The importance of straits, particularly those used in international navigation, has been long recognized in international law. One of the important debates during the Third United Nations Law of the Sea Conference concerned the regime of passage through straits used in international navigation. The result was the creation of a multi-tiered legal framework of passage that included the entirely a new “transit passage” regime. Although over thirty years have passed since the adoption of the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, the vital role played by straits in the global communications network continues to be surrounded by conflicts between the interests of coastal states and shipping. Challenges still exist to achieving the simultaneous global goals of secure passage of vessels and protection of the marine environment. In Navigating Straits: Challenges for International Law, internationally recognized international law scholars provide in-depth analysis of the legal challenges in straits concerning security, piracy, safety and environmental protection. All readers interested in international and law of the sea will find this seminal volume of interest.

After an introductory chapter concerning the definition of Straits used for international navigation', the author examines in detail the evolution of the question in the years prior to the convening of UNCLOS-III, during the preparatory works of the Sea-Bed Committee and throughout the Conference. The second part of the book studies the legal norms set up by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the regime of transit passage for maritime and air navigation applicable in most of the straits used for international navigation and the regime of innocent passage residually applied in the other straits. In the final chapter, the author makes a critical appraisal of the new regimes of navigation and overflight in straits, exposes the implications of such regimes in Spain, analyzes the applicability of the Convention's regulations before their coming into force, and examines the practice followed in the last few years by the most important States which favoured or opposed the regime of transit passage. From his position as Deputy-Head of the Spanish Delegation to the Law of the Sea Conference, Ambassador de Yturriaga participated from the very beginning in the work of UNCLOS-III and was an active protagonist in the debates of the straits' question. The book offers a first hand testimony of the straits' negotiation, which will be extremely useful for scholars and students of the Law of the Sea.

After an introductory chapter concerning the definition of `Straits used for international navigation', the author examines in detail the evolution of the question in the years prior to the convening of UNCLOS-III, during the preparatory works of the Sea-Bed Committee and throughout the Conference. The second part of the book studies the legal norms set up by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the regime of transit passage for maritime and air navigation applicable in most of the straits used for international navigation and the regime of innocent passage residually applied in the other straits. In the final chapter, the author makes a critical appraisal of the new regimes of navigation and overflight in straits, exposes the implications of such regimes in Spain, analyzes the applicability of the Convention's regulations before their coming into force, and examines the practice followed in the last few years by the most important States which favoured or opposed the regime of transit passage. From his position as Deputy-Head of the Spanish Delegation to the Law of the Sea Conference, Ambassador de Yturriaga participated from the very beginning in the work of UNCLOS-III and was an active protagonist in the debates of the straits' question. The book offers a first hand testimony of the straits' negotiation, which will be extremely useful for scholars and students of the Law of the Sea.

This title is designed for law of the sea and maritime law specialists. The coverage includes current affairs in martime law such as submarine cables, polar areas, environmental protection, sovereign immunity and sunken ships, and maritime law enforcement.