The Institute`s Library was set-up in 1989, concurrently with the establishment of the Institute. Presently, its holdings include most of the major textbooks in the field of international maritime law. During recent years the Library has expanded its acquisition of texts on different legal systems as part of the Institute`s endeavours to develop it into a comparative maritime law library. The purchasing of new books has been streamlined to ensure that all major areas of international maritime law are adequately represented in forthcoming orders.

Apart from the acquisitions made by the Institute and the book donations obtained from different law firms, institutions, organizations and distinguished personalities, the Library has been yearly expanding its collection of national maritime legislation donated by students. As research material, the students are recommended to bring with them the following:

• a copy of the Constitution of their country (if the original text is not in English, studens are advised to procure a translation of the text in English where available);
• copies of all national legislation relating to private and public maritime law, including any Merchant Shipping Act or Maritime Code or other major legislation regulating shipping (if the original text is not in English, studens are advised to procure a translation of the text in English where available);
• copies of any law relating to the incorporation of international legal instruments regarding maritime law into domestic law (if the original text is not in English, studens are advised to procure a translation of the text in English where available);
• any domestic text-book concerning public or private maritime law.