1 Historical Development of the Law of the Sea

Subject(s):

UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea) — Territorial sea — High seas — World War I to World War II — Since World War II — Arbitral tribunals — International organizations

This chapter highlights, in the historic development of the law of the sea, the roots of the law as it currently stands and the questions still open today. It considers the early phases of the evolution of the law of the sea up to the end of the nineteenth century followed by, in more detail, developments that took place in the twentieth century up until the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. This fundamental event in the history of the law of the sea in the twentieth century is the basis of the international law of the sea of today, and is dealt with in subsequent chapters of this Handbook.