The Titanic, the largest ocean liner of its time, struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean during its maiden voyage and sank on 15 April 1912 with the loss of more than 1,500 lives. It was one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.

One hundred years later, the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) based at UOW’s Innovation Campus will commemorate the world’s most famous maritime tragedy by hosting an evening cocktail function and address by ANCORS Visiting Senior Fellow, Dr John Mansell. The event will be held on Friday 13 April.

Dr Mansell will discuss developments in maritime safety in the 100 years before and after the Titanic disaster and lessons learnt, including the regulatory and social environment that led to the design of the ill-fated ship. Dr Mansell is Principal Maritime Advisor to Maritime New Zealand and a master mariner and was previously a shipmaster. He completed his PhD at ANCORS in 2007, later published as a book by Springer (Flag State Responsibility: Historical Development and Contemporary Issues, 2009, 269pp).

Anyone interested in attending the ANCORS Maritime Safety Cocktail and Seminar Function from 5-7pm on Friday 13 April should contact Myree Mitchell on 4221 4883 or email myree@uow.edu.au.The seminar will be held in the ITAMS Building, Lecture Theatre, Innovation Campus, North Wollongong.

ANCORS Director Professor Martin Tsamenyi AM has been included in the 2012 Australia Day Honours List. Martin has been made a Member of the Order of Australia for "services to maritime and fisheries law in the Asia-Pacific region through the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, and to legal education."

Enormous congratulations to Martin for receiving the most prestigious national recognition for his outstanding contributions.