The significance of the ocean in terms of its economic potential is well established, however, it is plagued with many threats and challenges which call for a proper examination of its management and governance. This paper examines the legal and institutional frameworks at the global, regional, sub-regional, and national levels for governance of the oceans …More
2023
Current Development
25 March 2024The Adoption of the New Legally Binding Instrument on Marine Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Pascale RICARD and Samira BEN ALI On 4 March 2023, an agreement was reached on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions, marking the end of over 15 years of discussions. …More
Spaceports on Coastal Areas and Spaceflights: Legal Considerations on the Protection of Marine Environment
29 December 2023Spaceports located on coastal areas can have adverse consequences for the marine environment including acoustic disturbance (e.g. underwater noise) from launch, as well as flight paths passing over these areas affecting marine biodiversity, toxic contaminants and thermal effects from any discharges arising from these activities. Spaceport activities can also affect the displacement of animals and …More
Ensuring the Quality of ISM Audits – The Role and Adequacy of the Legal Framework of Auditing
25 October 2023Maritime safety and thus ISM (International Safety Management Code) audits are directly or indirectly regulated by a host of regulatory instruments. These regulations set the standards for verification, certification, and auditing mechanisms. Intrinsically, these legal regulations influence, or at least should influence, the quality and effectiveness of this auditing mechanism. The legal regulatory framework of …More
Some Reflections on the EU-Russia Partnership After the 1994 Corfu Agreement, with Specific Reference to Maritime Affairs
12 September 2023The aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in 2022 has rewritten the EU-Russia partnership that had developed over the last thirty years. In those thirty years, both the EU and the Russian Federation became maritime powers. This paper offers an analysis of the main dynamics that have brought about the developments of the EU-Russia …More
Turkish Straits: Recent Adjustment of Transit Charges and Safety of Navigation
1 August 2023The Turkish Straits are one of the most congested and dangerous natural waterways in the world and recent developments have placed additional strain on safety of navigation. Previously, it has been argued that certain steps would improve transit safety and that the expenditure involved in realizing these measures could be financed through a proportional increase …More