Following the 2016 Graduation Ceremony, the graduates, together with Professor David Attard (Director, IMLI), Professor Norman Martinez (Associate Professor, IMLI) and Ms. Josephine Aquilina (Head of Personnel, IMLI), participated in the traditional field trip to London. The maritime institutions visited during the field trip included the Headquarters of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds), Thomas Miller & Co., Lloyd’s of London, Lloyd’s Register, and the Headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Eminent representatives of these institutions provided the graduates with an introduction to the mechanisms and practical operation of the theory they have studied during the entire academic year enabling them to broaden their network within the field of international shipping.

On their visit to the Headquarters of the IOPC Funds, the graduates were welcomed by Mr. Kensuke Kobayashi (Legal Counsel, IOPC Funds) who gave the graduates an overview of the liability and compensation regimes and of the handling of claims by the IOPC Funds.

The graduates then visited the office of Thomas Miller (Managers, UK P&I Club), where the graduates attended a presentation delivered on Thomas Miller, Loss Prevention and People Claims by Ms. Amanda Hastings (Claims Executive, UK P&I Club).

During their visit to Lloyd’s of London, they were given guided tours by representatives of Miller Insurance, who explained the history of Lloyd’s and the whole process followed by a broker in obtaining insurance at Lloyd’s.

Following this, the graduates visited Lloyd’s Register whether they were given a tour of the Lloyd’s Register building, following which Mr. Jim Harrison (Group Legal Director, Lloyd’s Register and IMLI Governor) delivered a presentation on the role of an in-house lawyer. Following which, the Chairman of the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, Mr. Thomas Thune Andersen, addressed the graduates and expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation between the Lloyd’s Register Foundation and IMLI. The Lloyd’s Register Foundation then offered a reception in honour of the graduates.

The field trip concluded with a visit to the IMO Headquarters, where the graduates were warmly welcomed and addressed by Mr. Kitack Lim (IMO Secretary-General). The graduates had also the opportunity to meet Mr. Frederick J. Kenney Jr. (Director, IMO Legal Affairs and External Relations Division), Mr. Jonathan Pace (Maritime Policy Development Officer, IMO Technical Cooperation Division), and Dr. Dorota Lost-Sieminska (Head, IMO Legal Affairs Office), who is also an IMLI graduate. Mr. Pace discussed the opportunities for technical co-operation of which countries may avail themselves through IMO. He further highlighted the importance of IMLI graduates as a link between IMO and their respective countries, whilst Dr. Lost-Sieminska explained the work of the Legal Committee and the positive contribution of IMLI graduates to the maritime world.

The IMO visit ended with a meeting of the graduates and the representatives of their respective Geographical Focal Points, where they discussed the individual needs of each region and the manner in which States may collaborate with IMO to improve both their national and regional legal systems.

At the end of this enlightened field trip, the new IMLI Ambassadors left for their respective countries with the determination of serving the rule of international maritime law.