LAW OF THE SEA

Abstract

The law of the sea has been described as ‘a persistently important’ theme of international law ‘from the very beginning’. In this chapter we outline some of the key concepts and developments in the law of the sea. We briefly trace a history of its codification in the course of three diplomatic conferences after World War II that led to the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982. The chapter then describes the maritime zones established in the Convention. We classify these zones into ‘sovereign zones’, ‘zones with sovereign rights’, and ‘zones beyond national jurisdiction’. Finally, we identify some contemporary challenges facing the law of the sea.