4. The Law of the Sea

Question 1

UNCLOS key principles

Answer 1

Art. 2 Territorial sea
Art. 5 Normal baseline
Art. 7 Straight baseline
Art. 8 Internal waters
Art. 47 Archipelagic baselines
Art. 48. Exclusive economic zone
Art. 19. Right to innocent passage
Art. 76. Continental Shelf
Art. 87 Freedom of the high seas

Question 2

Territorial sea

Answer 2

UNCLOS Art. 2

The territory from the landward baseline seaward, where there are right to innocent passage but no fishing, weapon activity or ressource exploiting nor pollution nor stopping up.

Question 3

Straight baseline

Answer 3

UNCLOS Art. 7.
Internal waters
Connects point of the coast, if there are deep cuts in the coastline. + If there is a island vicinity around the mainland coast.

Question 4

Archipilagic baseline

Answer 4

Article 47
Internal waters
1:9 - 9:1 of the land
Connects the outer islands (like the Phillipines)

Question 5

Contiguous zone

Answer 5

Art. 33

Coastal state controls up to 24 nautical miles to prevent and punish customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary law violations in its territory or territorial sea.

Question 6

Exclusive Economic Zone

Answer 6

Art. 48.

Sovereign Rights: Explore, exploit, conserve, and manage resources of waters, seabed, subsoil, and produce energy from water, currents, and wind.

Question 7

Normal baseline

Answer 7

Art. 5
Internal waters
Low-water baseline. Up to 12 miles

Question 8

Continental shelf

Answer 8

Art. 76 UNCLOS

Up to 350 Nautical miles from contigios zone.

Exploits only: Seabed, subsoil only. No waters.

Question 9

Right to innocent passage

Answer 9

Article 19.

The ship is simply navigating through the territorial sea without stopping, except for emergencies or necessary stops.

Question 10

Freedom of the High Seas

Answer 10

Art. 87

No one has soverignity, and therefor free passage, right to fishing, overflights, cables and pipelines + artificial islands. - Must be disputed between states.

Question 11

Common Heritage of mankind

Answer 11

A principle declaring that areas like the deep seabed and their resources are shared by all humanity, not owned by any state, with benefits equitably distributed and sustainably managed.

Question 12

Yi Peng

Answer 12

Innocent Passage: Anchoring in territorial waters is only allowed under specific conditions (e.g., distress).

Freedom of Navigation: Anchoring in the EEZ or beyond is legal unless tied to harmful activities like surveillance or environmental harm.

Security Concern: Proximity to vital Danish infrastructure sparks questions about the ship’s intent and legality.