The seminar focused on practical issues in maritime adjudication, and was held entirely in English at UNNC with an international background. Ms Qian Du, President of Ningbo Maritime Court, pointed out in her opening speech that the Ningbo Maritime Court has practised deeply the concept of a maritime community with a shared future, striving to build a first-class maritime court in the new era over the past five years. By fully utilising its maritime adjudication functions, the court has worked to maintain maritime peace and security, promote maritime economic prosperity, facilitate the integration of maritime cultures and protect the exquisite marine ecology. 

Michael (Mikis) Tsimplis, Professor of Law from City University of Hong Kong, delivered a presentation titled "The Past and the Future of Ship Arrest: Global Economics, Local Needs and Sustainable Development". He introduced the current ship arrest systems and their historical evolution in Chinese mainland, Greece and common law jurisdictions, and demonstrated the significant role of ship arrest systems in assessing global economic conditions, promoting the development of the shipping industry and improving legal frameworks.

After the keynote speech, Dr Xiaochen Mu, Assistant Professor in Business Law and Corporate Governance at UNNC, engaged in a discussion with Professor Tsimplis regarding the execution of future environmental claims.

The panel discussion, with the theme of “Marine Environmental and Resource Protection" and "Beijing Convention: Providing Chinese Wisdom to Promote the Healthy Development of the Global Shipping Industry" brought the seminar to a climax. Guests from Ningbo Maritime Court, Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration, City University of Hong Kong, Ningbo University, Zhejiang Wanli University, and Wintell & Co. Ningbo Office shared their opinions and experiences from their work/research during the discussion. 

Dr Michael McNamara, Assistant Professor in Business Law and Corporate Governance at UNNC, fully affirmed the important role of the Beijing Convention in strengthening international maritime governance, and based on his teaching experience, he proposed that various disputes be handled with a broader vision and deeper thinking.

At the end of the seminar, Ms Xianghong Xu, Chief Judge of the Fourth Civil Division of the High People's Court of Zhejiang Province, made a summary of the meeting. She said that the seminar provided a valuable reference for further improving the work of foreign-related maritime trials and ensuring a high level of service opening. It is necessary to look to the whole country based on Zhejiang Province, keep the world in mind, and pool the wisdom and joint efforts of all parties. In this way, we can contribute to the construction of foreign-related rule of law, judicial civilisational exchanges and mutual learning, as well as allowing high-level opening-up to the outside world and finally making contributions to the construction of world-class ports with a broader vision and more diversified viewpoints.

The seminar was also open for student participation. Kangrui Chu, a year 1 student studying International Studies at UNNC, shared his insights after the seminar, “The seminar provided a new perspective for my academic studies, allowing me to examine issues such as ship arrests through the lens of international politics and economics, thereby enhancing my understanding of the complexity of international affairs. The diverse backgrounds of the speakers made this seminar rich with both cutting-edge academic reports and practical insights from professionals in the court system and legal industry. This experience not only expanded my knowledge of legal theory but also highlighted its practical applications and connections to the real world. I look forward to participating in more interdisciplinary activities at UNNC in the future to continuously enhance my professional knowledge and practical skills.”

As a business school dedicated to cultivating global business leaders and promoting sustainable socio-economic development, Nottingham University Business School China has been actively exploring ways to collaborate with various fields to drive future development. The recent collaboration with the legal industry has received widespread recognition, showcasing the Business School's strength and experience in cross-disciplinary cooperation. In the future, Nottingham University Business School China AHRC Centre, will continue to expand research and industry-academia collaborations to facilitate cooperation between different fields and promote social development.