CNA Explains: What is UNCLOS, the international law that is being bandied about by countries amid Iran war?
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is a set of maritime rules governing everything from coastal boundaries to the right for ships to transit through territorial waters. Amid the Iran conflict, countries are shining a spotlight on UNCLOS as Iran and the US impose blockades and seize commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is a set of rules governing the world's oceans, allocating rights and legal authority to states. It took effect in 1994 after being adopted in 1982. UNCLOS has been in the spotlight amid the Iran conflict, with Iran and the US imposing blockades and seizing commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The US and Iran have also suggested levying taxes on ships passing through the waterway. Indonesia's finance minister suggested levying tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Malacca, although the country later affirmed it has no plans to do so. The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on April 27 to debate the safety and protection of waterways. UNCLOS establishes regulations for the peaceful use of the sea and its resources, and countries are now highlighting its importance in checking unfettered unilateral actions by large maritime powers.
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