TOPIC 2: LAWS OF

THE SEA
CCW Group 2
What is meant by the Laws of
the Sea?
The law of the sea is a body of customs, treaties,
and international agreements by which governments
maintain order, productivity, and peaceful relations
on the sea. NOAA’s nautical charts provide the
baseline that marks the inner limit of the territorial
sea and the outer limit of internal waters.
 What is NoAA? And what’s their
purpose?
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration U.S. Department of
Commerce.
NOAA’s purpose is to understand and predict our
changing environment, from the deep sea to outer
space, and to manage and conserve America’s
coastal and marine resources.
Why was the laws of
the sea made?
The United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is
established to define coastal and
maritime boundaries, to regulate
seabed exploration not within
territorial claims, and to distribute
revenue from regulated exploration.
What is the purpose
of the UNCLOS?
The United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea was
adopted in 1982. It lays down a
comprehensive regime of law
and order in the world’s
oceans and seas establishing
rules governing all uses of the
oceans and their resources.
When was the law
of the sea created?
The United Nations (UN) held its first
Conference on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS I) in 1956, which
resulted in a 1958 Convention. The
final conference, held in Montego
Bay, Jamaica, in 1982, resulted in
the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention
(LOSC).
Who is the founder
of the law of the
sea?
 Grotius, the Dutch lawyer who is
considered to be the father of
international law, is regarded as the
father of the law of the sea as well.
His seminal work on the subject, the
Free Seas, or Mare Liberum, published
in 1609, established some of the major
Hugo Grotius concepts in this field.
 What are the
benefits of the Law
of the Sea?
The convention has resolved
several important issues
related to ocean usage and
sovereignty, such as:
Established freedom-of-
navigation rights.
 There are 3 principles of laws of the sea

1. The principle of freedom

2. The principle of sovereignty
3. The principle of
the common heritage
of mankind
 1. Principle Of
Freedom
Freedoms of the seas (Latin: mare
liberum, lit. “free sea”) is a principle in
the law of the sea. It stresses freedom to
navigate the oceans. It also disapproves
of war fought in water.
 2. Principle of sovereignty
It seeks to safeguard the interests of
coastal States. This principle essentially
promotes the extension of national
jurisdiction into offshore spaces and
supports the territorialisation of the
oceans.
3. Principle of Common Heritage of
Mankind
In 1970, United Nations General Assembly Resolution
2749, the Declaration of Principles Governing the
Seabed and Ocean Floor, was adopted by 108 nation
states and stated that the deep seabed should be
preserved for peaceful purposes and is the “Common
Heritage of Mankind.”
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