Sverige har sju stycken tingsrätter har blivit utsedda till att behandla sjörättsmål. Sjörättsmål innebär antingen tvister eller brottmål med anknytning till sjöfarten på svenskt territorium. Syftet var att kartlägga och redogöra avgjorda brottmål och tvistemål hos sjörättsdomstolarna över tid. Studiens frågeställningar fokuserade på typer av mål, skillnader mellan domstolar och förändring över tid. Studien fördjupade sig i domar rörande handelssjöfarten. Som metod valdes litteraturstudie och vid uppföljande frågor gjordes intervjuer med myndigheter och sakkunniga. Litteraturen i denna studie var de 153 domarna som meddelades mellan 2009 och 2013. Av alla domarna var det fem tvistemål och 148 brottmålsdomar, om 13 olika rubriceringar. Den största skillnaden mellan domstolarna var antalet avgjorda mål och någon förändring över tid kunde inte påträffas.   Andra slutsatser var att fartygs befälhavare, som har det yttersta ansvaret, undvek åtal om denne inte varit närvarande vid åtalshändelsen. Ett mörkertal råder angående sjöfylleri bland yrkessjömän ute till havs. / In Sweden seven courts has been appointed to specialize in admiralty law cases. These cases are either civil or criminal cases with connection to shipping on Swedish territory. The objective was to examine and describe the admiralty law verdicts over time with focus on what types of cases, differences between courts and variation over time. The study focused on merchant shipping. Study of literature was chosen as method and with follow-up questions interviews were made with agencies and experts. The literature in this study was the 153 verdicts that were announced between 2009 and 2013. Of all verdicts collected were five civil cases and 148 criminal cases with 13 classifications. The largest difference between the courts was the sum of verdicts. A change over time could not be observed. Other conclusions that were made were that ships’ masters, that have the utmost responsibility, avoided prosecution when they were not present for the event of the prosecution.

There are many major shipping companies which operate fleets comprised largely of vessels which are time chartered and subsequently sub-chartered on voyage terms. Legal risks will arise for the time charterer due the differing natures and terms of time and voyage charters. The essential question examined in this thesis is that of whether, and to what extent, legal risk can be minimized by the negotiation of equivalent contractual terms under time and voyage charter parties. The key areas addressed in this thesis are delivery under time charters compared to readiness under voyage charters, off hire under time charters versus suspension of laytime under voyage charters, obligations relating to cleanliness of cargo spaces, rights and responsibilities relative to safe berths and ports, the time charterer's position under bills of lading, and issues relating to redelivery of the vessel and consequent voyage charter liability if the vessel is unable to undertake the final voyage. The methodology applied is an examination of the case law, with a primary focus on the extensive body of English jurisprudence. This analysis of the case law is accompanied by a consideration of provisions of major charter party forms. The analysis leads to the conclusion that risk, to varying degrees, can be minimized through the application and clarification of contractual language. With respect to readiness of the vessel it is considered that risk will be reduced through agreeing contractual language which requires early notification of the vessel's delay. As regards off hire and laytime wording that clarifies non physical deficiencies is proposed. With regard to vessel cargo spaces intermediate cleanliness is identified as the greatest risk. Safe port and berth warranties are determined to represent an area of easily manageable risk, while letters of indemnity relating to bills of lading continue to represent very significant risk with suggested but no certain solution. Finally, with respect to redelivery a final voyage clause for time charters has been proposed which serves to almost eliminate risk in this area. Therefore, it is broadly concluded that risk can be managed but not eliminated through drafting of appropriate contractual terms.