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Outer Delimitation of the Continental Shelf Under the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea: Legal Solution or Legal Confusion?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2009

Delano R. Verwey
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Abstract

Article 76 of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea was intended to create a precise definition for the continental shelf and to place a fixed limit on the open-ended provisions of Article 1 of the 1958 Convention. This article, like the rest of the 1982 Convention, was drafted on the basis of consensus. The question is whether the consensus principle has produced a workable legal document regarding the continental shelf and has brought about a legal solution. Analysis of the provisions of Article 76 leads to the conclusion that this article, although requiring some clarification, can be regarded as being practical and indeed a legal solution.

Type
Student Contributions
Information
Leiden Journal of International Law , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , Autumn 1994 , pp. 23 - 42
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation of the Leiden Journal of International Law 1994

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References

1 Convention on the Continental Shelf, April 29, 1958, UN Doc. A/CONF.13/L.55, reprinted in 52 AJIL 858 (1958), hereinafter referred to as the 1958 Convention.

2 On August 17, 1967, the Maltese ambassador to the UN, A.Pardo, proposed the inclusion of this item on the agenda at the 22nd session of the United Nations General Assembly. See also Doc. A/6695; A/6850/ Rev. 1; A/685 I/Rev. 1; GA Official Records, 22nd Sess., First Committee, 1515th and 1516th meeting and A/Res/2340 (XXII), December 18, 1967.

3 J. Stevenson and B. Oxman, The Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea: The 1974 Caracas Session, 69 AJIL 3–6 (1975).

4 The outcome was 130 votes in favour, 4 against (the United States, Israel, Turkey and Venezuela) and 17 abstentions (among others. West Germany, the Netherlands and the majority of the Socialist countries).

5 Convention on the Law of the Sea, April 30, 1982 (open for signature on December 10, 1982), UN Doc. A/CONF.62/122, reprinted in 21 ILM 1261 (1982), hereinafter referred to as the 1982 Convention. The Convention will enter into force twelve months after the date of deposit of the sixtieth instrument of ratification or accession (Art. 308).

6 The Traman Proclamation: Proclamation No. 2667, Policy of the United States with respect to the Natural Resources of the Subsoil and Sea-Bed of the Continental Shelf, September 28, l945(XII Bulletin, Department of State, September 30, 1945, at 485, reprinted in 40 AJIL (Supplement) 45 (1946).

7 J. Camargo Mendes, Elementos de Estratigrafia 264 (1984).

8 Argentina and El Salvador, for example, claimed not only the shelf but also the superjacent waterspace and the airspace above the waterspace. Chile and Peru, on the other hand, established a 200 nautical mile limit, which clearly exceeded their shelf limit.

9 This name was proposed by the International Law Commission during its deliberations proceeding the 1958 Conference. R. Davorin, Some Remarks About the Provisions Concerning the Continental Shelf in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, in B. Vukas (ed.), Essays on the New Law of the Sea 141 (1985).

10 See infra, section 5.

11 North Sea Continental Shelf (West Germany ν. Denmark; West Germany ν. the Netherlands), 1969 I.C.J. Rep., 23, Para. 19.

12 M. Evans, Relevant Circumstances and Maritime Delimitation 100 (1989).

13 See also Maritime Delimitation in the Area Between Greenland and Jan Mayen (Norway ν. Denmark), 1993 I.C.J. Rep., 38; Separate opinion of Vice-President Oda, at 65, Paras. 36–37.

14 S. Viscianne, Land-Locked and Geographically Disadvantaged States in the International Law of the Sea 122(1990).

15 Continental Shelf (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ν. Malta), Judgment, 1985 I.C.J. Rep., 27, Para. 41; Continental Shelf (Tunisia ν. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya), 1982 I.C.J. Rep., 43, Para. 66; France-United Kingdom: Arbitration on the Delimitation of the Continental Shelf, June 30, 1977, at 62–63, Para. 107.

16 Yb.ILC, vol ii, at 297(1956).

17 Convention on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone, April 29,1958, UN Doc.A/CONF.13/L.52, reprinted in 52 AJIL 834 (1958), hereinafter referred to as the 1958 Geneva Convention.

18 1982 Convention, Art. 121(1). The subject of islands will be dealt with, infra, in section 7.

19 L. Alexander, Baseline Delimitation and Maritime Boundaries, 23 Va.J.Int'l L 510 (1982–83).

20 Anglo-Norwegian Fisheries case, 1951 l.C.J. Rep., 116.

21 1982 Convention, Art. 7(1).

22 1982 Convention, Art. 7(3).

23 L. Alexander, supra note 19, at 515–516.

24 1982 Convention, Art. 76(3).

25 1982 Convention, Art. 121(2).

26 1982 Convention, Art. 76(4)(a).

27 1982 Convention, Art. 76(4)(a)(1).

28 See also S. Mahmoudi, The Law of Deep Sea-Bed Mining 85 (1987).

29 See also E. Brown, Sea-bed Energy and Mineral Resources and the Law of the Sea. Volume I: The Areas Within National Jurisdiction, ch.1.4, at 9 (1984).

30 Gardiner, P., Reasons and Methods for Fixing the Outer Limit of the Legal Continental Shelf Beyond 200 Nautical Miles, 11–12 Revue Iranienne des Relations Internationales 159 (1978).Google Scholar

31 1982 Convention, Art.76(4)(a)(ii).

32 The Hedberg proposal utilised a boundary zone of an international agreed width (100, 200 or 300 kms.) seaward from the base of the continental slope, within which the coastal state could draw straight line boundaries between fixed geographical coordinates. P. Gardiner, supra note 30, at 156.

33 1982 Convention, Art. 76(6).

34 1982 Convention, Final Act, Annex II: Statement of Understanding Concerning a Specific Method to be Used in Establishing the Outer Edge of the Continental Margin.

35 1982 Convention, Annex II, Art. 3(1)(a).

36 Anglo-French Continental Shelf arbitration, supra note 15, at 434–435, Para. 144.

37 1982 Convention, Art. 76(8). The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf shall hereinafter be referred to as the Commission.

38 1982 Convention, Annex II, Art. 2(1).

39 1982 Convention, Annex II, Art. 2(5).

40 1982 Convention, Annex II, Arts. 6(3), 7 and 8.

41 1982 Convention, Art. 136.

42 1982 Convention, Art. 153(1).

43 1982 Convention, Art. 187(b)(i).

44 1982 Convention, Art. 296(1).

45 1982 Convention, Art. 191.