I am very pleased to write the foreword to this book, because of its important content and because the author is a colleague at the National University of Singapore's Faculty of Law, where I had the privilege of serving as Dean in the early 1970s.

Coastal states are justifiably concerned about pollution, caused by ships, to their coastal and marine environment. The international regulatory system has had to craft policy responses that seek to balance such concerns with the freedom of navigation for ships. It has been over 50 years since efforts began to regulate vessel-source pollution on a comprehensive scale. Much has changed during that period – from the size of polluting ships and the nature and hazards of pollutants involved, to the growing interest of states and citizens in the environment.

One of the dramatic changes is the rise of the environmental movement, which has led to unprecedented scrutiny being placed on the activities of economic enterprises, including the shipping industry. As a result, the traditional right of freedom of navigation has become increasingly qualified. The international organisations tasked with the role of regulating shipping – principally the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – have had to grapple with a host of increasingly complex issues. Regulating these issues involves a delicate balancing of the interests of states, industry and civil society groups, with the aim of creating a just and equitable system for the use of the oceans.