Author: Chris Carleton & Clive Schofield
In the delimitation of maritime boundaries technical issues play a critical role. Even small technical mistakes or misunderstandings can lead to the loss of huge areas of maritime space or necessitate re-negotiation. This first volume of two companion Briefings provides a general overview of the technical considerations that have to be addressed in the determination of maritime space.
The authors explain the importance of chart projections and datums together with the meaning of a "straight line". Many issues are clasely examined, including: the use and abuse of nautical charts; the determination of all forms of baselines (normal, closing lines, straight and archipelagic); as well as the importance of the vertical datum and low tide elevations. The generation of maritime zones is then described covering, all areas from internal waters to an extended continental shelf and the respective regimes un the 1982 United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea. The concluding part of the Briefing deals with the definition of the limits of these zones of maritime jurisdiction. Using a wide variety of illustrative and real-life examples, the authors clarify many of the technical details in maritime delimitation.
Note: See also Maritime Briefing Vol. 3 No. 4 for additional information on the technical issues relating to maritime boundary delimitation.
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