Final answer:
Jettison in Ocean Marine Insurance is a voluntary act to dispose of cargo to avert further danger, not an illegal act, liability insurance, or expensive salvage operation. It must be taken with the ship's and cargo's safety in mind.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Ocean Marine Insurance, Jettison is defined as a voluntary action to rid the ship of cargo in order to prevent further peril. This action is taken in extreme circumstances to lighten the ship's load and potentially save it from sinking or suffering more severe damage. An infamous historical example of jettison is that of the Zong massacre in 1781, which involved the captain of a slave ship throwing overboard 132 enslaved Africans to claim insurance money for lost cargo. However, a jettison does not always involve such grim circumstances and is most often carried out to protect the vessel and remaining cargo from impending dangers, such as severe weather conditions or damage to the ship's integrity.