Maritime Jurisdiction

Territorial waters are the waters adjacent to the coast of a country, extending up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline.

UNCLOS is the primary international convention that governs maritime jurisdiction and other aspects of the law of the sea.

According to UNCLOS, the territorial sea of a coastal state extends up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline.

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is the area of the sea beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline.

A coastal state has sovereign rights over the exploration and exploitation of natural resources, fishing, and navigation and overflight rights within its EEZ.

The continental shelf is the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond the territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of the land territory of the coastal state.

A coastal state has sovereign rights over the exploration and exploitation of natural resources on its continental shelf.

The high seas are the waters that are not included in the territorial sea, the Exclusive Economic Zone, or the continental shelf of any state.

The principle of freedom of the high seas includes the freedom of navigation, fishing, overflight, and laying submarine cables and pipelines.

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is the organization responsible for regulating the exploration and exploitation of the seabed and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.

The ISA's purpose is to promote the orderly and sustainable development of the seabed and subsoil beyond national jurisdiction, ensure the equitable sharing of benefits from seabed mining, and protect the marine environment from the adverse effects of seabed mining.

Maritime disputes can be resolved through maritime arbitration, mediation, litigation, or a combination of these methods.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting cooperation among states on maritime issues.

The IMO's purpose is to promote safe, secure, and efficient shipping, prevent pollution from ships, and facilitate cooperation among states on maritime issues.

The law of the sea, maritime law, and international maritime law are all terms used to describe the legal regime that governs the rights and responsibilities of states in relation to the use of the oceans and seas.