The sea has its own legal order. Maritime law is the body of rules, conventions, and national statutes that govern ships, shipping, seafarers, navigation, and marine commerce.

It includes admiralty jurisdiction, the law of the carriage of goods, marine insurance, salvage, collision liability, pollution liability, and the status of ships and crews. International conventions negotiated at the International Maritime Organization and other bodies create widely adopted standards. National law implements and sometimes supplements those standards.

Practitioners must navigate overlapping jurisdictions when a casualty involves multiple flags, ports, and cargo interests. Maritime law balances the needs of commerce with safety and environmental protection. Its distinctive doctrines, such as general average and limitation of liability, still shape daily commercial practice.

• Body of law governing ships and maritime activities
• Includes carriage, insurance, salvage, and pollution
• Shaped by international conventions and national statutes
• Often involves multi-jurisdictional disputes