Tag: UNCLOS

The US highlighted the United Nations arbitral tribunal's 2016 decision invalidating China's line claim in the South China Sea is 'final' and 'legally binding,' as the US is strongly against China's attempts to assert its 'unlawful' maritime claims. Namely, the US Department of State noted last weekend that breaching the tribunal decision that rejected China’s nine-dash line maritime claim would be against the law.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), signed by 157 countries 25 years ago, was the first form of international law for the oceans governance, acting as a cornerstone to launch the basis of UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and serving as EU’s framework for policymaking.

The high seas make up the nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean in areas beyond national jurisdiction; they extend outside the boundaries of exclusive economic zones and have few rules or coordinated management mechanisms. The following statistics show why it crucial to take action for the protection of the high seas.

The ‘human rights at sea’ is a relatively new debate that gains significant attention of the maritime community. Human trafficking, illegal migration, abuse of fishermen, illegal trade of arms, nuclear weapons and drugs, illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste on the high seas are some of the urgent issues that the shipping industry has to deal with.

UN Preparatory Committee is developing a new legal instrument, under the UN UNCLOS, which will apply to ‘high seas’ areas beyond national jurisdiction. ICS says that developing new measures to the high seas is undoubtedly a very important and legitimate exercise, but that it wishes to ensure that the interests of shipping will not be unwittingly damaged.

ICS has sent a letter to the Canadian Government asking it to reconsider its proposed Moratorium on the shipment of crude oil concerning the waters of Northern British Columbia, adjacent to Alaska.

At the United Nations in New York, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is representing the interests of shipowners at the opening session of a UN Preparatory Committee starting work on a new legal instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

(From left) President of the Tribunal, Judge Vladimir Golitsyn, and Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Law, Mr Ng How Yue.Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Law, Mr Ng How Yue, and the President of the Tribunal, Judge Vladimir Golitsyn, signed a Joint Declaration to mark a major move for Singapore to become a venue in Asia for proceedings in cases before a special chamber of the Tribunal or before the Tribunal to settle disputes relating to the law of the sea.The Joint Declaration underscores the commitment of both sides to safeguarding the international rule of law in the region. In line with this commitment, the Singapore Government will provide appropriate facilities to the Tribunal whenever it is desirable for a special chamber of the Tribunal or the Tribunal to sit or exercise its functions in Singapore.Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law, Mr K Shanmugam said: “The Joint Declaration is a clear endorsement of Singapore as a neutral venue for the effective settlement of international disputes. It also demonstrates Singapore’s commitment to the international rule of law by facilitating access to ITLOS in order to serve the needs of the States of this region, with a view to ...

 IMO experts are attending a workshop dealing with the regulation of dumping of wastes at sea, under the London Protocol, in Bangkok, Thailand (10-11 August). The workshop is designed to help protect against unregulated disposal of wastes at sea by encouraging cooperation among the participating countries and stressing the need to accede to the protocol.The participating countries (Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Viet Nam and Thailand) have yet to accede to any international dumping agreement – as required under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Fredrik Haag and Ruijun Sun are representing IMO at the event, which is hosted by the Marine Department of Thailand and funded by the Republic of Korea.​The "Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972", the "London Convention" for short, is one of the first global conventions to protect the marine environment from human activities and has been in force since 1975. Its objective is to promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and to take all practicable steps to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of wastes and other matter. Currently, 87 States are Parties to this Convention.In 1996, the ...

In-depth national training course on marine accident and incident investigation in Yangon, Myanmar