Lewis M. Alexander

International maritime boundaries

Preface. Introduction J.I. Charney. Maritime Boundary Reports and Documents. I. North America. II. Middle America/The Caribbean. III. South America. IV. Africa. V. Central Pacific/East Asia. VI. Indian Ocean/South East Asia. VII. Persian Gulf. VIII. Mediterranean/Black Sea. IX. Northern and Western Europe. X. Baltic Sea. Index.

Regionalism and the law of the sea: The case of semi‐enclosed seas

Abstract One of the possible outcomes of the Third Law of the Sea Conference may be a recognition of the right of countries within a geographic region to establish special juridical arrangements for their offshore areas. Regions may be of two types: common policy groupings, such as the Latin American or Soviet Union/East European Socialist states blocs; or complementary‐use regions, as the Caribbean, Mediterranean, or other semi‐enclosed seas. It is postulated that serious attention should be given at LOS III both to the definition of regions as geographic entities, and to the delineation of the types of special rules and regulations which may be adopted within these regions. A summary of the geographic and legal/political characteristics of twenty‐five “semi‐enclosed seas”; are presented as illustrative of a clearly defined type of complementary‐use region for which specific jurisdictional arrangements might be made.

Indices of national interest in the oceans

Abstract Each of the 148 independent States of the world has a particular set of interests in the oceans; these interests are reflected in policies regarding the international law of the sea. By analyzing the nature of national marine interests it is possible both to develop a generalized model which can be applied to any one of the worlds countries, and to divide States into groupings, depending on their physical, economic, historic or other characteristics with respect to the marine environment. The four basic components of the national marine interest are accessibility, investment, dependence and control. These components are important to an understanding of the positions of the 30 land‐locked, 20 shelf‐locked and 98 other countries in current and upcoming law of the sea negotiations.

The delimitation of maritime boundaries

Abstract Under the new Law of the Sea Convention, some 400 or more international maritime boundaries will have to be delimited. The process of delimitation involves several types of issues. One is the sources of authority for such delimitation, a second is the principal methods by which delimitation is carried out, a third is the dispute settlement process, and finally the technical problems of actually drawing a boundary. Out of these basic issues arise many others: Should adjacent and opposite states have a single maritime boundary or different ones for their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and their continental shelves? Should the median line, equitable principles or some other method be used for delimitation? When and how should straight baselines be used and how should they be accounted for in delimitation? What ‘relevant circumstances’ should be considered, if any, and how? What, if any, weight should be given to ‘socio-economic elements’ ? Are the charts being used by the parties compatible in terms of projection, scale, low-water lines? In the near-to-intermediate future there will be a continuing need for improved charting facilities and techniques and for experts to deal with these issues. More thought should be given to the establishment of joint development zones, at least as interim devices. The topic of maritime boundary delimitation needs more attention from political geographers; if they fail to act, the lawyers surely will.

The Ability and Right of Coastal States to Monitor Ship Movement: A Note

Using the Global Positioning System (GPS), a ship knows its position continuously to within a few meters anywhere in the ocean. Small, lightweight, relatively inexpensive instruments calculate the ships position from signals of passing GPS satellites. Oceanographers now attach GPS receivers to floating instruments. These floating buoys broadcast their positions and other data to passing communication satellites, which in turn transmit that information to shore stations. Clearly, a similar locator device (LD) could be placed aboard a ship and its position tracked continuously from shore. We suggest that under the U.N. Law of the Sea Treaty, coastal states can require activated LDs on all ships, including war ships, traversing its territorial sea, archipelagic sea lanes, and straits used for international passage. We further suggest states can require many classes of ships to carry activated LDs while traversing their exclusive economic zones or working above their continental shelf.Using the Global Positioning System (GPS), a ship knows its position continuously to within a few meters anywhere in the ocean. Small, lightweight, relatively inexpensive instruments calculate the ships position from signals of passing GPS satellites. Oceanographers now attach GPS receivers to floating instruments. These floating buoys broadcast their positions and other data to passing communication satellites, which in turn transmit that information to shore stations. Clearly, a similar locator device (LD) could be placed aboard a ship and its position tracked continuously from shore. We suggest that under the U.N. Law of the Sea Treaty, coastal states can require activated LDs on all ships, including war ships, traversing its territorial sea, archipelagic sea lanes, and straits used for international passage. We further suggest states can require many classes of ships to carry activated LDs while traversing their exclusive economic zones or working above their continental shelf.

Ocean thermal energy conversion : legal, political, and institutional aspects

The chapters can be grouped into three headings: nonlegal issues, international legal aspects, and domestic regulation. These chapters are: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Plants: Technical Background; An Economic Assessment of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion; International Jurisdictional Issues Involving OTEC Installations; International Political Implications of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Systems; Spatial and Emerging Use Conflicts of Ocean Space; International Regulatory Authority Concerning Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Devices; International Environmental Aspects; Problems of Legal Responsibility and Liability to Be Anticipated in OTEC Operations; Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plants: Federal and State Regulatory Aspects; Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: Domestic Environmental Aspects; and Legal Aspects of Financing Ocean Thermal Energy Plants. (MHR)

Regionalizing Exclusive Economic Zone Management

The Exclusive Economic Zone of the U.S. is an extensive area which displays great geographic diversity in terms of resources and the interests of coastal areas. It is suggested that eight regional management units be established for the EEZ, corresponding to the eight regional fisheries management councils, that for some activities such as ocean dumping and marine recreation these regional units have considerable management responsibilities, and that they be charged with addressing the problems of conflict avoidance in their respective regions through planning studies and the recommendation of specific forms of standard setting and enforcement for those types of multiuse activities which are not already covered by specific federal agency responsibilities.

Narrow International Ocean Waterways

The freedoms of navigation and overflight might be considered within the context of three alternative regimes. A first is in the high seas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. Here article 87 of the LOS Convention guarantees that these freedoms shall be exercised by all States with due regard to the interests of other States. Since no restrictions are placed on the movement of vessels and aircraft on the high seas, the regime is not included for consideration within this Report. A second regime exists within the limits of national jurisdiction, including the EEZ, territorial sea, archipelagic and internal waters. Certain restrictions are placed here by the Convention articles on the passage of vessels and aircraft and/or on their activities during passage. This regime has been discussed in Section I. A third is the regime of narrow international ocean waterways, defined in this Report as international straits, archipelagic sea lanes and international canals.1 Narrow waterways are places where passage by foreign vessels and aircraft could be prevented by the coastal State or States without difficulty. A decision to interdict might involve shore batteries, mines, sunken ships, submarine nets, or the presence of warships or law enforcement vessels. [95] Certain narrow waterways are often referred to as “choke points,” where geographical conditions permit a country to close off, or at least restrict, the flow of oceanborne traffic of the international community. Gibraltar, Malacca-Singapore, Hormuz

International straits of the world

International Straits of the World. Gerard J. Mangone, General Editor. Volume One: William E. Butler, Northeast Arctic Passage (Al‐ phen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands: Sijthoff & Nordhoff, 1978) 199 + xii pp.

The Impact of the 1978 Geneva Session of UNCLOS III on Ocean Development

35.00. Volume Two: Michael Leifer, Malacca, Singapore, and Indonesia (Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands: Sijthoff & Nordhoff, 1978) 217 + xi pp.