Law of the sea quiz

Were the provisions of the 1958 Geneva Conventions binding on non-State Parties?.

• Yes, universally

• No, not at all.

• Yes, but only if they were part of customary international law.

• No, only if they were ratified by specific States.

Which conference drafted and led to the adoption of the 1982 UNCLOS?

• UNCLOS III, 1973.

• UNCLOS II, 1967.

• Geneva Conference, 1958

• UNCLOS IV, 1981.

What caused the delay in the drafting of the 1982 Convention?

• Disputes over maritime boundaries

• Package deal principle and decision by consensus.

• Lack of international interest.

• Financial constraints.

How many ratifications were required for UNCLOS to come into force, and when was it achieved?

• 50 ratifications, 1982.

• 60 ratifications, 1994.

• 75 ratifications, 1988.

• 100 ratifications, 1996.

Scenario: A foreign submarine is detected approaching the territorial sea of a coastal State. The submarine intends to pass through without surfacing. The coastal State is aware of the submarine's presence but hasn't received any notification about its passage. Question: Which of the following actions is required by international law for the submarine to maintain its right to innocent passage through the coastal State’s territorial sea?

• The submarine must remain submerged and avoid detection.

• The submarine must surface, display its flag, and navigate on the surface.

• The submarine must request permission from the coastal State before entering its territorial sea

• The submarine may pass without any restrictions as long as it poses no threat.

Scenario: In the early 20th century, a coastal State dependent on local fisheries faced increasing pressure from foreign fishing vessels that operate close to its shores, risking over-exploitation of its fish stocks. This State is considering whether to extend its territorial sea beyond the three-mile limit. Question: What are the key economic and security reasons that might drive this coastal State to abandon the traditional three-mile rule and extend its territorial sea?

• To protect local fish stocks from overfishing by foreign vessels.

• To increase revenue from international trade and tourism.

• To establish control over new shipping routes and increase air traffic over its territory.

• To secure exclusive rights to mineral resources found beyond the three-mile limit.

Scenario: During the negotiations at UNCLOS III, major maritime powers like the United States and the UK pushed for a special regime for international straits, where extending the territorial sea to twelve miles would bring many crucial straits within the territorial waters of coastal States. Question: Why did major maritime powers insist on special rules for international straits, and what were their specific concerns regarding submarines and aircraft?

• They wanted to restrict all foreign military activities in international straits.

• They feared that extending territorial seas would lead to increased coastal State control, limiting their naval and aerial freedom of movement.

• They sought to ensure that submarines could pass through international straits submerged and that aircraft could freely fly over them.

• They aimed to prevent enemy submarines from using international straits as sanctuaries during wartime.

Scenario: Country X and Country Y are neighbouring States with a shared maritime boundary. Country X has discovered significant oil reserves on its continental shelf extending beyond 200 nautical miles from its coast. Country Y disputes the extension, claiming overlapping rights. Question: According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which of the following statements accurately describes the rights and jurisdiction over the continental shelf in this scenario?

• Country X must submit a detailed submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to establish its extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.

• Country X can unilaterally exploit resources on the continental shelf up to 350 nautical miles from its baseline, provided it notifies Country Y of its claim.

• Country Y has equal rights to the resources discovered by Country X if they fall within the overlapping area of their continental shelves.

• The rights to the continental shelf are based primarily on the 200 nautical miles limit, so Country X cannot claim rights beyond this distance without Country Y's consent.

The Headquarters of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) are located in

• Hamborg, Germany.

• Kingston, Jamaica.

• The Hague, Netherlands

• New York, USA.

Under the law of the sea, if two States are delimiting their continental shelf boundary in an area with complex geographical features, such as multiple islands and irregular coastlines, how should they approach the delimitation process according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)?

• The delimitation should strictly follow the equidistance principle unless both parties agree otherwise.

• The delimitation shall be effected by agreement on the basis of international law, as referred to in Article 38 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, in order to achieve an equitable solution.

• The delimitation should adhere to the equidistance principle, as outlined in Article 6 of the Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf.

• The delimitation should be based on the equidistance principle, but only after the two States have conducting a joint survey to ascertain the existence of oil resources in the continental shelf.