The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, A HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

By the mid-1950s, it had become increasingly clear that existing international principles governing ocean
affairs were no longer capable of effectively guiding conduct on and use of the seas. The oceans had long been
subject to the freedom-of-the-sea doctrine — a seventeenth century principle that limited national rights and
jurisdiction over the oceans to a narrow belt of sea surrounding a nation’s coastline. The remainder of the seas
was proclaimed to be free to all and belonging to none.
But technological innovations, coupled with a global population explosion, had drastically changed man’s
relationship to the oceans. Larger and more advanced fishing fleets were endangering the sustainability of fish
stocks, the marine environment was increasingly threatened by pollution caused by industrial and other human
activity, and tensions between States over conflicting claims to the oceans and its vast resources were intensifying.
In this atmosphere, the United Nations convened the first of three conferences on the Law of the Sea in
Geneva in 1958. The conference produced four conventions, dealing respectively with the territorial sea and
the contiguous zone, the high seas, fishing and conservation of the living resources of the high seas, and the
continental shelf.
Two years later, the United Nations convened the Second Conference on the Law of the Sea, which, in spite
of intensive efforts, failed to produce an agreement on the breadth of the territorial sea and on fishing zones.
While the first two Conferences on the Law of the Sea had advanced a number of issues concerning international ocean affairs, the majority still remained unsolved. The creation of a comprehensive international
treaty was to become the legacy of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea.
A speech to the United Nations General Assembly by Malta’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Arvid
Pardo, on 1 November 1967, has often been credited with setting in motion a process that spanned 15 years and
culminated with the adoption of the Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982. In his speech, Ambassador
Pardo urged the international community to take immediate action to prevent the breakdown of law and order
on the oceans, a disaster that many feared loomed on the horizon. He called for “an effective international
regime over the seabed and the ocean floor beyond a clearly defined national jurisdiction”.
Ambassador Pardo’s call to action came at the right time. In the next five years, the international community took several major steps that were crucial in setting the stage for a comprehensive treaty. In 1968, the
General Assembly established a Committee on the Peaceful Uses of the Seabed and the Ocean Floor beyond the
Limits of National Jurisdiction, which began work on a statement of legal principles to govern the uses of the
seabed and its resources. In 1970, the Assembly unanimously adopted the Committee’s Declaration of
Principles, which declared the seabed and ocean floor beyond the limits of national jurisdiction to be the common heritage of mankind. The same year, the Assembly decided to convene the Third Conference on the Law
of the Sea to create a single comprehensive international treaty that would govern all ocean affairs.

Third Conference on the Law of the Sea
The Third Conference on the Law of the Sea opened in 1973 with a brief organizational session, followed in 1974
by a second session held in Caracas, Venezuela. In Caracas, delegates announced that they would approach the
new treaty as a “package deal”, to be accepted as a whole in all its parts without reservation on any aspect. This
decision proved to be instrumental to the successful conclusion of the treaty.
A first draft was submitted to delegates in 1975. Over the next seven years, the text underwent several
major revisions. But on 30 April 1982, an agreement had been reached and the final text of the new convention
was put to a vote. The vote, which took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York, marked the end of over a
decade of intense and often strenuous negotiations, involving the participation of more than 160 countries from all
regions of the world and all legal and political systems.
The Convention was adopted with 130 States voting in favour, 4 against and 17 abstaining. Later that same year,
on 10 December, the Convention was opened for signature at Montego Bay, Jamaica, and received a record number of
signatures — 119 — on the first day.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea entered into force on 16 November 1994, one year after it
had reached the 60 ratifications necessary. Today the Convention is fast approaching universal participation, with 138
States, including the European Union, having become parties.
The Convention is supplemented by two agreements dealing respectively with Seabed Mining and Straddling and
Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.

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The summary of UNCLOS in short(table+pdf+jpg)

United Nations Convention on the Law of the sea (UNCLOS) was Adopted in 10 December 1982 Enforced since 16 November 1994 Amended twice – in 1994, “Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the Convention”, in force in 1996. 17 Parts, 320 Articles and 9 Annexes As of Nov. 2004, there are 146 ratifications. UNCLOS Has 320 articles and 9 annexes governing all aspects of ocean space- delimitation, environmental control, marine scientific research, economic and commercial activities, transfer of technology and the settlement of disputes relating to ocean matters.

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what is the meaning of “Continental rise” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law

As used in UNCLOS Articles 76(3) and 76(6), “rise,” i.e., the “continental rise,” is a submarine feature which is that part of the continental margin lying between the continental slope and the deep ocean floor. It usually has a gradient of 0.5 degrees or less and a generally smooth surface consisting of sediment.. what is the meaning of “Continental rise” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law, continental rise, continental slope, foot of the continental slope, UNCLOS, What is a continental rise in geology?, What is the depth of the continental rise?, What is the difference between continental slope and continental rise?, what is the meaning of “Continental rise” in law of the sea?

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what is the meaning of “Basepoint or point” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law

A “basepoint” when employed in UNCLOS analysis means any point on the baseline. In the method of straight baselines, where one straight baseline meets another at a common point, one line may be said to “turn” at that point to form another baseline. Such a point may be termed a “baseline turning point” or simply “basepoint.” In either case “point” means a location that can be fixed by geographic coordinates and geodetic datums meeting UNCLOS standards.. what is the meaning of “Basepoint or point” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law, baseline turning point, How are territorial waters defined?, How far do territorial waters extend?, How far off land is international waters?, Territorial Sea Convention, UNCLOS, What is baseline in law of sea?, What is low water line?, What is the difference between territorial waters and contiguous waters?, what is the meaning of “Basepoint or point” in law of the sea?

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what is the meaning of “Artificial island, offshore installation, installation (offshore)” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law

An “artificial island” or “offshore installation,” or “installation (offshore),” as used in UNCLOS means a human-made edifice in the territorial sea, in the EEZ, on the continental shelf, in archipelagic waters, or in ocean space governed by UNCLOS, which is usually employed to explore for or exploit marine resources. Artificial islands, offshore installations or installations (off-shore) may also be built for other purposes, such as marine scientific research, tide observations, resorts or residences, air terminals, transportation centers, traffic control, etc.. what is the meaning of “Artificial island, offshore installation, installation (offshore)” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law, artificial island, continental shelf, EEZ, How artificial islands are made?, How many artificial islands are there in the world?, offshore installation, Pipelines, Territorial Sea Convention, UNCLOS, What is the largest artificial island in the world?, Why did China build artificial islands?

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what is the meaning of “Adjacent coasts” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law

As used in UNCLOS Articles 15, 74(1) and 83, “adjacent coasts” means coasts lying on either side of the land boundary between two adjoining States. States may have adjacent coasts under UNCLOS even if they do not share a common land boundary. what is the meaning of “Adjacent coasts” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law, adjacent coasts, jus cogens norms, UNCLOS, what is the meaning of “Adjacent coasts” in law of the sea

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difference between “Ship” or “Vessel” in law of the sea, LOSC and customary international law

“Ship” [and] “vessel” have the same, interchangeable meaning in the English language version of the 1982 LOS Convention. “Ship” is defined as a vessel of any type whatsoever operating in the marine environment, including hydrofoil boats, air-cushion vehicles, submersibles, floating craft and floating platforms. Where, e.g., “ship” or “vessel” is modified by other words, or prefixes or suffixes, as in the Article 29 definition of a warship, those particular definitions apply.

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Definitions Relating to the Continental Shelf on the LOSC and customary international law

Definitions Relating to the Continental Shelf on the LOSC and customary international law, adjacent coasts, basepoint or point, chart, continental rise, continental shelf, continental slope, deep ocean floor, foot of the continental slope, geodetic data, isobath, latitude, Limits of the Continental Shelf, line of delimitation, LOS Committee, oceanic ridge, sedimentary rock, submarine elevation, UNCLOS, What are the characteristics of the continental shelf?, What does continental slope mean?, What extended continental shelf?, What is continental shelf limit?, What is the importance of continental shelf?, What is the largest continental shelf?, Where is the continental shelf?

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The Right to Visit of a foreign-flagged vessel in law of the sea and customary international law

The Right to Visit of a foreign-flagged vessel in law of the sea and customary international law, The Right to Visit of a foreign-flagged vessel in law of the sea and customary international law

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Principles of the Law of the Sea Versus Maritime Security

Principles of the Law of the Sea Versus Maritime Security, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), foreign-flagged vessel, law of the sea, Maritime Security, maritime security awareness (MSA), Principles of the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS

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legal definition of an enclosed or semi-enclosed sea

An enclosed sea was not a fully closed sea such as the Caspian Sea or the Aral Sea, which had no outlets to the oceans. It was, instead, a small body of inland water, such as the Persian Gulf and the Baltic Sea, which had at least one outlet to the open sea.
On the other hand, he explained that the term ‘semi-enclosed sea’:
[…] could be used in a broad sense to cover larger sea basins along the margins of the main ocean basins, more or less enclosed by a land mass whether continental or insular – and with one or more narrow outlets to the oceans.. legal definition of an enclosed or semi-enclosed sea, Aral Sea, Article 122 at UNCLOS III, Baltic Sea, Caspian Sea, closed seas, Dead Sea, enclosed sea, Mediterranean sea, open sea, Persian Gulf, semi-enclosed sea, UNCLOS

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The important sides and the meaning of Freedom of the Seas

“free sea” is a principle in the international law and sea. It stresses freedom to navigate the oceans. It also disapproves of war fought in water. The freedom is to be breached only in a necessary international agreement. Freedom of the seas is a principle in the international law and sea. It stresses freedom to navigate the oceans. It also disapproves of war fought in water. The freedom is to be breached only in a necessary international agreement.

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Legal Aspects of Inter-State Maritime Delimitation in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin

Legal Aspects of Inter-State Maritime Delimitation in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, Are There Laws on the High Seas?, Can you do drugs in international waters?, Can you do whatever you want in international waters?, Definition of High Sea, freedom of high seas, High seas, high seas definition unclos, high seas map, high seas meaning, high seas meaning in business, high seas meaning in law, International waters, International Waters Laws, International waters map, Mare liberum, Territories & Zones, trans-boundary waters, What do you know about international waters?, What is legal in international waters?, What Laws Apply In International Waters?, Where are international waters?, Where are the high seas?, Where do international waters begin?, Why is it called high seas?

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