Constantinos Yiallourides, Maritime Disputes and International Law – Disputed Waters and Seabed Resources in Asia and Europe

Abstract

Unresolved maritime boundaries pose one of the major causes of disputes between States. Less than half of the world’s maritime boundaries have been delimited formally. Tensions between adjacent or opposite States may arise due to overlapping entitlements to territorial seas, exclusive economic zones (EEZs) or continental shelves. These disputes may include competing historical claims to maritime features, like islands, rocks and low-tide elevations. Frequently, a dispute will be intensified by the discovery of natural resources in contested maritime areas, such as oil and natural gas. Other factors compounding a dispute may include the presence of valuable fisheries or perceived strategic and defence benefits of particular maritime entitlements. Many maritime boundary disputes are well-entrenched and difficult to resolve by political or legal channels.

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