The Beauty of Shipping Today

Wednesday, July 12 @ 6:30 pm
Old North Foundation Speaker Series
The Beauty of Shipping Today
Speaker: Dr. Portia Ndlovu
Tickets: “pay what you will” donation

Many of Old North's original pew owners and parishioners were sea captains and merchants, making the church quite dependent on the sea-faring industry. In fact, its steeple was funded by the sale of logwood, a hot commodity in the 1730s but only made possible by the forced labor of enslaved Africans in South America. Modern shipping faces some of the same challenges faced during the 18th century and after, except this time the problems are more defined, researched, statistically analyzed, and more scientifically understood. Better political and international law systems underpin the ideals of modern international trade. While terror attacks, cyber-threats, refugee crises, recessions, overtrading, and piracy do happen, the efficiency in the modern shipping industry must be applauded, encouraged, and supported. This presentation will explore the beauty amongst the chaos, reminding us to acknowledge humanity’s accomplishments with modern shipping, considering lessons that will allow us to grow our global connectedness.

Dr. Fikile Portia Ndlovu is an Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. With over 13 years of higher education experience, she has served as a Senior Maritime Lecturer, Visiting Professor, and Lawyer, and she specializes in commercial legal principles of international trade, particularly Maritime Law/Maritime Business, which directly includes International Commerce, International Trade, Environmental Regulation, International Diamond Trade Law and other International Law subjects. Her research has also extended to Asia Pacific trade matters, Maritime Pedagogy, the Mining of Sea Areas, employment of vessels for mining, and the Law of the Sea. Portia has coordinated Maritime Law and Commerce programs in different nations in service to the academic institutions where she was affiliated during the course of her career. As a practicing Maritime lawyer, she also provides consultancy services to government bodies, legal compliance advice, and policy advice, along with support to various commercial entities and law firms. Of her many publications, Diamond Law received a citation for Most Notable Publication Received in the Energy and Natural Resources Law Journal (JERL) Vol. 31 No 3 2013.

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