The Federal Parliament of Belgium adopted (16 January 2021) Resolution 55 1687 on deep seabed mining. This resolution requests the Belgium Government to 1) support fundamental scientific research and data collection for further knowledge of the deep sea and for the protection of existing marine ecosystems, and 2) to continue to respect environmental legislation and the precautionary principle when developing possible exploitation rules for deep-sea mining to preserve the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. Resolution 55 1687 may be found here (in French and Dutch).
Monthly Archives: January 2021
Webinar: Adapting Marine Shipping Governance and Maritime Sovereignty
Monmouth University Institute for Global Understanding (IGU) and Urban Coast Institute (UCI) shall host their latest Global Ocean Governance Lecture Series event, entitled, Global Perspectives on Adapting Marine Shipping Governance and Maritime Sovereignty to Respond to Climate Change, 19 February 2021, online.
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
Conference: IUU Fishing
The Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy (FIU) shall host a conference, entitled, IUU Fishing, 3 February 2021, online. For more information and registration see here.
Filed under Events
ITLOS: Mauritius/Maldives Judgment on Preliminary Objections delivered
The Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) formed to deal with the Dispute concerning the delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius/Maldives) delivered on 28 January 2021 its Judgment on the Preliminary Objections raised by the Maldives. The Special Chamber concluded that “it has jurisdiction to adjudicate upon the dispute concerning the delimitation of the maritime boundary between the Parties in the Indian Ocean and that the claim submitted by Mauritius in this regard is admissible” (paragraph 351). For further information see here.
Filed under Jurisprudence
Webinar: The Ongoing Dispute between Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea
The Stockton Center for International Law (SCIL) at U.S. Naval War College is hosting an online seminar entitled The Ongoing Dispute between Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea. The panelists will explore the current legal perspectives of the maritime dispute between Ukraine and Russia, borne out of an incident in November 2018 in which Russia challenged Ukraine’s access to the Sea of Azov and freedom of navigation through the Kerch Strait. The panel will also examine the ongoing Permanent Court of Arbitration case filed by Ukraine against Russia in 2016, and the potential implications for coastal state rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The event is set to happen on 10 February 2021. Further information and access instructions is found here or here.
Filed under Events
Webinar: International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea – Upholding the Rule of Law at Sea
The School of Law (University of Essex) shall host its Essex Public International Law Lecture Series, including, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea – Upholding the Rule of Law at Sea, 8 March 2021, online.
For more information and registration see here.
Filed under Events
Webinar: Climate change and the law of the sea: A test for international law
The Lauterpacht Centre for International Law (University of Cambridge) will host its Friday lecture series, including, Climate change and the law of the sea: A test for international law, 19 February 2021, online.
For more information and registration see here.
Filed under Events
Webinar: A Multi-Faceted Discipline and a Promising Field for Practitioners
The Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (UC Berkeley School of Law) shall host the 2021 Harry & Jane Scheiber Lecture in Ocean Law & Policy, entitled, The Law of the Sea: A Multi-Faceted Discipline and a Promising Field for Practitioners, 4 February 2021, online.
For more information and registration see here.
Filed under Events
Call for Posts: The future of maritime cybersecurity
The Center for International Maritime Security, in partnership with Cyber Nation Central, have issued a call for articles, entitled, Future of Maritime Cybersecurity. Submissions are welcome until 15 February 2021.
For more information see here.
Filed under Calls
Conference: Ocean-Climate Ambition Summit
Belgium, Belize, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Fiji, France, Indonesia, Norway, Panama, Spain & Sweden shall host the Ocean-Climate Ambition Summit, 26 – 27 January 2021, online.
For more information and registration see here.
Filed under Events
UK/EU: Trade and Cooperation Agreement
The Trade And Cooperation Agreement Between The European Union and The European Atomic Energy Community, of the One Part, and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the Other Part was agreed among UK and EU negotiators on 24 December 2020 and has been provisionally applied as of 1 January 2021 (pending ratification by the EU). The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides the framework of UK-EU relations in numerous areas of oceans policy, such as international maritime transport (2.1.2), sustainable development, such as trade and sustainable management of marine biological resources and aquaculture, or greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures at the IMO (2.1.11), fisheries (2.5) and offshore renewable energy in the North Sea (2.1.8).
For more information see the UK summary and European Commission summary. See further the UK’s implementing legislation, the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020.
Concerning Gibraltar, the Government of Gibraltar announced on 31 December 2020 that it had reached an in principle agreement with the UK and Spain for a proposed framework for a UK-EU Agreement on Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU.
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
Call for Papers: What Place for International Law in the Asian Future?
The Asian Society of International Law shall host its 8th Biennial Conference and PhD Students Workshop, entitled, What Place for International Law in the Asian Future?, 20-29 May 2021, online. The law of the sea is a key topic for discussion, but numerous other proposed topics are directly relevant to the law of the sea and its institutions. Abstracts are welcome until 15 February 2021.
For more information see here.
Call for Input: Special Rapporteur’s HRC Report 2021 (Migrant Pushback Practices)
The Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, has issued a call for input, entitled, Report on pushback practices and their impact on the human rights of migrants. This explicitly includes the pushback of migrants at sea. Submissions from Member States, civil society, academia, National Human Rights Institutions and other stakeholders is welcome until 1 February 2021. Input will be used to inform the Special Rapporteur’s forthcoming report to the 47th session of the Human Rights Council.
Filed under Calls
Rhodes Academy 2021 & Submarine Cables Writing Award
The twenty-fifth session of the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy has been rescheduled to 4-23 July 2021. The deadline to submit an application is 12 April 2021. 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 is welcoming submissions until 1 April 2021.
Filed under Courses
Vacancy: lectureship at Queen Mary University of London
The Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University of London (United Kingdom) is looking to appoint a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Shipping Law. The selected applicant will be required to teach in the areas of shipping law. This includes ability to teach in Law of the Sea and Navigational Freedoms and Practice. Closing date for applications is 6 February 2021. More information is available here.
Filed under Vacancies
Vacancy: Internship at the Institute for Sustainable Development & International Relations
The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) is currently advertising a 6-month paid internship (35 hrs/week, January-June 2021) to support IDDRI’s Ocean Team research on ocean governance and marine conservation. Depending on the health situation, the intern will work from home and/or at IDDRI’s offices (Paris, France). Applications are welcome until 22 January 2021.
For more information and to apply see here.
Filed under Vacancies
Webinar: Treasures of the Deep – Life and Rocks
Whale Wise, in cooperation with the Changing Oceans Research Group (University of Edinburgh) and the Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative shall host a webinar on deep-sea mining, entitled, Treasures of the Deep: Life and Rocks, 12 January 2021 from 17:00 (GMT), online.
Filed under Events
ILO: Amendments of 2018 to The Maritime Labour Convention Enter Into Force
The Amendments of 2018 to the Code of the Maritime Labour Convention, adopted 5 June 2018, entered into force 26 December 2020 (see further the status of acceptance by parties). The amendments provide that parties shall require that a seafarer’s employment agreement (SEA) shall continue to have effect while a seafarer is held captive on or off the ship as a result of acts of piracy or armed robbery against ships (ARAS), including the continued benefit of wages and other entitlements under the SEA. Piracy is defined in the MLC Amendments of 2018 by reference to the UNCLOS definition of piracy (see Articles 101-103 of UNCLOS). The definition of ARAS in the MLC Amendments of 2018 follows the previous precedents found in IMO documents (IMO Assembly Resolution A.1025(26), Annex, Paragraph 2.2) and regional treaties (Article 1(2) of Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia).
For an example of domestic implementation of the MLC Amendments of 2018 see Singapore’s Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Amendment) Act 2020.
Filed under State Practice, Treaties
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