The future of maritime law

Kruit is an expert in maritime law. She studied civil law and corporate law at Leiden University and, after completing a master's degree in maritime law at the University of Southampton, she obtained her PhD in 2017 at Erasmus School of Law with her thesis General Average, Applicable Law and Legal Basis, for which she won the prestigious Albert Lilar Prize in 2023. Since obtaining her PhD, Kruit has worked as a guest lecturer at Erasmus University and Leiden University. Since 2005, she has worked as a lawyer at Van Traa Advocaten, where she specialises in the practice of (international) private maritime law. She focuses on cases involving maritime and logistics contractual disputes, transport contracts and ship accidents. In recent years, Kruit has focused on the issue of decarbonisation and has, among other things, written a preliminary advice on Sustainable Transport for the Royal Dutch Association for Commercial Law. In 2023, she was one of the founders of the Maritime Decarbonisation working group of the Comité Maritime International, and since 2024 she has been involved in the Commercial Modernisation of International Shipping project, an international research collaboration between Erasmus School of Law, University College London and Copenhagen University.

Making shipping more sustainable and digitising it: how can we do that?

Almost 90% of international trade has a maritime component. With Rotterdam as the largest and busiest port in Europe and the eleventh largest worldwide, the maritime sector is of great strategic and economic importance to the Netherlands. The maritime sector is currently undergoing a radical transformation, driven by the urgent need to decarbonise in response to climate change and the rapid digitisation of the shipping industry. These developments are causing fundamental changes in the way ships are built, powered, operated and regulated, and are putting considerable pressure on the legal framework that regulates the shipping industry. On one hand, international treaties, national regulations and regional frameworks are setting ambitious targets for emission reduction, cyber risk management and technological innovation. On the other hand, parties such as shipowners, charterers, port operators and technology suppliers are on the side where these radical changes must be implemented, with all the challenges that this entails.

Within the complex playing field of national and international regulations and laws, a robust legal basis is now more important than ever to shape policy and regulations and to inform and support practice in this rapidly changing landscape. This is precisely the intersection at which Kruit's research is situated. Her research is based on the vision that regulatory frameworks need to be revised in order to facilitate and guide the transition to sustainable and digital shipping and to minimise the risks. To achieve this, it is essential to establish a solid knowledge infrastructure in close collaboration with practitioners. “The way my research is structured illustrates my vision that academic research should not take place in isolation but should be developed in close collaboration with everyday practice. Only in this way can academia support and guide societal developments and can we contribute to the design of future-proof, sustainable, safe and fair shipping in an impactful way,” according to Kruit. 

Kruit responds to her appointment: “The chair has been made possible by a collaboration of market parties. It is great to see that the importance of future-proof maritime law is being recognised and that the market is willing to invest in it. This chair also gives more students the opportunity to discover maritime law and pursue a career in this interesting (and fun!) field.” 

Shipping in its complex context

Kruit's approach, which focuses on close cooperation with practitioners and an integrated approach to national and international legal and economic factors in the context of decarbonisation and digitalisation of shipping, fits seamlessly with the vision of Erasmus School of Law, which always considers the development of law in its societal and economic context. The chair is, therefore, also excellently aligned with the Sector Plan theme Rebalancing Public and Private Interests, the Erasmus Centre of Law and Digitalization research centre and the Erasmus Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics.

The board of Erasmus School of Law congratulates Jolien Kruit on her appointment and wishes her all the best with her activities.