On 21st May 2024, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued its first advisory opinion on climate change, clarifying States’ obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) but offering limited guidance on marine geoengineering – an increasingly relevant set of ocean-based interventions for carbon dioxide …More

The Houthis have attacked over one hundred merchant ships and threatened undersea cables as well as oil and gas pipelines in the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Red Sea since the Israel–Gaza conflict began in October 2023. Like the attacks in the Strait of Malacca and the earlier Somali piracy crisis, …More

The spate of rascality, such as kidnapping, piracy, terrorism, and hijacking in the maritime domain, is hampering the exploration and exploitation of the marine and blue economy globally. Nigeria has taken a cue from other maritime nations by establishing frameworks in line with various international conventions to ensure a functional blue economy and to ensure …More

Under the prevailing consensus that Articles 192 and 194(1)(2) of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) constitute due diligence obligations as obligations of conduct, small island states have advocated that in the context of climate change, these provisions should go beyond the due diligence obligations and encompass obligations of result. …More

With the adoption of EU Directive 959/2023, the scope of the European Trading System (ETS) has been extended to international maritime navigation. Following a usual pattern in this régime, the Directive sets out mandatory reduction targets, made more flexible by the possibility to allocate free GHG allowances, while establishing the application of a 50% share …More

The use of asbestos on board ships arises from the need to adapt to the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Human Life at Sea (SOLAS, Safety Of Life At Sea, 1914). This was the first version of a fundamental International Treaty for the Safety of Merchant Ships. Through consultation the AMINAVI …More

This article explores the relationship between the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and dispute settlement tribunals under Part XV of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). While the CLCS is tasked with examining scientific claims for continental shelf extensions beyond 200 nautical miles, only Part XV …More

The Red Sea, a vital maritime corridor linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, facilitates approximately 12% of global trade. Since October 2023, the Yemeni militia Ansar Allah (Houthis) has intensified assaults on commercial vessels, disrupting trade and prompting military responses from the United States and Britain. This research evaluates the effectiveness of international maritime …More

Many uncertainties can be found in the delineation of the external limit of the continental shelf under Art. 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), insofar as it refers to the geological notion of the continental margin (so-called extended continental shelf). In any case, today this definition is reflected …More

Competition for maritime zones is growing. International regulations are crucial to finding a balance between different activities in seas and oceans. While offshore renewable energy activities are increasing, most bottom-fixed or floating renewable energy installations are located close to the shoreline and nearby shipping lanes. This paper discusses the possible conflicts between the navigation of …More