An evaluation of the legal obligations of the Armed Forces of Malta, particularly the Maritime Squadron, with respect to safety of life at sea

Abstract

The object of this thesis is to highlight the importance of the duties and responsibilities carried out by the Maritime Squadron in conjunction with the rest of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) with respect to the safety of life at sea. Unfortunately the AFM does not get the awareness and appreciation it truly deserves and this study is aimed at rectifying this, at least with respect to the protection of life at sea. The first chapter is intended to focus on the legal and historical developments in Malta that characterized the social and military developments on the island and which ultimately resulted in the formation of the Armed Forces of Malta as we know them today, while also outlining the composition of the AFM and the position that the Maritime Squadron holds within that structure. Irregular migration is the most current and controversial aspect of the safety of life at sea and it is for this reason that the second and third chapters will focus solely on this, first from an International and European law perspective, and secondly from a Maltese legal perspective. The objective is to intricately analyze all the legal aspects that come into play in order to draw attention to the substantial responsibility that the AFM holds, while also highlighting any deficiencies in the irregular migration procedure. The final chapter will then comprise of an analysis of the protection of life at sea with respect to seafarers, fishermen and other live-beings, focusing on the international and local legal developments in the field. Ultimately this study will result in a number of legal observations as to the significant improvements made in the sphere of the safety of life at sea while also highlighting some important short-comings which demand the necessary attention and improvements.