The World Bank approved a package of over $20 million for the Republic of the Seychelles to improve the conservation of its marine resources and expand seafood value chains. The package consists of a loan of $5 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and a grant of $5.29 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). In addition, a guarantee of EUR5 million from the IBRD and a credit of $5 million from the GEF’s Non-Grant Instrument Pilot will enable the future issuance of the world’s first Blue Bond by Seychelles. The Blue Bond is expected to mobilize public and private investments to finance the country’s transition to sustainable fisheries. More information on this package is available here.
Monthly Archives: September 2017
World Bank: $20 Million for Seychelles’ Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Resources Conservation
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
IMO: World Maritime Day 2017
Today is World Maritime Day! The theme selected for this year is “Connecting Ships, Ports and People”. The aim is to build on the World Maritime Day theme for 2016, “Shipping: indispensable to the world”. More information on the events taking place at the IMO in London is available here. Information about the parallel event, to be held in Panama on 1-3 October 2017, is available here.
Filed under International Organizations
ITLOS: Judgment on the Ghana/Côte d’Ivoire Dispute
The Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, constituted to deal with the Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in the Atlantic Ocean (Ghana/Côte d’Ivoire), delivered its Judgment. Among other points, it unanimously rejected Ghana’s claim that Côte d’Ivoire is estopped from objecting to the “customary equidistance boundary” and it found that Ghana did not violate the sovereign rights of Côte d’Ivoire. The Award may found here. A reaction by Tullow Oil plc, who explores the Tweneboa Enyenra Ntomme (TEN) oil fields on Ghana’s side of the delimitation line, may be found here.
The single maritime boundary, taken from the Judgment (p. 150).
Filed under Jurisprudence, Non-State Actors
Call for abstracts: Sixth international marine debris conference
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA) and UN Environment have announced the Sixth International Marine Debris Conference, to be held 12-16 March 2018, in San Diego (California, USA). Authors may submit an abstract or poster idea until 11 October 2017.
For more information, see here.
Filed under Calls
ITF: criminalisation toolkit for seafarer unions
The International Transport Workers’ Federation has produced a toolkit for its seafarer unions to help them lobby governments to implement international guidelines to prevent the unfair treatment of seafarers following accidents and pollution at sea. The toolkit highlights cases where seafarers have been scapegoated for accidents and pollution which have arisen as a result of circumstances beyond their control. The toolkit is available here.
Filed under Non-State Actors
Call for papers: The transformation of environmental law and governance – innovation, risk and resilience
The University of Strathclyde Law School shall host the 16th Annual Colloquium of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, entitled, The Transformation of Environmental Law and Governance: Innovation, Risk and Resilience, 4-6 July 2018, at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, UK). Additional events will be scheduled for the 2-3 July 2018. Abstracts may be submitted until 1 February 2018.
For more information see the call for abstracts page here.
Filed under Calls
Call for papers: Transnational food security
The Transnational Legal Theory Journal shall host its inaugural annual symposium, entitled, Transnational Food Security, on 20 January 2018, at the Transnational Law Institute (King’s College London, UK). Abstracts must be submitted by 22 September 2017, with the proposed topics leaving plenty of space for oceans literature.
For more information see here.
Filed under Calls
Chile: Easter Island marine protected area announced
The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, announced, on the 7 September 2017, the designation of 700,000 square kilometers of marine protected areas (MPA) in Easter Island, following the first indigenous consultation on MPAs.
For more information see the press release here. A global overview of MPAs can be found on protectedplanet, here.
Filed under State Practice
Canada: Gulf of St. Lawrence speed restriction enforced
On August 11, 2017, Transport Canada took action to protect whales by implementing a temporary mandatory slow down of vessels 20 metres or more to a maximum of 10 knots. The speed restriction applies to vessels travelling in the western Gulf of St. Lawrence, between the Quebec north shore and just north of Prince Edward Island. The marine notice may be found here. In one case, Transport Canada has taken action by issuing a $6,000 penalty to the Seven Seas Navigator and to the Petalon for an alleged non-compliance with the temporary mandatory slow down. Information on these cases may be found here and here.
Filed under State Practice
UK: cyber security code of practice for ships
The United Kingdom’s Department of Transport has launched a cyber security code of practice for ships. This initiative provides information on implementing and maintaining good cyber security practices on maritime vessels. It links to a past initiative, the cyber security for ports and port systems code of practice, launched on August 2016. The guidance will be complementing the work being done by the IMO to raise awareness of cyber threats and vulnerabilities. More information on these initiatives is available here.
Filed under State Practice
Conference: Human Sea – La dimension européenne de la sûreté et de la sécurité maritime
The Centre de Droit Maritime et Océanique (CDMO) of the University of Nantes is organizing a conference with an aim to analyse the European dimension of action at sea, the challenges for sovereignty and the protection of resources, namely discussing the obligations and practices of European maritime agencies. The event occurs on 26 October 2017 in Nantes, France. More information is available here.
Filed under Events
Conference: Sustainable Ocean Summit 2017
The World Ocean Council will host the Sustainable Ocean Summit 2017, with the theme, The Ocean Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14): Business Leadership and Business Opportunities, 29 November – 1 December 2017, in Halifax (Canada).
For more information see the website here, and programme here.
Filed under Events
Sri Lanka: Seeks exploratory discussions on Indian Ocean code of conduct
At the 2nd Indian Ocean Conference, 31 July – 1 August 2017, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled their position that a code of conduct upon the freedom of navigation and overflight was necessary for the Indian Ocean. The Prime Minister noted “Sri Lanka will soon commence exploratory discussions on convening a meeting to deliberate on a stable legal order on freedom of navigation and over flight in the Indian Ocean”.
For more information see the ministry of foreign affairs statement, and prime minster’s speech (unofficial transcript). Further insight may be provided by a previous speech on the matter at Deakin University.
Filed under State Practice
Seminar: United States Arctic Imperatives
The Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore is hosting a seminar on the 2017 Council on Foreign Relations’ report “Arctic Imperatives: Reinforcing U.S. Strategy on America’s Fourth Coast“. The event will take place in Singapore, on 20 September 2017. More information is available here.
Filed under Events
PCA: Timor-Leste and Australia Maritime Boundary Conciliation (update)
The conciliation proceedings between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, pursuant to article 298 and Annex V of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, has reached “agreement on the central elements of a maritime boundary delimitation between them in the Timor Sea”, on the 30 August 2017.
For more information see Press Release No. 9, and, generally, PCA Case No. 2016-10. Previous reporting may be found here.
Filed under Jurisprudence
Conference: 4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress
The 4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress, IMPAC4, will be held 4-8 September 2017, in La Serena – Coquimbo (Chile).
For more information and to watch online, see the programme here.
Filed under Events
De Maribus 