A more thorough explanation:

Dominus Navis

Dominus Navis is a Latin term used in civil law to refer to the person who owns a shipping vessel. This person has absolute ownership of the vessel and is responsible for its operation and maintenance.

For example, if John owns a cargo ship, he is the dominus navis of that ship. He has the right to use the ship for his own purposes and is responsible for any legal or financial issues related to the ship.

Another example is if a shipping company owns a fleet of vessels, the company is the dominus navis of each ship in the fleet. The company has the authority to make decisions about the operation and maintenance of the ships.

These examples illustrate how dominus navis refers to the legal owner of a shipping vessel and the responsibilities that come with that ownership.