International Maritime Law deals with the governance of the seas and oceans which cover over 70% of the Earth. It provides the regulatory framework for the growing number of human activities in the marine environment. It affects the political, strategic, economic and other important interests of States. It is one of the oldest parts of the law of nations, having developed slowly through the practice of States over the centuries.
This presentation looks specifically at three topics i.e. Ship Recycling, Oil Spill and Marine Scientific Research (MSR), which are pertinent to international maritime law and ocean governance which not only affect trade worth billions of dollars around the globe through various maritime trade routes but also concern maritime security and the protection of the marine environment.
Though, naval ships and government operated ships are primarily exempted from many rules and regulations (applicable strictly to commercial ships), the naval community tends to render the implications of issues such as ship recycling, oil spills and marine scientific research amongst others without the seriousness it deserves and therefore; be caught up in an embarrassing situation. This presentation seeks to inform the audience about these important facets and how the naval community can assist or support the larger maritime community.