Henrik Ringbom
Bio:
Dr Henrik Ringbom is Professor of Maritime Law and the Law of the Sea at the Åbo Akademi University in Finland and Professor II (part-time) at the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law at the University of Oslo. His previous work experience includes being Head of Unit for Marine Environment, Training and Statistics at the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Lisbon (2007-2012) and Administrator at the Maritime Safety Unit of the European Commission in Brussels (1997-2003). He has published widely in the field of European and international shipping law as well as environmental law and governance.
Professor Ringbom is a member of the EMSA Administrative Board and past President of the Finnish Maritime Law Association. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the OneSea Autonomous Maritime Ecosystem (www.oneseaecosystem.net) in Finland, the Regulatory working group of the Norwegian Forum for Autonomous Shipping, and the Comité Maritime International’s international working group on autonomous ships.
Publications:
Books and special issues:
- G. Arguello, I. Herrera Anchustegui, H. Ringbom (eds.), The Lifecycle of Offshore Wind Power: Nordic Legal Perspectives, Special Issue in Ocean Development & International Law, Issue 4/2025 (forthcoming)
- H. Ringbom & A. Chircop (eds.), The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Marpol): A Commentary, Edward Elgars Publishing Limited, Cheltenham 2025
Peer-reviewed articles:
- H. Ringbom, New Threats – Old Rules: Law of the Sea Issues Raised by Suspected Attacks on Submarine Infrastructure in the Baltic Sea’, Ocean Development & International Law 3/2025 (forthcoming)
- H. Ringbom, ‘Havsrätten om misstänkta sabotagefartyg’ Tidskrift i Sjöväsendet, Kungliga Örlogsmannasällskapet, Stockholm 1/2025, pp. 45-59
- H. Ringbom, ‘Regional Issues and Challenges Linked to MARPOL’, in H. Ringbom and A. Chircop (eds.), International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships: A Commentary, Edward Elgars, Cheltenham, 2025, pp. 635-666.
- H. Ringbom, ‘Autonomous Ships and the Flag State’ in N. Klein, D. Guilfoyle, R. McLaughlin and S. Karim (eds.) Maritime Autonomous Vehicles and International Law, Routledge, 2025, pp. 50-73
- H. Ringbom, A. Lott, ‘Pipelines Sabotage of Critical Offshore Infrastructure: a Case Study of the Balticconnector Incident’, in A. Lott (ed.) Maritime Security Law in Hybrid Warfare, Brill 2024, pp. 155-194.
- H. Ringbom, ‘MASS-hysteri? – Om den internationella regleringen av autonoma fartyg’, Vänbok till Svenska sjörättsföreningen, Svenska Sjörättsföreningens skriftserie, Nr 84 Stockholm, 2023, pp. 211-220.
Johanna Friman
Bio:
Johanna Friman is Doctor of Laws and Adjunct professor (Docent) of international law.
Her research is currently focused on artificial intelligence and intersections between law and technology. Other central research interests include international security and legal accountability. Her research has previously been focused on the international law on the use of force; State responsibility; international, collective and human security; international humanitarian law; international criminal law; as well as autonomous weapons and artificial intelligence in military contexts.
In an environmental law context, her main area of interest is related to international environmental law, with a particular focus on environmental security and accountability, biodiversity, as well as outer space.
Viljam (Ville) Engström
Bio:
Adjunct professor (Docent), Head of Research in Public International Law. AboCRIS profile. Crosscutting research interests: The function of law and legal reasoning; the structure and function of international institutions; the role of rights in international governance. Publication areas: Human rights; judicial review; international organizations / institutions; law and governance of the European Union; international financial institutions; social protection; social innovation; governance and regulation of the Baltic Sea.
Publications:
- The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), in The Presence of International Organizations in the Evolution of the International Law of the Sea (ed. Gabriela A. Oanta) Brill (2025
- Climate change scenarios and future legal challenges: the northern seas experiment, (with Michel Rouleau-Dick), in Jetoo et al. Understanding Marine Changes, Environmental Knowledge and Methods of Research (Edvard Elgar 2023)
- The EU’s Interaction with Institutions in the Baltic Sea Region, in Rosas and Ringbom (eds), The EU and the Baltic Sea Area (Bloomsbury), 2023
Albert Vlodder
Bio:
Albert Vlodder is a doctoral researcher at Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland. He holds a master’s degree in international law from the University of Helsinki. His main areas of interest are the law of the sea and the law of armed conflict, with the topic of his doctoral research being jurisdictional issues on the high seas. Before pursuing a legal education, Albert served nearly a decade in the Royal Canadian Navy
Anton Eklund
Bio:
Doctoral researcher in public international law.
My master’s degree (2023): https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/187364
My research interests are:
- law of the sea
- environmental law
- European Union Law
- marine protected areas
- offshore renewable energy
Jouni Honkala
Bio:
- Doctoral researcher in public international law at Åbo Akademi University
- Master`s degree in 1983 at the University of Turku
- Several appointments as a prosecutor and as a general legal aid attorney
- 32 years’ service as a military lawyer in the Defence Forces/Navy (holds reserve rank of commander)
- Interests include the law of the sea, law of naval warfare, and emergency law
Publications:
- Monograph; Johdatus sota-aluksen oikeudelliseen asemaan Suomen rannikolla, 2022
- Monograph; Vieras sota-alus Suomen rannikolla; Oikeudellinen tarkastelu vieraan lippuvaltion sota-aluksen kulku- ja toimintaoikeuksista Suomen rannikolla, 2024
- Article; Rannikonpuolustaja magazine, number 4/2024, on autonomous warships, digital magazine, Lehdet 2011 – 2025 (PDF) – RP-lehti pages 11-17 (not a dissertation article)