Comparative Maritime Law is a key publication in the field of maritime law and the law of the sea, both in Croatia and internationally. It publishes peer-reviewed scientific articles, professional translations, case law and arbitral award reviews, book reviews, and occasionally other expert and scholarly commentary and information. The publisher of the journal is the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, whilst the Adriatic Institute, a scientific research unit within the Academy, is responsible for the editorial management and administration of the journal.
The journal’s publication ethics guidelines apply to all parties involved in the publishing process: the Editor-in-Chief, the editorial board, reviewers, and authors. Our Code of Ethics is aligned with the COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors (2011), the COPE Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (2022), and the Regulations on Publishing Activities of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (2007, no English version available).
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDITOR AND EDITORIAL BOARD
The publisher appoints the Editor-in-Chief, who convenes the editorial board composed of suitably qualified members who can actively contribute to the development and effective management of the journal.
The Editor-in-Chief consults with the editorial board and reviewers—appointed by the Department of Social Sciences of the Croatian Academy —when making editorial decisions. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for determining the topics and contributions to be published, based on their scientific merit and relevance to scholars and readers. The Deputy Editor shares responsibility when acting in the Editor-in-Chief’s stead.
Manuscripts are evaluated on the basis of their intellectual content, regardless of the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, nationality, citizenship, or political views. Freedom of expression is respected, as is the integrity of scientific ideas, in line with laws concerning defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. In the event of inaccurate, misleading, or ambiguous statements, the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board shall ensure the timely publication of a correction or clarification. If an article violates the journal’s ethical code or legal standards, the board may retract it and publish an appropriate notice.
The Editor-in-Chief must maintain the integrity and confidentiality of submitted manuscripts throughout the review process and must not have any personal, financial, or other conflicts of interest related to editorial decisions. The editorial board is responsible for ensuring a fair and proper peer review process. Editors must recuse themselves in cases of conflicts of interest stemming from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with authors. Reviewers and editorial collaborators must disclose any relevant conflicts of interest and, where necessary, publish corrections or take further measures such as issuing retractions or expressions of concern.
Editors must not use unpublished material from submitted manuscripts or disclose information about them to anyone except the authors, reviewers, and potential reviewers, unless explicitly authorized by the authors. The Editor-in-Chief must consult with the editorial board at least once annually to review journal management practices and consider changes or improvements in line with evolving academic and publishing standards.
Editorial duties also include supporting and promoting the journal, pre-reviewing submissions, identifying leading authors and papers, recommending reviewers, writing editorials, and participating in joint editorial meetings.
In implementing editorial policies, the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board should aim to meet the needs of readers and authors, plan for the journal’s future, maintain high-quality standards and ensure that potential commercial interests do not influence editorial decisions. The Editor-in-Chief must protect the integrity of the journal and its content by issuing corrections or retractions when needed, as well investigate any potential misconduct in research and publishing. The Editor-in-Chief must also take action in response to any irregularities in the review process or if there are any ethical complaints concerning submitted manuscripts or published papers.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF REVIEWERS
Each invited reviewer who feels qualified to assess a manuscript should respond within a reasonable time and submit the review by the agreed deadline. If unavailable, the reviewer should notify the editorial board and decline the assignment. Reviewers must inform the editorial board if they suspect a conflict of interest (e.g., personal or professional relationships, competition, financial interests) and recuse themselves if their impartiality could be questioned. The Editor-in-Chief decides whether such conflicts disqualify the reviewer.
Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents. They may not be shared or discussed with others without editorial permission and may never be used for personal gain.
All scientific and professional articles are subject to a double-blind peer review in accordance with the Regulations on Publishing Activities of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Reviewers must not contact authors directly; communication occurs solely through the editorial board. Reviews should be conducted objectively. Reviewers should express their opinions clearly and constructively to help authors improve their manuscripts.
Reviewers must alert the editors to any similarities or overlaps between the submitted manuscript and previously published works known to them, and identify any sources the authors may have failed to cite. All reused arguments or ideas must be properly referenced.
Reviewers should be familiar with COPE’s Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers and follow them during the review process.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORS
Authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the development and interpretation of the main ideas and research findings. Significant contributors must be listed as co-authors; other participants may be acknowledged as associates. The submitting author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors are properly credited, have reviewed and approved the final version, and consent to its publication.
Authors must present accurate data, discuss their research objectively, and highlight the significance of their findings. Fabrication or selective reporting of data is considered unethical.
Articles must include sufficient detail and cited sources to allow others to verify claims and results. Deliberate misrepresentation of data is unacceptable. Authors must be prepared to share raw data for peer review and retain it for a reasonable time after publication. Freedom of expression is protected, but authors are responsible for ensuring the originality of their manuscripts. All use of third-party work must be properly cited.
Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously is unacceptable and considered unethical. Once accepted in Comparative Maritime Law, a manuscript may only be republished elsewhere with editorial approval and a clear reference to the original publication.
Authors must follow journal publishing standards, licensing terms, and open access requirements, and format their manuscripts according to the Instructions for Authors.
All authors must disclose any financial or similar conflicts of interest that may influence research results or interpretation. All sources of funding must be clearly acknowledged in the article.
If an author discovers a significant error in a published article, they must promptly notify the editorial board or publisher and cooperate to correct or retract the article.
Authors using artificial intelligence tools in writing, creating images or graphics, or in data collection or analysis must disclose which AI tool was used and how. This disclosure should appear in the acknowledgments or an introductory note. Authors remain fully responsible for all manuscript content, including portions generated by AI, and for any breaches of publication ethics.
By submitting a manuscript to Comparative Maritime Law, authors explicitly confirm that it meets all authorship and ethical standards stated herein.
MEASURES AGAINST UNETHICAL CONDUCT
The journal employs various measures to uphold ethical standards and publication quality. In cases of misunderstanding or misconduct by authors or reviewers, the following steps may be taken:
- Informing the author or reviewer – Initially, the editorial board may offer clarification or additional guidance to resolve misunderstandings or improve adherence to ethical guidelines.
- Written warning – If misconduct continues, the editorial board may issue a formal warning pointing out the unacceptable behavior. The purpose of this step is to highlight the seriousness of the situation and to encourage a change in behavior.
- Publishing an editorial note – In serious cases, the journal may publish a notice detailing the misconduct, which may affect the author’s or reviewer’s reputation.
- Notifying the relevant institution – If the person involved is affiliated with an institution, the journal may inform the institution about the unethical behavior.
- Retraction of the article – In the most severe cases, the journal may retract the article and notify the author’s or reviewer’s institution.
- Embargo on future submissions – The journal may impose a temporary ban on submissions from the individual involved.
- Informing competent authorities – In extreme cases, the journal may notify appropriate authorities to investigate and take further action.
These steps constitute an integrated system to ensure the ethical integrity and scientific quality of the journal’s publications.
