On 2 June 2022, Judge Albert Hoffmann, President of the Tribunal, opened the fifteenth regional workshop in Malta dedicated to “The Role of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in the Settlement of Disputes relating to the Law of the Sea”.
The two-day workshop is being held in Malta and is organized in cooperation with the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) and with the support of the Republic of Cyprus and the Korea Maritime Institute. The workshop welcomes representatives of Albania, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, and Malta, as well as officials of IMLI.
In his opening statement, President Hoffmann highlighted the long-standing maritime history of Malta and its impact on the contemporary law of the sea. Echoing Ambassador Arvid Pardo’s now famous address to the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, the President reiterated that the problems of ocean space are closely interrelated and need to be considered as a whole and affirmed that the resources of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction belong to the common heritage of humankind. The President expressed his gratitude to IMLI and to Judge Attard, as its Director, for their support in the organization of the workshop. He also thanked the Republic of Cyprus and the Korea Maritime Institute, whose funding made the organization of the workshop possible.
In his welcoming remarks, Judge Attard, emphasized the important role of the Tribunal in upholding the principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for the peaceful resolution of maritime disputes, noting that the Tribunal has established itself as an active and effective body in deciding law of the sea disputes.
The workshop programme includes an overview of proceedings before the Tribunal, with sessions dedicated to jurisdiction, urgent proceedings, advisory proceedings and the procedure for bringing cases before the Tribunal, as well as presentations on the jurisprudence of the Tribunal regarding maritime delimitation disputes. Presentations will be given by President Hoffmann, Vice-President Heidar, Judges Attard, Paik and Caracciolo, and Registrar Hinrichs Oyarce.
The Tribunal’s workshops aim to familiarize participants with the dispute-settlement mechanisms established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and with the procedure applicable to cases before the Tribunal. To date, workshops have been held in Dakar, Kingston, Libreville, Singapore, Bahrain, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Fiji, Mexico City, Nairobi, Bali, San José, Mindelo and Montevideo.