Mfon Ekong Usoro , the President of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria has announced that her book, “International Trade and Carriage of Goods by Sea: Texts, Cases, and Materials” which offers a comprehensive analysis of the legal, commercial, and operational aspects of international trade and the carriage of goods by sea from both Nigerian and global perspectives would be launched soon.
According to a notice of the book launch written by her, the book is a valuable resource for individuals involved in the cross-border trade and international transportation of goods ecosystem, including bankers, lawyers, judges, exporters, importers, shipping companies, researchers, and academics.
Usoro, the pioneer Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has made several landmark impacts in the nation’s business environment especially the maritime sector with inputs that have contributed to the development of the shipping and freight forwarding sub sectors .
While endorsing the book, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun said the book, consisting of over 600 pages, is well organised into 9 chapters covering the most common areas of interest. She added that the chapters are further subdivided for better elucidation and it contains extensive research and in-depth analysis of the applicable laws, rules, conventions and standard forms governing the subject matter as well as attendant risks.
She said that the comprehensiveness of the work is a clear manifestation of the knowledge and experience of the author, Mfon Ekong Usoro.
“Surprisingly, notwithstanding the universality of such contracts, there is a dearth of local literature that compiles these laws and comprehensively analyses them and their application in various circumstances, to serve as a guide to not only legal practitioners and judicial officers but all other stakeholders in the industry.
“The book explains the common terms associated with cross-border international maritime transactions and examines the rights and obligations of the parties and available remedies in the event of loss or damage. It relies primarily on case law with illustrations and diagrams for easy understanding. An entire chapter is dedicated to the fundamental issue of jurisdiction.
“Having delivered papers at numerous domestic and international conferences, Mfon Usoro knows where the shoe pinches. The book reflects her deep understanding of the subject and provides a most valuable resource for judicial officers, legal practitioners and other stakeholders interested in this specialised area of law.
“I commend the industry exhibited by the author in the painstaking research that has culminated in a textbook that I have no hesitation in recommending to all who seek knowledge on the intricacies of International Trade and Carriage of Goods by Sea. I predict that it will become a much sought-after reference book on the subject. I encourage all to enrich their libraries with this exceptional work.”
Chairman, Access Holdings Plc, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said “With a focus on the international sale and transportation of goods, this comprehensive guide is an indispensable resource for professionals seeking to understand and navigate the complexities of this specialized field.”
Funke Agbor, President, Nigerian Maritime Law Association also said the book is in part, the culmination of her extensive experience and knowledge, offering a comprehensive and insightful guide that navigates the complex landscape of international trade and the carriage of goods by sea.
“With its Agborulous analysis and lucid language garnished with a plethora of Nigerian cases, this work is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in international trade, from practitioners and academics to students and shipping professionals.”she said.
Mfon Ekong Usoro has extensive experience as a shipping lawyer and a maritime administrator with an avid interest in research, trade law, supply chain and transport, and speaking at international and domestic conferences. She is the pioneer and past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the immediate past Secretary General of the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central Africa. She was, for several years, an officer of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association (a national chapter of the Comite Maritime International).
Usoro is a member of the Governing Board of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria, set up by the Nigerian Navy, and is an Independent Non-Executive Director of First City Monument Bank and The Infrastructure Bank. She is the Vice-Chair of the International Bar Association Bar Issues Committee on International Trade in Legal Services.
