Cyber operations against ships pose growing risks to navigation, trade, and sovereignty. This article explains how international law applies the scale-and-effects test, why attribution is the gateway principle for lawful responses, and how sovereign immunity magnifies the consequences of attacks on warships and government vessels.
Maritime Autonomous Vessels (MAVs) challenge traditional doctrines under UNCLOS. This article defines their scope through IMO’s autonomy categories and explains why crew presence remains decisive for ship status. It further explores national security risks and the limits of sovereign immunity, arguing that unmanned MAVs should be treated as specialized equipment under coastal state jurisdiction.
Maritime Autonomous Vessels and Coastal State Security: A Restrictive Reading of UNCLOS Read More »
The right of hot pursuit allows coastal States to chase foreign vessels that violate their laws into the high seas, but only under strict safeguards. Anchored in UNCLOS Article 111 and clarified by cases like M/V Saiga (No. 2) and I’m Alone, the doctrine ensures accountability while respecting sovereignty and freedom of navigation.
Hot Pursuit at Sea: International Law, UNCLOS, and Case Lessons Read More »
A non-responsive vessel’s silence at sea does not automatically mean violation. This article explains how UNCLOS frames non-response as a factual condition, outlines jurisdiction by maritime zone, and highlights proportionality and restraint as guiding principles for lawful maritime measures.
Non-Responsive Foreign Vessels at Sea: UNCLOS Jurisdiction and Proportionate Responses Read More »
The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most contested maritime regions, rich in resources and vital for global trade. This article explains why a binding Code of Conduct is essential to uphold UNCLOS, integrate arbitral rulings, and transform ASEAN commitments into enforceable rules that safeguard peace, stability, and cooperation.
Anchoring Peace: The Significance of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea Read More »
This article examines whether foreign military exercises are permitted inside another state’s EEZ under UNCLOS. It argues for a restrictive interpretation grounded in sovereign rights, the due regard obligation, and the peaceful purposes principle—offering a path to protect coastal state security and uphold a rules‑based maritime order.
Military Exercises in Another State’s EEZ: A Restrictive Interpretation Read More »
