The restriction of commercial shipping operations within a country's coastal waters to vessels flying the national flag. Cabotage laws protect domestic shipping industries and are enforced by many maritime nations, with the United States' Jones Act being one of the most well-known examples.
Category: Maritime Law & Regulations
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Admiralty LawThe body of private international law governing maritime activities and disputes, including navigation, shipping, salvage, pollution, and seafarers' rights.Arrest of ShipA legal procedure in admiralty law by which a claimant detains a vessel to obtain security for a maritime claim.BareconA standard bareboat charter party form published by BIMCO, widely used in the shipping industry for bareboat or demise charter agreements.Classification SocietyAn organization that establishes and maintains technical standards for the construction and operation of ships and offshore structures.General AverageA principle of maritime law under which all parties to a sea venture proportionally share any losses resulting from a voluntary sacrifice of part of the ship or cargo to save the whole in an emergency.IMOThe International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping.
Back to DictionaryEntry updated May 2026