Maritime courts win trust of litigants

Chinese courts have heard an increasing number of commercial marine cases in the past three years, especially disputes involving foreign entities, according to an official with China's top court.

Disputes over marine cargo, watercraft rentals, vessel collisions and ship construction have risen amid disorder in the international shipping market and the global economic crisis, said Luo Dongchuan, chief judge of the maritime department at the Supreme People's Court.

In 2011, Chinese maritime courts handled 8,692 marine cases. The figure rose to 11,224 last year, latest court figures show.