Clinical, Operational & Medico-Legal Insight for Medicine at Sea
Journal of Maritime Medicine brings together real-world shipboard experience, remote and polar medicine, and medico-legal awareness to support safer, better-documented care on cruise and expedition vessels.
Who this site is for
- Ship & Expedition Doctors needing practical, context-aware guidance.
- Cruise & Expedition Operators focused on risk, evacuation and standards of care.
- Insurers & P&I Clubs seeking medical context for incidents and claims.
- Lawyers & Medico-Legal Teams handling cases involving care at sea.
Journal of Maritime Medicine
Journal of Maritime Medicine will publish focused articles, case reports, and reviews spanning cruise medicine, remote and polar operations, evacuation decision-making, and documentation standards on board.
Case Reports & Clinical Notes
Real-world, de-identified cases from cruise and expedition practice, with practical learning points for lone shipboard clinicians.
Remote & Polar Operations
Frameworks for decision-making when air evacuation is delayed or impossible, including Antarctica and other high-latitudes itineraries.
Medico-Legal Reflections
Commentary on documentation, standards of care, and common pitfalls in complaints and litigation involving shipboard medicine.
Clinical Resources for Medicine at Sea
A growing library of checklists, reference tools and documentation templates tailored to small medical teams working in remote maritime environments.
Checklists & Decision Aids
- Antarctic Medevac Decision Support (coming soon).
- Remote Appendicitis Assessment & conservative management framework.
- Sea-sickness, dehydration and frailty risk bundles for cruise guests.
Documentation Templates
- Standardized Shipboard Consultation & Progress Note Structure.
- Discharge Summaries for Repatriation and Follow-up Ashore.
- Incident and Injury Reports aligned with Medico-Legal needs.
Independent Medico-Legal Consulting
Journal of Maritime Medicine provides Independent Clinical and Medico-Legal Review in cases involving shipboard care, evacuation decisions, and documentation in remote settings.
Case Screening & Merit Opinions
Structured opinions to help patients, lawyers, and insurers understand whether the medical facts support a potential claim or defence.
Standard of Care & Documentation Review
Detailed review of care, decision-making and records in the context of what is reasonable and feasible aboard ships and in expedition settings.
System & Policy Input
Advisory work for Operators and Insurers on onboard medical systems, SOPs, and training, to reduce risk and improve defensibility.
About Journal of Maritime Medicine
Journal of Maritime Medicine is led by a senior ship’s physician with a background in anaesthesia, intensive care, pain, and maritime medicine, combining clinical practice on cruise and polar expedition vessels with medico-legal experience.
The aim is to bridge the gap between land-based guidelines and the realities of remote practice: constrained diagnostics, long evacuation times, complex itineraries, and multinational crews and guests.
Articles and resources are written primarily for clinicians, but in a way that can also inform operators, insurers and legal professionals working with cases at sea.