The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) will host the Second Asia-Pacific Day for the Ocean, on the 8 November 2019 at the United Nations Conference Centre (Bangkok, Thailand). Registration is open until 1 November 2019.
For further information see here.
Filed under Events
The Law Review Symposium Committee of the California Western Law Review and International Law Journal seek articles for the symposium issue of the journals, entitled, Wasted: The Global Effects of Plastic Waste in a Consumer Society. All authors of manuscripts selected for publication will be invited to the symposium conference, 14 March 2020, at the California Western School of Law (San Diego, USA). Abstracts are welcome until 17 November 2019.
For more information see the call for papers and website.
The IMO will host a symposium, entitled, IMO 2020 and Alternative Fuels, 17-18 October 2019, at IMO Headquarters (London,UK). There will be live streaming with the possibility of remote participation here.
For further information see the programme and webpage. Further information on remote streaming is found in the Annex.
Filed under Events
The Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law, together with the University of Geneva, is organizing a conference entitled The Dynamics of Disputes over Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing: Regime Convergence and Lex Ferenda. The conference begins with an assessment of the legal scope of IUU Fishing disputes, and concludes with proposals for improving the management of these disputes in light of the dispute settlement frameworks discussed over the course of two days: institutions for global and regional cooperation, international courts and tribunals, and domestic jurisdictions. The event is set to happen 28-29 November 2019 in Luxembourg. More information is available here; the provisional program can be found here.
Filed under Events
Aalborg University is offering a PhD course entitled Marine Governance and Maritime Spatial Planning: theories and practices. It is an introduction to current issues and debates in marine governance and MSP that are discussed in social scientific literature, such as regionalization, authority at sea, governing new economic activities in weak institutional settings (such as deep-sea mining and the Arctic), power, equity and participation. This course is set to last for three days, from 30 October 2019 to 1 November 2019, and is equivalent to 3 ECTS. Registration is open until 9 October 2019. More information is available here.
Filed under Courses
On the 23 September 2019 the meeting of the UN Global Compact Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business formally launched the Sustainable Ocean Principles. The principles recognize the shared responsibility of businesses to ensure a healthy oceans.
For more information see the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Ocean Principles.
Filed under Non-State Actors
The Republic of Mauritius and the Republic of Maldives transmitted a special agreement and notification to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to submit their dispute concerning the delimitation of the maritime boundary in the Indian Ocean to a special chamber of the Tribunal to be constituted pursuant to article 15, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the Tribunal. The Parties agreed to transfer the arbitral proceedings instituted on 18 June 2019 by Mauritius under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to a special chamber of the Tribunal. The Special Agreement, the Order and the press release are available here.
Filed under Jurisprudence
The Transnational Law Institute of King’s College London and the International Law Department of the Graduate Institute Geneva shall co-organize a workshop, entitled, Bringing the “human problem” back into transnational law: The example of corporate (ir)responsibility, 19-20 March 2020, at King’s College London (London, UK). Many of the suggested thematic areas will be of interest to those working in the law of the sea. Abstracts welcome until 1 October 2019.
For more information, see here.
The Ocean Yearbook’s annual competition for students writing research papers on “marine affairs” is open for submissions until 15 May 2020. Sole-authored student papers submitted for the competition must be nominated by the instructor or supervisor of the course taken by the student, and must have been submitted for the course within the last 12 months of the competition’s annual entry date.
For more information on eligibility and submissions, see here.
Filed under Calls
The 4th ANZPAC Workshop on Biofouling Management for Sustainable Shipping, will be held 30 September – 4 October 2019, at the Melbourne Conference & Exhibition Centre (Melbourne, Australia). Several panels touch upon regulations and requirements. This event is held alongside the 1st GEF-UNDP-IMO GloFouling R&D Forum and Exhibition on Biofouling Management.
Filed under Events
The World Ocean Council is presenting another edition of the Sustainable Ocean Summit, themed “Investing In Ocean Futures: Finance and Innovation for the Blue Economy”. This year’s event will take place in Paris, France, on November 20-22, 2019. Aside from plenary sessions, the summit will also feature workshops; one of them is entitled Assessing Threat, Risk and Environmental Impacts to Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Solutions, Best Practices and International Collaboration. Side events may also be proposed to the organizers. The program of the event is available here.
Filed under Events
The Université Paris 8 is hosting a workshop entitled Les îles et le droit international“(Islands and International Law). The event includes presentations on new islands, territorial sovereignty, artificial islands and environmental/cultural risks. The event is set to happen in Paris, France, on 30 September 2019. More information is available here.
Filed under Events
The Centre d’Etudes sur la Sécurité Internationale et les Coopérations Européennes (CESICE) and the Centre de Recherches Juridiques (CRJ) of the Université Grenoble Alpes shall host a conference entitled Les apports du système du Traité de l’Antarctique au droit international (The contributions of the Antarctic Treaty system to International Law), 5-6 December 2019, at Saint-Martin-d’Hères (France).
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
The Europa Institute (Leiden University), Grotius Centre (Leiden University) and Amsterdam Center for International Law (University of Amsterdam) shall host a conference, entitled, Governance of International Courts and Tribunals: Ensuring Judicial Independence and Accountability, 20-21 September 2019, at Leiden Law School (Leiden, The Netherlands). Discussions include critical reflection upon the governance of ITLOS.
For further information see the programme and registration.
Filed under Events
The Nigeria Federal Ministry of Transportation, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy shall host a conference, entitled, Global Maritime Security, 7-9 October 2019, at the International Conference Centre (Abuja, Nigeria). Registration is free but mandatory.
Filed under Events
VASAB, IOC UNESCO, EC DG-MARE and Pan Baltic Scope are organizing the 4th Maritime Spatial Planning Forum. This event is set to happen 19-21 November 2019 in Riga, Latvia. The focus will be on global and regional MSP topics, including the results and findings of Pan Baltic Scope collaboration. Interactive workshops, plenaries and key-notes will give an opportunity to look at different MSP practices and solutions in a global scale. The application to attend is open here until November 1.
Filed under Events
The African Academy of International Law Practice is organizing a conference entitled “Contentieux Des Espaces Maritimes Africains Dans Tous Ses États” (African maritime spatial disputes in all of its States). The event is set to happen in Paris, France on 25 September 2019. The event will feature eight presentations structured around two panels, the first on maritime disputes and the second on ocean resource management. The programme is available here (in French), and registration is open until 22 September 2019.
Filed under Events
The ESIL Interest Group on the Law of the Sea has announced its programme for its 15th ESIL Annual Conference Side Event, entitled, Sovereignty at Sea: Repercussions in flux?, to be held on the 12 September 2019 at the Faculty Club (Athens, Greece).
For more information see the programme and the 15th ESIL Annual Conference website.
Filed under Events
The United Nations International Law Commission (ILC) has decided to include the topic “sea-level rise in relation to international law” in its programme of work and established a Study Group. The Study Group will focus on the subject of sea-level rise in relation to the law of the sea. The ILC expects to receive, by 31 December 2019, examples from States of their practice that could be relevant (even if indirectly) to sea-level rise or other changes in circumstances of a similar nature. Such practice could, for example, relate to baselines and where applicable archipelagic baselines, closing lines, low-tide elevations, islands, artificial islands, land reclamation and other coastal fortification measures, limits of maritime zones, delimitation of maritime boundaries, and any other issues relevant to the subject. More information is available here.
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
The Global Law Initiatives for Sustainable Development (gLAWcal), American Society of International Law Interest Group on International Environmental Law and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki shall host a conference, entitled, States, Corporations and Commons: Dissonance and Accord, 11 September 2019, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki, Greece).
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
The Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies (Indiana University) and Universität Hamburg shall co-sponsor, with the support of the International Foundation for the Law of the Sea, a conference, entitled, 25 Years of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 17-18 October 2019, at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Hamburg, Germany). For security purposes, attendees must register before 14 October 2019.
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has approved and endorsed a joint claim from the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. The joint claim over 600,000 square kilometers of additional seabed, on what is known as the Ontong Java Plateau, was lodged in 2009. More information is available here and here.
Map of final foot of continental slope (FOS) positions in the North and South Regions, received from the Joint Delegation on 26 July 2016. Source: Commission on the Limits
of the Continental Shelf.
Filed under State Practice
The Jean Monnet Chair on International and European Law of the Sea (IELoS) shall host a workshop, entitled, EU Law and Ports: New Routes, New Rules?, 2 September 2019, at the Palazzo San Giorgio (Genoa, Italy).
For more information and registration, see the flyer.
Filed under Events
The Common Good Foundation in partnership with The Resolution Centre, Jersey Law Commission, and The Resolution Journal, shall host a conference, entitled, Environmental Crimes Law Conference, 31 October – 1 November 2019, in Saint Helier, Jersey. Abstracts are welcome until 6 September 2019.
For more information see here.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Institute for the International Law of the Sea and for Maritime Law (University of Hamburg) shall host an international workshop, entitled, The LOSC 25 Years after its Entry Into Force: Between Comprehensiveness and Exceptionalism, 24 September 2019 at Aby-Warburg-Haus (Hamburg, Germany).
For further information see here and the programme. Registration closes 16 September 2019.
Filed under Events
Tuvaijuittuq is the first Marine Protected Area to be designated by ministerial order under the Oceans Act for interim protection. Under the order, no new or additional human activities will be allowed to occur in the area for up to five years, with the following exceptions: the exercise of Inuit rights respecting wildlife harvesting as provided for under the Nunavut Agreement; marine scientific research consistent with the conservation objectives of the MPA; safety, security and emergency activities; certain activities carried out by a foreign national, entity, ship or state. The objective of this MPA is to contribute to the conservation, protection and understanding of the natural diversity, productivity and dynamism of the High Arctic sea ice ecosystem. This MPA encompasses an area of 319 411 km2. More information is available here.
Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area. Source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Filed under State Practice
The Fifteenth International Colloquium organised by the Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law at Swansea University Law School, entitled, Ship Operations – New Risks, Liabilities and Technologies in the Maritime Sector, will be held 12-13 September 2019 at Swansea University (Swansea, UK).
For further information (in English and Welsh) see here and here.
Filed under Events
The Second World Maritime University (WMU) Regional Conference for the Americas, entitled, Maritime Transport & Ocean Policies: Regional Perspectives for The Americas, will be held 30 September-02 October 2019 in Veracruz, Mexico.
For further information see the website.
Filed under Events
The South African Research Chair in the Law of the Sea and Development in Africa shall host a conference, entitled, Transformed and Transformative Ocean Governance, 22-24 January 2020, to be held at Nelson Mandela University (Port Elizabeth, South Africa).
For further information see the announcement and Chair’s website.
Filed under Events
The Bailiwick of Guernsey’s territorial seas shall increase in size on 23 July 2019. The current limit of the Bailiwick’s territorial seas is 3 nautical miles (nm) from the baselines. The new limit will be 12 nm. The territorial sea would extend to less than 12 nm wherever the distance between the baselines of the Bailiwick and the baselines of another party (France or Jersey) is less than 24 nm. Fishing access in the waters around the Bailiwick, from 0 to 12 nautical miles, will remain unchanged on the date of extension. The Bailiwick fisheries management regime will also remain the same as it was before extension until any new regime is subsequently agreed. More information is available here.
Bailiwick of Guernsey maritime boundaries. Source: States of Guernsey.
Filed under State Practice
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has delivered its Order of 6 July 2019 in respect of Case No. 27, The M/T “San Padre Pio” Case (Switzerland v. Nigeria), Provisional Measures. The Tribunal concluded that prima facie the UNCLOS Annex VII arbitral tribunal would have jurisdiction over the submitted dispute. The Tribunal prescribed various provisional measures under Article 290(5) of UNCLOS.
For an overview see the press release. Two Declarations, one Joint Declaration, three Separate Opinions and four Dissenting Opinions were appended to the Order of 6 July 2019, available here.
Filed under Jurisprudence
The President of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an 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 has released an advanced version of the text, entitled, Draft text of an agreement 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, 25 June 2019. This was produced in response to a request during the second session of the IGC. Its aim is “to facilitate further progress in the negotiations”.
For the draft text, see here.
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
Dalian Law School, The Development Of International Law In Asia-Korea (DILA-Korea) and the Korea Institute Of Ocean Science And Technology (KIOST) shall cohost two back-to-back conferences, entitled, Rule of Law and the Law of the Sea and Transboundary Fisheries Management, 27-29 June 2019, in Dalian, China.
For more information see here.
The Jean Monnet Chair on International and European Law of the Sea (IELoS) shall host the fifth edition of the EULoS Summer School, European Union and the Law of the Sea, 26 August – 6 September 2019, in Genoa, Italy. Applications are welcome until 2 August 2019.
For more information see the EULoS website.
Filed under Courses
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), was seised of a dispute between Guatemala and Belize by way of a special agreement. In 2008, the two States concluded an agreement to submit Guatemala’s territorial, insular and maritime claim to the International Court of Justice, which was subsequently amended by a protocol concluded in 2015. The Parties now request the Court to determine in accordance with applicable rules of international law as specified in Article 38(1) of the Statute of the Court any and all legal claims of Guatemala against Belize to land and insular territories and to any maritime areas pertaining to these territories, to declare the rights therein of both Parties, and to determine the boundaries between their respective territories and areas.
More information on the case and the referenda that led to it can be found in the ICJ press release, at the Belize Referendum Commission website and in a presentation held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala (in Spanish).
Filed under Jurisprudence, State Practice
The Brazilian Institute for the Law of the Sea (IBDMAR), with the support of Dom Helder, shall host their first ITLOS moot court competition, Republic of Disali Vs. Kingdom of Brismania, 26-27 November 2019, at Dom Helder (Belo Horizonte, Brazil). Registration is open until 10 August 2019.
For more information please see here.
Filed under Competitions
The Institute for the Law of the Sea and International Marine Environmental Law shall host a workshop entitled Maritime Security and Offshore Activities and Installations: Legal Aspects. The event is set to happen on 20 June 2019 in Bremen, Germany. The programme is available here; more information can be found at the website of the IE-LOS Jean Monnet Chair on International and European Law of the Sea.
Filed under Events
The KG Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea (JCLOS) is hosting a conference entitled “Balancing stability and flexibility in adapting to future challenges. The conference shall be held in Tromsø, Norway, on 19 – 20 September 2019. One of the discussion panels is entitled “The future of the law of the sea and law of the sea research in the 2020s”. More information, as well as the draft program, is available here
Filed under Events
In accordance with Article 76(8) of UNCLOS, Canada has on 23 May 2019 made a partial submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) regarding its continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean. The submission will be included in the provisional agenda of the fifty-second session of the CLCS.
For further information and an executive summary see here and the press release. This follows the 11 April 2019 partial submission of Indonesia in respect of an area North of Papua (Eauripik Rise) and the 26 March 2019 partial submission of Mauritius concerning the Southern Chagos Archipelago region.
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has delivered its Order of 25 May 2019 in respect of Case No. 26, Case concerning the detention of three Ukrainian naval vessels (Ukraine v. Russian Federation), Provisional Measures. The Tribunal concluded that prima facie the UNCLOS Annex VII arbitral tribunal would have jurisdiction over the submitted dispute. The Tribunal prescribed various provisional measures under Article 290(5) of UNCLOS.
For an overview see the press release. Two Declarations, three Separate Opinions and one Dissenting Opinion were appended to the Order of 25 May 2019, available here. Ukraine and Russia have both responded through their respective Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Filed under Jurisprudence, State Practice
The Second Biennial Conference of the South Asia International Economic Law Network (SAIELN), entitled, The Law of the Blue Economy: International and South Asian Perspectives, will be held 27-28 July 2019 in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala, India). Abstracts are welcome until 27 May 2019.
A request for the prescription of provisional measures under article 290, paragraph 5, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea has been submitted to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in a dispute between Switzerland and Nigeria concerning the arrest and detention of the M/T “San Padre Pio”, its crew and cargo. According to the Request of Switzerland of 21 May 2019, the “San Padre Pio”, a motor tanker flying the flag of Switzerland, “was intercepted and arrested by the Nigerian Navy on 23 January 2018” while it was engaged in ship-to-ship transfers of gasoil in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Nigeria. The vessel was then ordered to proceed to Port Harcourt (Nigeria), where it is still detained. Switzerland submits that Nigeria has “breached its obligations owed to Switzerland in regard to its freedom of navigation and its right to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over the “San Padre Pio””. The request is available here.
Filed under Jurisprudence
The Research Group on International Law and Governance (University of Oslo) and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) shall host a conference, entitled, The Rule of Law for Oceans, 4-5 November 2019 at the University of Oslo (Oslo, Norway). Abstracts accompanied by a short resume are accepted until 15 August 2019.
For more information see here.
Without prejudice to their legal positions in The Arctic Sunrise Arbitration (Netherlands v. Russia), Russia and The Netherlands have reached a full and final settlement of dispute in respect of the Arctic Sunrise incident of September 2013. The agreement remains confidential, but the Joint Statement of 17 May 2019 nonetheless recognizes an understanding upon the rights and responsibilities of both the coastal state and flag state in the EEZ. This includes recognition of the rights related to peaceful protest. Joint Russian-Dutch research in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is also promoted.
Filed under Jurisprudence, State Practice
The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has clarified the extent of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles outside Bouvet Island (Bouvetøya). The CLCS recommendation is in line with Norway’s proposal submitted in 2009 and revised in 2015. This means that the Norwegian continental shelf surrounding the island amounts to about 683,730 km2, of which 195,120 km2 is beyond 200 nautical miles. The CLCS recommendation gives Norway a basis for determining the extent of the shelf outside Bouvet Island with binding effect. The Statement by the CLCS Chair, dated 29 March 2019, may be found here.
The continental shelf at Bouvetøya. Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway.
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
The ongoing dispute concerning the potential drilling activities of the Turkish drill ship ‘Fatih’ within the Eastern Mediterranean has triggered Cyprus to deposit with the United National Secretary General a list of geographical coordinates of points concerning the northern and north-western outer limits of the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf.
The maritime zone notification and geographical points were deposited on the 7 May 2019, as per UNCLOS, article 75(2) and article 84(2). Turkey claims the hydrocarbon exploration is within its rights under international law, while Cyprus, Greece and the EU have condemned any drilling by the vessel ‘Fatih’ as a violation of Cypriot rights. The USA refers to the area as ‘claimed’ by Cyprus and likely to raise tensions, while Egypt also raised concerns.
Illustrative Map – Republic of Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Filed under State Practice
Utrecht University will host a summer school, entitled, Introduction to the International Law of the Sea, 15 July 2019 – 19 July 2019, in Utrecht (The Netherlands). Applications are open until 13 July 2019.
For more information, see the programme and registration page. Participants may also be interested in the Introduction to Public International Law (8 July 2019 – 12 July 2019) and the Law and Sustainability (26 August 2019 – 30 August 2019) summer courses.
Filed under Courses
The World Maritime University is hosting the 43rd Annual Conference of the Center for Oceans Law and Policy (COLP), University of Virginia School of Law. The event shall be held in Malmö, Sweden, from 14-17 May 2019. The conference title is Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction: Intractable Challenges & Potential Solutions and it will discuss the development of an internationally legally binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The programme is available here.
Filed under Events
The Governments of Malaysia and of Singapore have entered an agreement to mutually suspend the implementation of their overlapping port limits and apply their port limits in effect prior to 25 October 2018 and 6 December 2018 respectively. They furthermore agreed to not authorise and to suspend all commercial activities in the area and to not anchor government vessels in the area. The agreement became effective on April 8, 2019. According to a statement issued by representatives of both Governments, negotiations for maritime boundary delimitation in the area are expected to commence within one month following implementation of said agreement. That March 2019 joint statement may be found here / here; a more recent joint statement confirming the schedule is available here / here. The relevant Circulars of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore are here and here.
Maritime boundaries between Singapore and Malaysia (Source: Singapore Ministry of Transport)
Filed under State Practice
The South China Sea Institute at Xiamen University is hosting another edition of the Marco Polo – Zheng He Academy of International Oceans Law and Policy (see previous report here). This year’s session happens between 1 and 26 July 2019 in Xiamen, China. The application deadline for the 2019 Xiamen Summer Program is 9 June 2019. More information is available here and here.
Filed under Courses
De Maribus 