractual liability for loss, damage, delay and improper delivery of goods transported by sea
- International agreements applicable to maritime transport and evolution of liability regimes
- Relationship between maritime contracts, incoterms, insurance and foreign trade operations
- Frequent litigation arising from documentation, contractual breaches and maritime commercial claims
- Construction of legal strategies for the safe management of international maritime transport contracts
04
Ship law, naval registration, pavilion and international maritime financing
- Legal nature of the ship as a special good within the international maritime system
- Registration of ships, nationality, pavilion and legal consequences derived from registration
- Rights and obligations of the State of Pavilion in terms of security, control and maritime supervision
- Naval mortgages, maritime levies and guarantees on maritime assets of high economic value
- International sale of ships and legal aspects of the transfer of naval ownership
- Maritime Financing, Naval Leasing, Project Finance and Merchant Fleet Investment Structures
- Preventive embargo of ships and precautionary measures in international maritime litigation
- Registration, cancellation, pavilion change and administrative procedures related to merchant ships
- Legal risks associated with open registries, pavilion convenience and international fleet control
- Building legal criteria to manage naval assets in complex international environments
05
Maritime Liability, Accidents, Claims and Limitation of Liability
- Fundamentals of maritime civil liability and general principles of legal imputation in the naval field
- Maritime accidents, boarding, dry-docking, fires, collisions and damage to maritime infrastructure
- Liability for marine pollution, hydrocarbon spills and environmental damage caused by ships
- Legal regime for maritime rescue, assistance to ships in danger and recovery of maritime goods
- Gross breakdown, particular breakdown and distribution of losses between interest involved in a maritime expedition
- International agreements on the limitation of liability of the shipowner and maritime operators
- Investigation of Maritime Claims and Use of Technical Reports in Judicial and Arbitral Procedures
- Procedures for claiming, compensation and recovery of damages in the international maritime context
- Interaction between contractual, non-contractual, administrative and criminal liability in maritime accidents
- Construction of legal strategies for the comprehensive management of maritime risks and responsibilities
06
Maritime labour law, crews and legal protection of seafarers
- International legal regime of maritime work and protection of the rights of seafarers
- Maritime Labour Convention and International Employment Standards on Merchant Ships
- Shipping contracts, working conditions, wages, repatriation and maritime social security
- Shipowner's obligations with respect to accommodation, food, health, well-being and protection of the crew
- Occupational safety, risk prevention and protection against accidents on board
- Maritime labour inspections and control of compliance with international standards by the governing states of the port
- Maritime labour conflicts, collective bargaining and union representation of embarked workers
- Employer responsibility for injuries, occupational diseases and deaths of crew
- Legal aspects related to cultural diversity, multiculturalism and international contracting of seafarers
- Construction of legal frameworks that guarantee decent and safe working conditions in the global maritime industry
07
Protection of the marine environment, sustainability and international maritime compliance
- Legal foundations of marine environmental protection in the context of international maritime transport
- International agreements on prevention of pollution by hydrocarbons, harmful substances and waste generated by ships
- Regulation of atmospheric emissions, energy efficiency and decarbonisation of the global maritime sector
- Legal management of waste, ballast water, invasive species and protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems
- Environmental responsibility derived from maritime activities and mechanisms for repairing ecological damage
- Environmental compliance audits, certifications and management systems applicable to maritime operators
- Relationship between sustainability, corporate governance and international regulatory compliance in the shipbuilding industry
- New legal challenges associated with alternative fuels, clean technologies and sustainable blue economy
- Mechanisms of international cooperation for the protection of oceans and shared marine resources
- Construction of legal strategies aimed at environmental compliance and global maritime sustainability
08
Maritime arbitration, international litigation and transnational dispute resolution
- Fundamentals of maritime arbitration and differences with respect to ordinary legal proceedings
- Main arbitration institutions specialised in international maritime disputes
- Arbitration clauses in maritime contracts, validity, interpretation and international execution
- Arbitration procedures applicable to transport, chartering, shipbuilding and marine insurance contracts
- Recognition and international execution of arbitration awards in cross-border maritime controversies
- Mediation, conciliation and alternative methods of conflict resolution in the international maritime field
- Complex litigation related to accidents, pollution, contractual breaches and commercial disputes
- Obtaining evidence, technical expertise and international coordination in multinational maritime procedures
- Procedural strategies for the defence of shipowners, insurers, port operators and shippers
- Building effective mechanisms for the management and resolution of international maritime disputes
09
Maritime Insurance, Legal Risk Management and International Corporate Compliance
- Fundamentals of maritime insurance and economic function of risk transfer in naval activities
- Hull and machinery insurance, protection and compensation, cargo, war and specialised coverage
- Maritime insurance contracts, obligations of insured, insurers and third parties involved
- Legal management of claims, claims, breakdowns, environmental damage and maritime economic losses
- P&I clubs and their role in the coverage of responsibilities arising from international maritime operations
- Maritime Compliance, Fraud Prevention, Corruption, Money Laundering and Economic Crimes Linked to the Naval Sector
- International sanctions, trade controls, embargoes and restrictions applicable to global maritime operations
- Comprehensive management of legal, regulatory and reputational risks in international maritime companies
- Legal audits, compliance programmes, and internal maritime corporate control systems
- Construction of legal management frameworks that protect operational continuity and business legal security
10
Comparative maritime law, sanctions and new technologies
- Maritime Law Systems: Anglo-Saxon and Continental
- Spanish Maritime Navigation Law
- International sanctions and maritime trade
- Preventive embargo of ships
- Judicial sale of ships
- Autonomous ships and legal regime
- Electronic documents and EBL
- Cybersecurity and legal responsibility
- Decarbonization and new legal obligations
- Analysis of recent jurisprudence
11
Master’s Final Project in International Maritime Law
- Defining a complex case related to maritime transport, law of the sea, naval liability, insurance or ocean governance
- Comprehensive legal diagnosis of the problem through normative, jurisprudential, contractual and institutional analysis
- Identification of stakeholders, jurisdictional powers, legal risks and applicable regulatory conflicts
- Evaluation of international agreements, national legislation and legal principles relevant to the resolution of the case
- Design of legal strategies for prevention, mitigation, negotiation and legal defence in international maritime scenarios
- Preparation of contractual models, compliance clauses, arbitration mechanisms and risk management procedures
- Integration of environmental, labour, commercial, financial and regulatory aspects within the legal proposal developed
- Development of an implementation and monitoring plan to ensure regulatory compliance and operational legal security
- Drafting of the comprehensive technical report with legal foundations, comparative analysis, conclusions and specialised recommendations
- Presentation and defence of the final project with legal, strategic and international validation of the proposed solution in maritime and oceanic matters
Workload
Study Time and Workload
1500 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Lawyers and Legal Advisors seeking to specialize in the complex web of maritime trade, transport, insurance, and international litigation.Maritime Sector Professionals (shipowners, shipping companies, freight forwarders, insurers) who need in-depth knowledge of the legal framework to optimize operations and mitigate risks.Public Officials and Diplomats involved in the drafting and implementati
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
Verified reviews
Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Providing legal advice on transnational maritime operations
- 02Managing disputes and litigation in the international maritime sphere
- 03Mastering international regulations for maritime contracting
- 04Assessing and mitigating legal risks in maritime freight transport
- 05Analyze and apply maritime legislation in the context of marine safety and environmental protection
- 06Leading regulatory compliance strategies in the global maritime industry
Careers
Career Opportunities
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02International Maritime Lawyer: Legal advice on maritime trade, insurance, claims, and litigation.
03Maritime Law Consultant: Analysis and consulting for shipping companies, ports, and public administrations.
04Legal Advisor to International Organizations: Work with organizations such as the IMO, UNCLOS, and the EU on the development and implementation of maritime regulations.
05Maritime Arbitrator: Dispute resolution through international arbitration, mediation, and conciliation.
06Marine Insurance Manager: Risk assessment and management, claims, and marine insurance policies.
07Compliance Officer: Ensuring compliance with international maritime regulations in companies and organizations.
08Academic/Researcher: Teaching and research at universities and centers specializing in maritime law.
09Public Official: Work in national or international maritime administrations, managing policies and regulations.
Questions
Entry Requirements
International Maritime Law
Yes. The itinerary includes ECDIS/Radar-ARPA/BRM with harbor, ocean, fog, storm, and SAR scenarios.
Online with live sessions; hybrid option for simulator/practical placements through agreements.
International Maritime Law
Recommended functional SMCP. We offer support materials for standard phraseology.
Yes, with a relevant degree or experience in maritime/port operations. The admissions interview will confirm suitability.
Optional (3–6 months) through Companies & Collaborations and the Alumni Network.
Simulator practice (rubrics), defeat plans, SOPs, checklists, micro-tests and applied TFM.
A degree from Navalis Magna Institute + operational portfolio (tracks, SOPs, reports and KPIs) useful for audits and employment.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
```htmlAcademic/Professional Profile:Degree in Law, Political Science, International Relations, or related field; or demonstrable professional experience in the maritime-legal sector.Language Proficiency:Demonstrable high level of English (B2/C1); Knowledge of other languages (French, German) will be valued.Documentation:Updated CV, copy of university degree, academic transcript, cover letter, ID/Passport.Additional Requirements:Interest in International Law and the maritime sector, analytical and problem-solving skills.```
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
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