Marine Delimitation on the Continental Shelf under International Law: A study of ICJ and ITLOS’s Judgements
Keywords:
Marine Delimitation, Continental Shelf, International LawAbstract
Abstract
In contemporary times, the issue of boundary disputes remains a matter of significant concern for states, particularly in relation to maritime boundaries. The maritime domain is rich in both living and non-living resources, offering vast potential for exploitation. These resources present strategic and economic opportunities for coastal states, which seek to harness them to drive national development and economic prosperity. In pursuit of such benefits, overlapping claims to maritime areas have increasingly emerged, giving rise to legal disputes under international law. Hence, this article aims to contribute to the study of the processes and methods involved in maritime boundary delimitation, with a particular focus on the delimitation of the continental shelf. It seeks to examine and explain the relevant legal principles governing the delimitation of the continental shelf as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to analyze the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in applying these principles.
References
Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh/Myanmar). ITLOS case no.16, 14 March 2012.
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