The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is an independent judicial body established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to settle disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the Convention. The official inauguration of the Tribunal took place in the City Hall of Hamburg on 18 October 1996. The decision to make Hamburg the seat of the Tribunal was taken on 21 August 1981 by the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea.

On 3 July 2000, the headquarters building of the Tribunal was officially opened, at a ceremony held in the presence of His Excellency Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General described the Tribunal as the "keystone of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention", which, together with the International Court of Justice in The Hague, is "central to the régime of international peace and security that has evolved since the United Nations Charter was adopted".

Specialized Jurisdiction

The Tribunal is a specialized world court established for the settlement of disputes and for rendering advisory opinions concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention or of an international agreement related to the purposes of the Convention. The Tribunal consists of 21 independent judges elected by the States Parties to the Convention. No two judges may be nationals of the same State and in the Tribunal as a whole it is necessary to ensure the representation of the principal legal systems of the world and equitable geographical distribution. There shall be no fewer than three judges from each geographical group as established by the General Assembly of the United Nations (African States; Asian States; Eastern European States; Latin American and Caribbean States; and Western European and Other States). The Judges are elected for a term of nine years. The Tribunal has a President and Vice-President, each elected for a term of three years. The Tribunal is open to States Parties to the Convention and, in certain cases, to entities other than States Parties (such as international organizations and natural or legal persons).

In addition, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has special powers - and in the meantime has gained considerable experience - in fields requiring urgent measures. Thus under certain conditions it may in special proceedings order the prompt release of detained vessels and their crews. Furthermore, it may prescribe provisional measures to preserve the respective rights of the parties to a dispute or to prevent serious harm to the marine environment. The Tribunal has formed the following standing chambers: the Seabed Disputes Chamber, the Chamber of Summary Procedure, the Chamber for Fisheries Disputes and the Chamber for Marine Environment Disputes. The Tribunal may also establish ad hoc chambers to deal with a particular dispute if the parties so request.

A Broad Spectrum

The Convention contains provisions which regulate the entire ocean space, its uses and resources. It establishes a compulsory mechanism for the settlement of disputes. Examples of the types of cases that may be brought before the Tribunal range from disputes concerning the preservation of fish stocks, through the freedom of navigation, to the delimitation of maritime boundaries.

The Administration

The Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is administered by a Registry headed by a Registrar. The Registrar is responsible for all legal and administrative activities of the Registry, for the calculation and collection of contributions, and for managing the accounts and finances. The Registrar serves as the regular channel of communication with the Tribunal and also keeps the List of cases and copies of communications and agreements.