Students, professionals, and other stakeholders will gain more insight into the important role of maritime law in offshore oil and gas exploration during an in-depth session. The Faculty of Legal Sciences of the Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS) is organizing a session on this topic. It is being held in collaboration with the NHL Stenden Thorbecke Academy from the Netherlands.
“During the session, topics will include relevant treaties and the benefits Suriname derives or will derive from them. The practical side of matters will also be highlighted based on the experiences our presenters have in this field,” says Ruchama de Jonge of AdeKUS.
“In Suriname, much is still in its infancy, and due to demand from the professional field, our observation is that there is a great need for (practical) information in this area. It will certainly contribute to awareness regarding treaty law provisions: the resulting obligations and measures to be taken, and the benefits for Suriname, as well as how Suriname can utilize these in potential disputes.”
In addition, tools will be provided to take preventive measures to avoid abuses and disputes that may arise in offshore oil & gas extraction.
The session is intended for professionals, such as lawyers, but also companies and agencies in the maritime sector. The session will also be of interest to insurance companies with a view to potential liability issues, says De Jonge.
The organization has also anticipated existing laws and regulations. “An initial overview has been made of existing legislation and what may still be coming, which the presenters will build upon. The focus during the session will also be on interpretation and application, as well as the required policy measures.”
According to De Jonge, Suriname still has some preparations to make in the field of maritime law. “A cautious assessment suggests that there is still a lot of work to be done and that attention must be paid primarily to implementation and application.”
The Anton de Kom University of Suriname, specifically the Faculty of Legal Sciences, has had a formal cooperation agreement with NHL Stenden-Thorbecke Academy since March/April 2024 for a period of 5 years under the Erasmus+ fund. This collaboration is aimed at the exchange of lecturers and students, with a focus on capacity building for both institutes.
The intention is to create awareness among students to pique their interest in a follow-up trajectory where students from both institutes will collaborate on a research project focused on both the legal and practical aspects of maritime affairs in Suriname. “We also hope to encourage students to conduct their thesis research within this area of law.
There is also an intention to offer a Maritime Law course to professionals in Suriname in the first quarter of 2027.” The session is now fully booked.
