CML awarded phase 2 funding by the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI)

The Centre for Maritime Law (CML), National University of Singapore Faculty of Law, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded second-phase funding of $1.85m by the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) over the next three years. The award signing ceremony was held on Zoom on 20 January 2022 by Mr Tan Cheng Peng, Executive Director of SMI, and Professor Stephen Girvin, Director of CML.

In his speech, Professor Girvin expressed CML’s deepest appreciation to SMI for their support over the past five years and for this new tranche of funding.

Academic research and teaching in commercial maritime law continue to be front and centre of CML’s work during this new phase of funding.  Part of CML’s success in establishing its brand as the ‘go to’ place for research in private and commercial maritime law is being able to leverage on Singapore’s top position as an International Maritime Centre, as confirmed in the 2022 Menon Economics / DNV report, The Leading Maritime Cities of the World.  The CML CMI Database of cases, the most important repository of domestic maritime cases on international maritime law Conventions, will continue to ensure that CML’s reach is not limited to Singapore, but extends from the red dot to the region and far beyond.

With SMI’s support, CML can continue to draw on several Visiting Professors to assist in teaching an already strong menu of courses in the Faculty’s maritime cluster. These visitors will provide leadership and guidance to our researchers, students, and the local maritime law community through their participation in CML’s research programme, as well as engagements with our student body and industry. SMI’s support will also allow CML to appoint outstanding full-time and visiting Research Staff to conduct research on areas of contemporary relevance in commercial maritime law, which will enhance CML’s standing as a research centre of excellence in commercial maritime law.

Finally, Singapore needs young maritime law graduates who are not only interested in entering practice as maritime lawyers, but who are also keen to enter academic life. One of the new features of this funding is support for doctoral studies for a Singaporean / SPR student who meets the Faculty’s academic entry requirements.

“CML greatly values its collaboration with SMI, which has supported our endeavours with Phase 1 funding for the past five years. During this initial phase, CML established its reputation for being the ‘go to’ centre for research in commercial maritime law. We are now greatly looking forward to our Phase 2 funding collaboration with SMI and continuing to enhance our reputation in research and teaching in maritime law.” – Professor Stephen Girvin

The signing ceremony was part of the ‘SMI’s Next Lap – Towards a Global Maritime Research, Knowledge and Innovation Hub’ webinar. Watch the webinar here.

The pdf version of this article can be found here.