Testimonials

My name is Leon Goh, and I am from Singapore. After spending the first three years of my bachelors at the National University of Singapore, I was given the opportunity to pursue a masters in Maritime and Transport Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam  as part of the Exchange plus programme between the two universities. The choice of maritime law was an easy one as the international nature of shipping has always appealed to me.   

One noteworthy advantage of the exchange plus programme is the fact that the two institutions are in two different legal systems. This affords students the opportunity to consider any given area of law from two different perspectives. In my case, I was able to immerse myself in shipping law and experience it from both the common law and civil law perspective. In addition, as a bonus, both Singapore and Rotterdam are important port cities. Furthermore, owing to the international nature of the classroom which is made up of people hailing from a multitude of jurisdictions, every student brings something new to the discussion.     

Another reason why I decided to pursue not only a masters at Erasmus University Rotterdam, but a maritime law masters, is undoubtably its location. As the largest port in Europe, there is an entire maritime ecosystem here. The curriculum at Erasmus University Rotterdam leverages this major boon and this adds a practical dimension to our studies. As students, we get to experience a wide range of activities from company visits to interactions with real-life practitioners from companies like Van Traa and Boskalis.  

However, the life of a master student is more than just the classroom. Aside from academics, life in Rotterdam certainly did not disappoint. Rotterdam is such an eclectic and international city, there truly is something for everyone. Whether it is experiencing new cultures, meeting other people from around the globe or taking in the new sights and sounds, life in Rotterdam is rarely a dull moment.

The programme in Maritime and Transport Law has provided me with strong knowledge of English and Dutch law. This in combination with my knowledge of Spanish speaking legal systems have provided me with the tools to be able to analyse contracts in several languages and jurisdictions. My current job entails writing and reviewing contracts from western European and Latin American countries. Furthermore, the master at the Erasmus School of Law provided me with a good opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

My name is Ana Carolina Gossain and I am working as a Legal Analyst for BG Freight Line BV, the headquarters being in Rotterdam.

BG Freight Line BV is a shipping line that provides a comprehensive range of logistics services to and from Ireland, the UK, and continental Europe. These services include door-to-door shipping, feedering, and quay-to-quay shipping for all types of containerised cargo.

My current work entails drafting Charter Parties, reviewing and providing legal advice regarding Bills of Lading, Terminal Contracts, and Transport Service Agreements. Additionally, I assist the Head of Claims. A working day as a Legal Analyst at BG Freight Line BV roughly looks like coming to work and checking emails first thing, evaluating and drafting several type of contracts, doing legal research, and maintain contact with different stakeholders in order to procure facts and evidence, that will enable us to handle claims properly.

The knowledge I have gained in the Maritime and Transport LL.M is reflected in my work on a daily basis. The courses on Charter Parties and Bills of Lading, Transport Law and Bills of Lading especially, have been crucial to the work I do as a Legal Analyst at BG Freight Line BV.

My name is Themis Karvounidis, I am 27 and I come from Greece. After completing my bachelor studies (plus an exchange semester at the University of Vienna) and a master programme on public international law in Greece, I decided to continue my master studies on maritime law in a purely international environment. Rotterdam fulfilled these criteria from the beginning.

The main reason why I chose the master programme of Maritime and Transport Law at  Erasmus School of Law was that, being specialised in the law of the sea during my previous studies, I wanted to further study on maritime issues from a commercial perspective. This programme combined both international and maritime law aspects and studying in Rotterdam felt like studying the right subject at the right place. Furthermore, the city provides a multicultural atmosphere with many social activities and its geographical location helps travelling around the country and experiencing other cultures.

I could describe the programme itself as an intense one. It is divided into blocks of approximately one month and a half, and each block consist of one or two courses, after which exams take place. At the beginning, I prepared myself that this would be very difficult and demanding, since the courses would be taught within a short timeframe and exams would take place often. Despite this being true, I soon realised I could remain focussed a lot more than a structure with multiple semesters as I was used to back in my country. With this structure, I could concentrate on a specific subject each time and get better prepared for more complex issues during the next blocks.

Also, I realised that the programme had a somehow reverse order of difficulty. Even though each block and course has their challenges, the first block (Research and Writing Skills) is the most demanding, with several deadlines from week to week for written and oral assignments. I could predict that any prospective student could feel stressed or discouraged for what comes next, but I can say that the more the programme progresses the more confidence one gets managing deadlines and studying at the same time. In general, the deadlines do not coincide with each other, so I never felt overwhelmed by pressure.

The programme also includes moot courts, visits to international institutions and guest lectures from professionals that give an insight of the industry and help international students to get familiar with stakeholders. The professors are active both academically and professionally, so they express the demands of the market at its current state. From a teaching perspective, they are willing to provide all the necessary material and guidance. Finally, as an international student in Rotterdam during the coronavirus outbreak, I should admit that the institution and our professors and coordinators did their best not letting us feel neglected and continuing the programme as close to normal as possible.

My name is Aaron Nagtegaal and I am 23 years old. I grew up near Rotterdam where I am currently still residing. In 2015 I started my bachelor of Law at Erasmus University. Therefore, it was only natural that I would choose a master programme at Erasmus University too. The master Commercial Law has four different specialisations: Commercial and Company Law, International Arbitration and Business Law, International Trade Law and Maritime and Transport Law. As hard as it was for me to choose which bachelor I wanted to study, as easy it was for me to choose my master. A minor on shipping, an exchange period in Athens and an internship at a law firm really paved the way for choosing the Maritime and Transport Law programme.

As one of only a few Dutch students in the programme it was quite new for me doing an international master even though I had already done a semester abroad. However, the master’s introductory course is structured in a way that really helps students to get used to the pace of the year or rather the pace of assignments and deadlines which you will get used to (eventually). I found the regular courses quite challenging but very doable if you put in the work. Even without mandatory attendance you are forced to familiarise yourself with the course substance in order to complete assignments that count towards your final grades. This encourages students to attend lectures anyway which I always enjoyed. Since our programme consisted of just under 30 students this created a very personal atmosphere as opposed to the lectures in the introductory course with all four specialisations consisting of maybe 150 students in total.

Besides that, there is also the master’s student association, the Trade and Transport Law Association (TTLA), helping students as much as possible. I even got a job through TTLA early in the year and eventually went on to become the association’s treasurer. This gave me a chance to help organise events such as company visits and social drinks together with my fellow board members.  Unfortunately, the current COVID-19 pandemic cut the year short and shattered plans for a career day which we had planned for all students in March. On the other hand, when concerns grew among students that graduation might get delayed, the university fortunately acted quickly and provided online lectures and online exams for all courses.

If you are interested in maritime and transport law, this programme is definitely worth it. Where possible, the faculty blends in company visits and moot courts that complement the courses that you are following at that time. Furthermore, monthly social drinks, karaoke nights and even online pub quizzes from the student association make sure you keep in touch with students from all four specialisations. For internationals, the university’s international office will be very helpful as it was also very helpful for me when I was in Athens for my exchange semester. Finally, do not let the COVID-19 pandemic keep you from pursuing this master’s degree as the university has implemented lots of digital tools to help students get through the year.

I am Freda Amoako. I come from Ghana in West Africa. When I decided to pursue an LL.M. programme, I looked for a programme that was both challenging and practical to the core. Maritime and Transport Law was an easy choice because I was aware how the maritime and transport industry affects various facets of the world’s economies. For me, choosing to study Maritime and Transport Law was a sure way of staying relevant in my practice as a lawyer.

The programme began with Research and Writing Skills and I was overwhelmed with the ton of work and group assignments. However, it turned out to be fun, especially through the group assignments as I made new friends. I particularly enjoyed the moot court competition. I thought it was a great way of practicing what had been taught in class. The programme is taught in a practical way. This is particularly evident in the several assignments and workshops that are included in the programme. It is a lot of hard work! If you are looking for a programme that is merely theoretical then pursuing an LL.M. in Maritime and Transport Law at Erasmus School of Law is probably not the way to go. However, if your goal is to gain practical and theoretical knowledge in your LL.M programme., then this is the master for you!

For someone who was coming from very far away, I was anxious about how easy or difficult it would be to adjust to my new environment. Adjusting to the new environment turned out to be easier than anticipated. The relationship between students and lecturers didn’t end in the classroom. I could send emails to my lecturers and get a response. To me that was impressive! The city of Rotterdam is vibrant and yet serene. It has interesting places to visit. It was always great for my friends and me whenever we took walks to relieve the stress after exams.

The COVID-19 pandemic came with challenges and I had my fears concerning the possibility of not being able to graduate due to measures put in place by the Dutch government. It turned out there was nothing to fear because the programme continued as scheduled, only now online.My regret is not having enough time to study the Dutch language. I think it would be awesome if some basic Dutch was included in the programme.

Nevertheless, I am glad I made the decision to study at Erasmus School of Law. In the end, I am positive I will leave the university with so many attributes I didn’t think was possible with university education.