The United States of America, together with the Russian Federation, have proposed a system of two-way routes for vessels to follow in the Bering Strait and Bering Sea. This joint proposal features the establishment of six two-way routes and six precautionary areas. The proposed two-way routes will be voluntary for all domestic and international ships. No additional aids to navigation are being proposed to mark the recommended two-way routes and the routing measures do not limit commercial fishing or subsistence activities. More information is available here
Monthly Archives: January 2018
USA/Russia: two-way routes in the Bering Strait and Bering Sea jointly proposed
Filed under State Practice
India: cooperation with ASEAN in the maritime domain envisaged
India and the ASEAN countries have agreed to set up a mechanism on maritime cooperation to counter the common challenges they face in the maritime domain. The information was confirmed at a press briefing press briefing. This intention follows the Delhi declaration of the ASEAN-INDIA commemorative summit, which reaffirmed “the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the region, and other lawful uses of the seas and unimpeded lawful maritime commerce and to promote peaceful resolutions of disputes” and the support of the signatories to the “full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)”. That declaration may be found here.
Filed under State Practice
Call for papers: ELI young lawyers award
The 2018 European Law Institute Young Lawyers Award is open for submissions until 30 April 2018. Papers must deal with “a European legal issue that could be improved”, to which many oceans possibilities could be envisaged.
For more information see here.
Filed under Calls
Summer School: Barcelona International Summer School in Maritime Law
The Abat Oliba Barcelona University, together with London’s City Law School, is organising a summer school in maritime law. The objective is to provide a detailed insight into issues of current importance in the areas of shipping, land transport and European law. The activities will be taking place on 23 – 27 July 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. More information may be found here. The brochure with the application form is available here.
Filed under Courses
Friends of Ocean Action and High-level Panel on Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy launched
During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, a multi-stakeholder partnership, Friends of Ocean Action, was announced, 25 January 2018, with the objective “to help shape global action to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14”. For more information, see here.
At the same time, the Norwegian Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, announced a High-level Panel on Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy, “which will be made up of heads of state and government from a broad range of coastal states, including developing countries”. For more information, see here.
Filed under Non-State Actors, State Practice
Call for abstracts: VI Strathclyde postgraduate colloquium on environmental law and governance
The Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance will organise the VI Strathclyde postgraduate colloquium on environmental law and governance, 3 May 2018, at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, UK). The deadline for abstract submission is 15 February 2018.
For more information see here. Areas of expertise (whereby abstracts are welcome), includes oceans among others.
Rhodes Academy 2018
The twenty-third session of the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy will be held 1-21 July 2018. The deadline to submit an application is 2 April 2018. For more information, fees and application documents please see here.
Furthermore, see the Rhodes Academy Submarine Cables Writing Award sponsored by The International Cable Protection Committee, which has a deadline of the 1 April 2018.
Filed under Courses
China: Arctic Policy white paper published
On the 26 January 2018, the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China released a white paper, entitled, China’s Arctic Policy. China defines itself as a “Near-Arctic State” before setting out its policy goals.
For more information see the full text here.
Filed under State Practice
Call for Papers: International laws at the seas
The School of International Law, China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), and the CUPL Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center for Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights (CSCTSMR), will convene a symposium, entitled, International laws at the seas, 15-16 March 2018, held at CUPL (Beijing, China). Abstracts may be submitted until 30 January 2018.
For more information see here.
UNGA: BBNJ resolution (update)
On the 24 December 2017 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the previously postponed Resolution 74/249, International legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. This initiates formal negotiations of a new legally binding instrument, convening four intergovernmental conference sessions from 2018 to 2020.
For more information see the final text, released 19 January 2018, available here.
Filed under International Organizations
Call for Papers: Global Challenges and the Law of the Sea
The 7th Colloquium of the AssIDMer will take place the 20 and 21 september 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. The event is organized by the University of Lisbon, the University of Porto and the University of Tromsø. The theme is The Global Challenges and the Law of the Sea. The call for papers may be found here. It is dividided in three sessions: (I) the role of the International Organizations in the implementation and development of the Law of the Sea, (II) superpowers, international courts and the Law of the Sea: challenges for the global oceans regime and (III) the protection and conservation of the areas beyond national jurisdiction: where do we stand. The deadline for the submission of draft papers is 30 April 2018. The provisional program is already available here.
De Maribus 