The Shipping Casebook provides twenty-three true-to-life cases, built from first-hand interviews with the owners, masters, directors, brokers, lawyers, and executives, that reveal the complex decision-making processes behind cargo disputes, salvage law, crisis negotiation, organizational drift, insurance mechanics and human error.

A contaminated cargo and a Master with seconds to decide whether to sign the paper that makes it official. A young company that gambled everything on a rescue tow, and won, and then had to fight in court to keep what it earned. A crew stranded for months with no return date, and a Master learning that the most dangerous risks on board are sometimes the ones that never trigger an alarm. A phone call, on a Friday evening, demanding eight million dollars in cash before Monday. Readers will gain unprecedented access to the typically closed world of shipping management.

Each case follows a consistent format that transforms tacit industry knowledge into practical learning tools, allowing for immediate application in both academic and professional settings. The authentic scenarios span operations, chartering, legal, technical, and finance departments, enabling readers to develop critical analytical skills essential for success in maritime commerce. By engaging in these real-world dilemmas — where millions of dollars, environmental impacts, and even human lives hang in the balance — readers experience the high-stakes decision-making that defines commercial shipping, preparing them for the complex challenges they'll face in their careers.

This book serves postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students in maritime programs, industry practitioners seeking cross-functional insights, participants in executive education programs and anyone interested in the shipping industry. Ideal for courses in Shipping Operations, Maritime Law, Chartering, Marine Insurance, and Shipping Finance.

Dr. Kelly Gerakoudi is Assistant Professor of Shipping Management at Deree – The American College of Greece, Series Editor of the Routledge Practical Textbooks in Shipping Management, and Associate Editor at the Journal of Shipping and Trade. She writes for TradeWinds and creates and hosts the ShipTalk Vodcast.