The Law of the Sea Convention has now reached 25 years of presence in the international scene as a constitution for the oceans. It was the product of a long and arduous negotiation with a final product of delicate balance. The purpose of this book is to examine whether the basic premises and essential compromises of the Convention still hold true or whether the Convention, as a living instrument, has evolved into accommodating new needs and challenges to its regulatory scheme. The vehicle chosen is the jurisdictional interplay between the States, as flag States, coastal States and port States, and the world community at large in matters relating to navigation, fisheries, access to the biological resources of the deep seabed or even maritime security. The result confirms the solid foundations of the Convention and its ability to evolve and expand without upsetting its essential balance. A book useful to all those interested in the law of the sea and the structure of international law.

Jurisdiction over Ships: Post-UNCLOS Developments in the Law of the Sea analyses international law developments in shipping since the adoption of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982. It assess the convention’s continued authority in view of the most recent developments in state practice.

Drawing on the essential premises of the Law of the Sea Convention as constotuion of the oceans, this book looks into the ways it can be evolved to accommodate new challenges to its regulatory scheme.

This book provides new insights into how change occurs in international law, through a uniquely comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms that allow the 'old' treaty-framework of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to respond to changing circumstances.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) entered into force in November 1994. This insightful book offers in-depth appraisals of the contributions of jurisprudence to this major achievement of international law, tracing the impact that courts and tribunals have had on the development and clarification of various provisions of UNCLOS over the past quarter-century.

High Seas Governance: Gaps and Challenges discusses and presents solutions to identified gaps in the legal regime governing the high seas, including the protection of sensitive marine areas, marine pollution, conservation of marine living resources, and activities by non-state actors.