Part III Human Health and Human Rights, 16 Ethics of International Maritime Law and Ocean Governance

This chapter examines the role of ethics in international maritime law and ocean governance. It first considers the general ethical flavour of international law, giving a few examples of moral standards in the law of the sea and maritime law, before discussing a range of issues relating to ocean governance. It suggests that the phrase ‘international maritime law’ should be understood broadly as inspired by the International Maritime Organization’s International Maritime Law Institute (IMO IMLI), thus including the law of the sea as part of public international law and the maritime law, also known as shipping, admiralty or marine law. The chapter goes on to outline actions aimed at conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Finally, it offers recommendations on how to improve legal education with an obligatory course on legal ethics.