There has been a recent increase in clashes between warships asserting rights to navigate and states asserting sovereignty over coastal waters. This book argues for a set of rules which respect the rights of coastal states to protect their sovereignty and of warships to navigate lawfully, whilst also outlining the limits of each. The book addresses the issue of the clash between warships and states by considering the general principles applying to use of force in the law of the sea and the law of national self-defence. It focuses on the right of coastal states to use force to prevent passage of warships which threaten their sovereignty, with particular reference to the specific maritime zones, as well as by warships to ensure passage or to defend themselves. The book also assesses the extent to which the law of armed conflict may be applicable to these issues. The conclusion draws together a set of rules which take account of both contemporary and historical events and seeks to balance the competing interests at stake. Providing a concise overview of the enduring issue of freedom of navigation, this book will appeal to anyone studying international law, the law of the sea, security studies and international relations. It will also be of interest to naval, coast guard and military officers as well as government legal advisors.

The Free Sea offers a unique, single-volume analysis of incidents in American history that affected U.S. freedom of navigation at sea. The book spans more than 200 years, beginning in the Colonial era with the Quasi-War with France in 1798 and extending to contemporary Freedom of Navigation operations in the South China Sea. Through wars and numerous crises with North Korea, North Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Russia and China, freedom of navigation has been a persistent challenge for the United States, a nation reliant on open seas for economic prosperity, military security and global order. This volume focuses on the struggle to retain freedom of the seas. Challenges to U.S. warships and maritime commerce have pushed, and continue to challenge, the United States to vindicate its rights through diplomatic, legal, and military means, underscoring the need for the strategic resolve in the global maritime commons.

Freedom of Navigation and Globalization offers a timely analysis of current issues in the Law of the Sea in six Parts. Part I examines co-operative measures taken within the Southeast Asia region to combat piracy and armed robbery against ships, and the historical activities of the Republic of Korea navy in countering piracy. Part II focuses on transnational threats including counter proliferation activities, freedom of navigation, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and the regulation of private maritime security companies. Part III consists of two essays on development in the Arctic Ocean. The first updates the activities of the Arctic Council, the second looks at cooperative measures taken by China, Japan, and Korea with respect to science in the Arctic. In Part IV the topic of energy security and sealanes is taken up. Institutional building within ASEAN is examined for maritime security in Southeast Asia. Freedom of navigation is compared with the straight baselines of China in the South China Sea. In the next essay, cooperative efforts to enhance navigational safety and environmental protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are explored. Part V considers balancing marine environmental protection and freedom of navigation. The European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive is reviewed. The dispute settlement regime in UNCLOS and the 2001 International Law Commission Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts are analyzed for flag State responsibility for pollution violations. The current mechanisms in the South China Sea marine environment are also evaluated. Part VI discusses marine data collection in the context of its applicability to Part XIII of UNCLOS. Attention is given to the various categories and their legal consequences. The last paper in the volume outlines global challenges such as global warming, rising sea level and changes in the ice over in the Polar Regions.

Now in a third, revised edition, Excessive Maritime Claims by J. Ashley Roach and Robert W. Smith is designed for law of the sea and maritime law specialists. The book draws on published governmental material in the public domain, specifically the U.S., and addresses recent progress in maritime security, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by sea, piracy, and protection of underwater cultural heritage. As a result of significant developments in the law of the sea, primarily with reference to the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, Excessive Maritime Claims provides up to date coverage of current affairs as well as introduce new topics such as: submarine cables, polar areas, environmental protection, sovereign immunity and sunken ships, and maritime law enforcement.