The German Society for the United Nations (DGVN) and the Swedish Embassy in Germany shall host a conference, entitled, Eine nachhaltige Zukunft für unsere Ozeane? (A sustainable future for our oceans?), 7 June 2017, at the Swedish Embassy (Berlin, Germany). The discussion and live report from the United Nations Ocean Conference will be held in German.
For more information see the programme and registration page.
Filed under Events
The University of Buenos Aires (UBA) is hosting a conference entitled La Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar de 1982 y el rol del Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU (the UNCLOS and the role of the UN Security Council). It will feature inter alia a presentation on the maritime controversy between Nicaragua and Colombia in the Caribbean Sea. The event will be held in Spanish and is set to happen on June 5 2017 at the Faculty of Law of the UBA. More information is available here.
Filed under Events
The Government of Canada has introduced the proposed Oil Tanker Moratorium Act in Parliament, respecting the regulation of vessels that transport crude oil or persistent oil to or from ports or marine installations located along British Columbia’s north coast. The proposed legislation aims to prohibit oil tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tonnes of crude and persistent oils as cargo from stopping, loading or unloading at ports or marine installations in northern British Columbia. The Bill can be found here.
Filed under State Practice
The Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, The Nature Conservancy and the Organization for Regional and Inter-regional Studies (Waseda University) shall host a conference, entitled, Seafood Transparency and Sustainability, 16-17 May 2017, at Waseda University (Shinjuku, Japan).
For more information and registration see here. The programme is available here.
Filed under Events
The K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law shall host a workshop, entitled, Natural Marine Resource Management in a Changing Climate, 13-14 June 2017, at the K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea (Tromsø, Norway).
For more information and registration (fees apply) see the announcement and programme. The call for papers was previously reported.
Filed under Events
The School of Law of the University of Milano-Bicocca shall host a conference, entitled, Exploring the human element of the oceans: the gender implications of the law of the sea, 25-26 May 2017, at the University of Milano-Bicocca (Milan, Italy).
For more information see the programme, and registration page. The call for papers was previously reported.
Filed under Events
The K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea and the Institute for International Legal Studies, National Research Council of Italy, are jointly organizing a workshop titled Ocean Commons: Common Heritage, Marine Genetic Resources and Biodiversity Conservation in Areas beyond National Jurisdiction. The event will take place in Rome, Italy, on 13 June 2017. More information is available here.
Filed under Events
On 21 April 2017 Norway became the first state to deposit its instrument of ratification to the Protocol of 2010 to the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea. There are currently seven other signatories, subject to ratification.
For further information, and requirements for entry into force, see here. A consolidated version of the treaty (2010 HNS Convention) is available here.
Filed under Treaties
The Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for Procedural Law shall host a conference, entitled, A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Dispute Resolution in the Law of International Watercourses and the Law of the Sea, 25-26 September 2017.
Filed under Events
The Second Intergovernmental Consultations on UN Ocean Conference Call for Action was held 24-27 April 2017, at UN Headquarters (New York, USA). The first round was held 20-22 March 2017 and the third round is anticipated to be the final.
A report of the outstanding issues identified during consultation is available on the SDG Knowledge Hub website. For more information on the event and the Draft Call for Action discussed, see the letter of the co-facilitators.
Filed under International Organizations
The Centre de droit international EDIEC (Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3), together with the Association pour la promotion du droit international, shall host a symposium, entitled, United Nations Security Council and the Sea, 4-5 May 2017, at the Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 (Lyon, France).
For more information see the programme here.
Filed under Events
The Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission is organising a two-day conference to address the topic of Land Sea Interactions within the framework of Maritime Spatial Planning. The event will be held in Malta, on 15-16 June 2017. More information about the event here.
Filed under Events
The European Commission (EC) decided to refer Portugal to the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) for failing to respect its obligations as a flag state. The EC issued two separate referrals to the CJEU concerning flag state requirements on one hand (Article 8(1) of Directive 2009/21/EC), and monitoring and reporting activities of its recognised organisations on the other hand (Directive 2009/15/EC). The EC had already requested Portugal to comply with these Directives in September 2016 (flag state requirements) and July 2016 (monitoring and reporting). More information is available in this press release.
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
The World Trade Organization (WTO) arbitrator’s decision, released 25 April 2017, in respect of DS381: US — Tuna II (Mexico), provided “Mexico may request authorization from the [Dispute Settlement Body] DSB to suspend concessions or other obligations […] at a level not exceeding USD 163.23 million per annum”. The dispute originally arises from the 2013 US tuna labeling policy (since modified and further challenged), which was used as the basis to assess the “level of nullification or impairment of benefits accruing to Mexico”.
For further information see here, and the reported decision here.
Filed under Jurisprudence
The Third Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers’ Meeting, held 24-28 April 2017 (Nuku’alofa, Tonga), adopted the Memorandum of Understanding on Flag State Implementation for Domestic Ship in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific MoU), the first in the world to address the safety of domestic shipping. Despite inclusion in previous discussions, port state control was excluded form the MoU to avoid duplication with the Tokyo MoU.
For more information see the Pacific MoU, Communiqué and the Transport Resolutions (paras. 21-22). Other documentation and resources from the meeting are available here.
Filed under State Practice
The Parliament of Australia has passed the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Polar Code) Bill 2017. Its purpose is to amend the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983 (POTS Act) to fulfil Australia’s international obligations under the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code), which entered into force on 1 January 2017, and in particular to implement stricter requirements for discharging oil, noxious substances, sewage and garbage from ships in Antarctic and Arctic waters. More information about that Bill can be found here.
Filed under State Practice
The first working version of the Information System of the Global Record for Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels (Global Record) was launched 21 April 2017. This follows a number of progressive calls for its development and noted benefits for e.g. the Port State Measures Agreement.
For more information and access, see the press release and dedicated website.
Filed under International Organizations
The third edition of the EULoS summer school (previously reported here and here) will take place in Genoa, Italy, from 28 August – 8 September 2017. It will consist of several teaching activities and a study visit to the Italian Navy’s Hydrographic Institute. This course has been credited by the Department of Law of the University of Genoa with 9 ECTS credits. Registration is open from 1 April – 4 August 2017. More information about the programme and the speakers is available here.
Filed under Courses
The Government of Norway will host the the First Meeting of the Parties to the PSMA [Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing] and the First Meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group to be established under Article 21 of the Agreement, from 29 to 31 May 2017 and from 1 to 2 June 2017, respectively, in Oslo. The first Meeting of the Parties will address a variety of aspects of implementation, whilst the Ad Hoc Working Group is to consider the requirements of developing state parties and ‘options for the establishment of funding mechanisms’, as per article 21.
Filed under Treaties
A workshop on Marine Mineral Resources of Africa’s Continental Shelf and Adjacent International Seabed Area – Prospects for Sustainable Development of Africa’s Maritime Domain, in support of Africa’s Blue Economy, will be held in Kampala, Uganda from 2 to 4 May 2017. The workshop is jointly organized by the Republic of Uganda and the International Seabed Authority. It will discuss and propose mechanisms for improving regional cooperation and participation of African countries in the deep seabed regime. In particular, it will address special interests of landlocked African countries. More information available here.
Filed under Events, International Organizations
The Institut du Droit Économique de la Mer (INDEMER) is organizing an international conference entitled “Knowing the Oceans for Achieving Sustainable Development”. The event will address both scientific and legal aspects of marine scientific research activities. It will take place at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco on 27 and 28 April 2017. The programme is available here and more information (in French) is available here.
Filed under Events
The Centre for International Law (CIL), National University of Singapore and the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong, shall host a Maritime Boundaries Workshop, 6-8 June 2017, at the National University of Singapore.
For more information and registration, see here.
Filed under Events
The American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) will host the International Law Weekend (ILW) 2017, entitled, International Law in Challenging Times, 19-21 October 2017, at the New York City Bar and Fordham University School of Law (New York, USA). Panel proposals are now being accepted including those concerning the law of the sea.
Submissions are open until 30 April 2017. For more information see here.
As previously reported, the United Nations (UN) is hosting the Oceans Conference in June this year, to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. In preparation for that meeting, the UN Oceans Action Hub is hosting a set of open online discussions. The current one is about the implementation of international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This online debate is open to contributions between 3 – 21 April 2017 and can be joined here.
Filed under International Organizations
The Istanbul Center of International Law, in cooperation with Galatasaray University, shall host a summer school entitled, Law of the Sea on the edge of the Bosphorus, 17-23 June 2017, at Galatasaray University (Turkey). Applications are open until 30 April 2017.
For more information, see here.
Filed under Courses
Filed under Vacancies
The Centre for International Law (National University of Singapore) is hosting a conference entitled “High Seas Governance: Gaps and Challenges”. This event will explore some of the gaps in the governance of the high seas in UNCLOS. It will examine the relationship between UNCLOS and other existing international instruments and mechanisms that protect the sensitive marine environment, and also explore trends in environmental policy and governance. The event will take place on 24-25 April 2017 in Singapore, and registration is required. More information is available here.
Filed under Events
The International Labour Organization (ILO) Governing Body adopted a decision at its 329th Session based upon a Committee report in respect of non-observance by Thailand of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29). The focus of the report is in respect of fisheries carried out under Thailand’s flag state jurisdiction and responsibility.
For further information see the Report of the Committee, and the Governing Body Decision.
Filed under International Organizations
The JCLOS will hold a seminar on the topic of “At-sea enforcement and naval warfare”. The event will take place on 20 September 2017 in Tromsø, Norway. The program of the event is available here. Registration is required and open until 1 July 2017; it can be done here.
Filed under Events
The JCLOS and FNI will host a side event on the “possible implications of a BBNJ (biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction) Agreement for Arctic marine governance”. The side event is part of the upcoming negotiating session towards a new treaty on marine biodiversity at the United Nations in New York. The side event will be held on 5 April 2017, 13.15-14.30, in Conference Room 11 at UN Headquarters. More information here.
Filed under Events
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is organizing another event to celebrate its twenty years of existence (see our previous report here). This event, entitled “ITLOS at 20: Looking into the Future”, will occur on 18 March 2017 at the premises of the tribunal in Hamburg, Germany. Following the presentations, this event will feature a round table entitled “A user-friendly Tribunal in the service of the international community”. The program is available here; registration is required.
Filed under Events
The Centre for East Asian Studies in Groningen, the Netherlands, is organizing a workshop entitled “Navigating the South China Sea: Challenges and Opportunities”. This event intends to look into some recent developments in the South China Sea area. On the one hand, it will focus on the South China Sea arbitration. On the other hand, the workshop will concentrate on the South China Sea politics and dispute settlement in the future. The event will occur on 10 March 2017, and the program is available here.
Filed under Events
A workshop on the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Environmental Management Strategy for the Area will be held in Berlin, Germany from 19-24 March 2017. The workshop aims to assist the Authority in developing a long-term Environmental Management Strategy for the Area. It will deal with governance issues such as overarching principles, regional planning and adaptive management. The outcome of the workshop should provide a first structured and interdisciplinary input on the draft Environmental Regulations taking into account the deliberations by the Legal and Technical Committee in February 2017. More information available here.
Filed under Events, International Organizations
The 9th edition of the ABLOS conference, organized by the Advisory Board on the Law of the Sea, will address advances and challenges in governing our shared Blue World under the framework of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea from both legal and technical perspectives. Themes to be discussed include: implications of new and developing technologies on the law of the sea, progress towards safeguarding biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), deep seabed mining, legal and technical aspects of defining insular features and the application of UNCLOS in high latitudes. The event is set to happen on 10 – 11 October, 2017 at the International Hydrographic Bureau in Monaco. Abstracts are accepted until 1st June 2017. More information available here and here.
The NGO Human Rights at Sea just published its “Voluntary Code of Conduct for Search and Rescue Operations undertaken by civil society Non-Governmental Organisations in the Mediterranean Sea”. This document is presented as the first voluntary minimum standard guidance working towards increased levels of joint co-ordination and co-operation for the on-going humanitarian relief effort in the Mediterranean region. The first edition of the document is intended to act as the basis for rapid iterative development with as many stakeholders as possible, including European Institutions, Agencies, shipping and fishing associations and military forces. The document can be found here.
Filed under Non-State Actors
The eleventh session of the IFLOS Summer Academy at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea will be held 23 July to 18 August 2017. The deadline to submit applications is 20 April 2017 (electronic), or 30 April 2017 (postal).
For more information, see here.
Filed under Courses
The twenty-second session of the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy will be held 2 -22 July, 2017. The deadline to submit applications is 3 April 2017.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 also has a deadline of the 1 April 2017.
Filed under Courses
The Republic of the Marshall Islands has issued a Marine Safety Advisory, which provides guidance on the testing of Low Sulfur Marine Gas Oil fuel oil by port States in order to ensure ships are using fuel with no more than 0.10 percent sulfur content for MARPOL compliance. The advisory highlights the International Maritime Organization Circular MEPC.1/Circ.864 (Guidelines For Onboard Sampling For The Verification Of The Sulphur Content Of The Fuel Oil Used On Board Ships), issued in December. It also advises that plans should designate a ship’s representative responsible for retaining and securing the spot sampling container in accordance with Article 6 of EU Decision 2015/253. The document is available here.
Filed under State Practice
The Center for Polar and Deep Ocean Development, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, working with Polar Research Institute of China, shall host a workshop entitled, Law and Governance: emerging issues of the polar regions, 20-21 June 2017, at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Shanghai, China).
The deadline for abstracts is 15 March 2017. For more information, see here.
To support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14, The Ocean Conference, will be held 5-9 June 2017, at United Nations Headquarters (New York, USA). A preparatory meeting will be held 14-16 February 2017, at United Nations Headquarters (New York, USA). Both events will include side events, but participation is limited.
For more on the conference see here, and the preparatory conference here.
Filed under Events, International Organizations
The Fleet Register is a database where all the fishing vessels flying the flag of a European Union (EU) member state have to be registered in accordance with Community legislation. Updates to the EU’s fleet register will soon be available in real time, following the adoption of a new regulation by the European Commission. The regulation makes it easier for EU member states to update the fleet register, while giving the Commission the necessary tools to crosscheck the data that member states submit. The new regulation enters into force on 1 February 2018, and applies to all commercial fishing vessels, except aquaculture vessels and blue fin tuna traps. More information available here.
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
Following our previous post, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has delivered today its Judgment on the preliminary objections raised by Kenya in the case concerning Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean (Somalia v. Kenya). It finds that it may proceed with the maritime delimitation between Somalia and Kenya in the Indian Ocean. The Judgement can be found here and the summary here.
Filed under Jurisprudence
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 resulted in measures intended to facilitate the conciliation, reported within a Trilateral Joint Statement issued 9 January 2017. After further exploration of negotiating positions, Timor-Leste has written to the tribunals to withdraw the two claims it had initiated with Australia under the Timor Sea Treaty, reported within a Trilateral Joint Statement issued 24 January 2017.
See Trilateral Joint Statement – PCA Case Nº 2016-10 (9 January 2017) and Trilateral Joint Statement – PCA Case Nº 2016-10 (24 January 2017).
Filed under Jurisprudence
The Twentieth International Congress of Maritime Arbitrators (ICMA XX) will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark from 25 to 29 September 2017. Papers on any subject matter relevant to the practice of maritime law and maritime arbitration of both a procedural and substantive nature are invited. Those wishing to present papers are requested to submit a summary of no more than 250 words by 15 January 2017. More information here.
The 6th Biannual Asian Society of International Law (ASIANSIL), entitled, Asia and International Law in Times of Uncertainty, will be held 25 – 26 August 2017 in Seoul (Republic of Korea). Topics suggested within the call for papers include three Law of the Sea sessions: South China Sea Arbitral Award and its Implications for the Law of the Sea; Maritime Security and International Law; Protection of the Marine Environment in Asia. A further junior scholars workshop call for papers also includes law of the sea.
For more information see the website; conference call for papers; junior scholars workshop call for papers.
The K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea (UiT) and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law (Pace University) shall host a workshop, entitled, Natural Marine Resource Management in a Changing Climate, 13 – 14 June 2017, at the University of Tromsø (Norway). Interested participants are invited to submit an abstract by 1 March 2017.
For more information see the call for participation and abstracts, and the announcement here.
The K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea (JCLOS) shall host a conference, entitled, Protecting the ‘Commons’ in the Arctic: The role of the EU, 28 – 29 June 2017, at the University of Tromsø (Norway).
Filed under Events
The K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea (JCLOS) will host a PhD summer course, entitled, Methodology and legal science within the international Law of the sea, 15 – 16 June 2017, at the University of Tromsø (Norway). Applications are open until 3 April 2017.
For further information and to apply, see here.
Filed under Courses
The Frankfurt Investment Law Workshop 2017 will address the topic “Oceans and Space: New Frontiers in Investment Protection?”. The workshop, will be held at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on 10 and 11 March 2017. It is expected to “look at new models of balancing regulatory and commercial interests and ask how the law of the sea, space law and international investment law can interact to shape investment protection regimes beyond areas of territorial sovereignty”. The program of the event is available here.
Filed under Events
De Maribus 