The seventh edition of this Blue and Gold Series book brings clarity and context to international law for the seagoing professional. This book is the only work that addresses the international law of the sea from the perspective of the United States. For those who operate on, under and over the sea, international law can sometimes be as complex as it is important. Written by the same former seagoing officer and maritime law professional who authored the current edition of Farwell’s Rules of the Nautical Road, this book was designed to bring clarity and context to international law for the seagoing professional. Following an introduction to public international law and a short history of the law of the sea, the book describes the rules that apply in ports and in the adjacent maritime zones, including the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, archipelagic waters, and the high seas. A highlight of the book are the chapters that focus on subjects of greatest interest to the seagoing professional, including military and intelligence activities in the maritime domain, maritime law enforcement activities and the use of force at sea. The appendices include the text of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the U.S. Senate’s “understandings” of key provisions of the convention. Whether an academy cadet, a midshipman, a seasoned commanding officer, or master mariner, readers of this thorough and timely book will be rewarded with a far greater understanding of the international laws that govern ships and mariners at sea. New in this edition: Over a dozen new cases by courts and arbitration panels interpreting UNCLOS, including the South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China. Coverage of Commercial Seafarer protections under Maritime Labor Convention. Global Responses to the Mediterranean Migrant Crisis. Coverage of the law protecting our vital submarine cables. Expanded coverage of unmanned and autonomous vessels and aircraft. Coverage on vessel health safety and quarantine measures applicable in the COVID-19 Pandemic. A new chapter surveying issues the U.S. Senate should consider in any decision regarding ratification of UNCLOS. A new appendix setting out the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard policies on sovereign immunity of government vessels and aircraft.

For those who operate on, under and over the sea, international law can sometimes be as complex as it is important. Written by the same former seagoing officer and maritime law professional who authored the current edition of Farwell’s Rules of the Nautical Road , this book was designed to bring clarity and context to international law for the seagoing professional. Following an introduction to public international law and a short history of the law of the sea, the book describes the rules that apply in ports and in the adjacent maritime zones, including the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, archipelagic waters and the high seas. A highlight of the book are the chapters that focus on the subjects of greatest interest to the seagoing professional, including military and intelligence activities in the maritime domain, maritime law enforcement activities and the use of force at sea. The appendices include the text of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Whether an academy cadet, a midshipman, a seasoned commanding officer, or a master mariner, readers of this thorough and timely book will be rewarded with a far greater understanding of the international laws that govern ships and mariners at sea.

This book has served as a standard reference on international law since 1956, when the first edition was published, and continues to be the reliable nontechnical reference on the principles governing the use of the world's oceans and the air and space above them.

The 1982 U.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea took over a decade to produce and was the final result of the largest single international negotiating process undertaken before or since that time. As the world's leading maritime nation, the U.S. has vital, immediate, national interests in the Convention and in the continuing refinement of maritime law based upon the tenets of that comprehensive document. The present work describes in detail the concurrent development of international law and the law of the sea, the complex negotiating process that resulted in the completed Convention, the role of the U.S. both during the Law of the Sea Convention and during the decade of negotiation that finally made the Convention acceptable, and policy directions and issues for the U.S. in the post-Convention environment. This is an important new text in international law, international relations, and maritime affairs.

This Supplement to the seven-volume series United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, A Commentary, prepared at the University of Virginia’s Center for Oceans Law and Policy, contains additional primary documents and materials directly related to the Convention.

For nearly forty years, The law of the sea has been regarded as an authoritative and standard work on the subject, combining detailed analysis and relevant, practical examples with a clear and engaging style. Completely revised and updated, this new edition will be a vital resource for anyone with an interest in maritime affairs. The book provides a rigorous analysis of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the many other legal instruments that regulate human activities at sea, as well as taking full account of the numerous decisions of international courts and tribunals in recent years. It also traces the historical background to the law and its broader political, economic and environmental context. The new edition includes substantially expanded coverage of contemporary threats faced by the marine environment from human activities, such as the loss of marine biodiversity, the effects of climate change on the oceans and the vast amounts of plastic polluting the sea. This volume is written by three highly qualified authors, drawing on their extensive experience of teaching and researching the law of the sea, as well as their practical experience in advising governments and acting as counsel and arbitrators in international litigation.

Drawing on the operational experience of United Nations naval peace operations, this book examines issues of authority for such operations as they relate to and impact upon the Territorial Sea.