A Study On Maritime Lien System Of South Africa

The legal system of Maritime Lien is one of the specific systems in Maritime Law. This legal system entitles the lawful Maritime Lien holders to enjoy the priority right on the vessels and other maritime property which brought the issue in respect of Maritime Lien, moreover, it contributes an important significance to regulate the maritime trade relations and promote the development of shipping industry among various countries.The Republic of South Africa was a colony of British. Affected by this historical factor, the Admiralty Jurisdiction Regulation Act, which decreed in 1983, still preserve English law as legal sources in some maritime legal relation. For this reason, the legal system of Maritime Lien in South Africa also take the English and case law as legal sources except the situation that the Admiralty Jurisdiction Regulation Act makes explicit terms.According to the English law, the items of Maritime Lien contain the damage maritime lien, the seaman's and master's wages maritime liens, the master's disbursements maritime lien, the salvage maritime lien, the bottomry and respondentia maritime liens. South African law has followed the English law's clauses and established these items of Maritime Lien. Moreover, English and South African scholars also generalize some maritime claims into new'Maritime Lien'categories according to the marine judicial practice. But English and South African law do not approve theses the priority of theses maritime claims.In order to ensure that the Maritime Lien can be repaid, the Admiralty Jurisdiction Regulation Act provides that the assets what can be arrested by the Maritime Lien holders at action in rem. These asserts, which are also named as the subject matters of the Maritime Lien, consist of the vessels, accessory equipments, cargos and freights which brought the Maritime Lien, and the associated ships which has the statutory association relationship with the guilty ships. Furthermore, Admiralty Jurisdiction Regulation Act also provides the priorities of the maritime liens and other maritime claims against the fund.Since the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and South Africa, the bilateral economic trading activities between two countries maintain sustained growth. The business activities of Chinese ocean shipping enterprises in South Africa are increasing gradually by reason of the demand for commercial intercourse between China and South Africa and development of China's ocean transportation industry. Meanwhile, these enterprises have to be faced with the impact of the Maritime Law in South Africa. Therefore, it is necessary for these Chinese enterprises and legal professional to understand and study the knowledge of the Maritime Law system which including the Maritime Lien system in South Africa so that we can take effective measures when the dispute take place and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese parties effectively in South Africa.