electiveHQ

More than two thirds of the earth's surface is covered by water, and the sea and the sea-bed are used by states for a variety of purposes. The creation of rules to govern activities in these areas has consequently become one of the most important functions of contemporary international law. The aim of this module is to study how this is achieved and the main legal principles which have been developed. The module covers both an analysis of the various maritime zones (including the territorial sea, the continental shelf, the exclusive economic zone, the high seas and the deep sea-bed), related maritime issues (such as marine pollution and the regulation of fishing rights), as well as contemporary case studies (for example, piracy, migration by sea, interaction with other areas such as territorial-based sovereignty disputes).