Freedom of Seas, Passage Rights and the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention

Book excerpt: Freedom of the seas and passage rights is a highly topical subject for the international community that cuts across a broad spectrum of scholarly disciplines and maritime operations. The contents of the book include in-depth analysis of current international and regional approaches to freedom of navigation, transit passage through straits used for international navigation, archipelagic sea lanes passage, scientific research and hydrographic surveys in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), military surveys in the EEZ, as well as vessel source pollution and protection of the marine environment. Many of the chapters describe measures in place at multilateral and regional levels to improve information sharing and operational coordination. This collection will especially appeal to those concerned with freedom of the seas and passage rights. The CD accompanying the volume includes important documents such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as well many PowerPoint presentations delivered at the conference. It also includes a draft index to the multi-volume series United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982: A Commentary. This book contains the edited papers and associated documents from the 32nd annual Virginia conference held in Singapore, January 9-10, 2008. Presentations were delivered by government officials, senior naval and coast guard commanders as well as by leading jurists and academics with impressive expertise in the law of the sea.