Commander's Handbook

Question 1

What convention ratified the law of the sea?

Answer 1

1982 Law of the Sea Convention

US did not sign it but we do act in accordance with it with the exception of the deep seabed mining provisions.

Question 2

Where are territorial waters measured seaward from?

Answer 2

The normal baseline is measured from the low water line along the coast as marked on the nations official large scale charts.

Question 3

Territorial seas

Answer 3

Measured 12nm seaward from the baseline and subject to the sovereignty of the coastal nation.
Ships enjoy innocent passage.
Aircraft do not.

Question 4

Contiguous Zone

Answer 4

Extends from the baseline up to 24nm seaward where the coastal nation may exercise the control necessary to prevent or punish infringement upon its laws and regulations in its territorial seas.
Ships and aircraft enjoy high seas freedoms as well as overflight.

Question 5

Exclusive Economic Zone

Answer 5

A resource related area where a State has certain sovereign rights (but not sovereignty) that may not extend past 200nm from the baseline.
Ships and aircraft enjoy high seas freedoms including overflight.
Nations may lay submarine cables and pipelines but may not do anything that could exploit the natural resources of the waters.

Question 6

Rocks vs Islands

Answer 6

Both are lands entirely surrounded by water that are present at high tide.

Rocks cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of its own.

Rocks do not have an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

Question 7

Archipelagic Waters

Answer 7

Archipelagic baselines are drawn from the outermost points of the nations outer islands as long as the ratio of water to land is between 1:1 and 9:1. The territorial seas for the nation are drawn outwards from these baselines.
The waters enclosed are archipelagic waters and ships and aircraft must transit through the sea lanes where the nation designates them. If there are none designated they may transit through the normal international routes.

Question 8

Coastal Security Zones

Answer 8

The US does not recognize coastal security zones that restrict high seas freedoms that are non-resource related during times of peace.

Question 9

Continental Shelf

Answer 9

If it extends beyond 200nm past baseline it cannot be claimed past 350nm.
If it doesn’t reach 200nm it can be claimed out to 200nm.
Nations claim sovereign rights over the resources but any nation may lay submarine cables or pipelines.

Question 10

Safety zones

Answer 10

Nations may establish safety zones not to exceed 500 meters around installations, artificial islands or structures within their EEZ/continental shelf or inward.

Question 11

Innocent passage

Answer 11

The expeditious and continuous traversing of territorial waters.

Aircraft may not launch or land from a vessel and are not allowed the right of overflight.

Nations may temporarily suspend innocent passage to ensure its security.

Ships may not collect intel on the coastal nation.

Submarines must be on the surface.

Question 12

Straits Transit

Answer 12

The exercise of freedom of navigation and overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit in the normal modes of operation utilized by such ships and aircraft for such passage.

While transiting, ships and aircraft must a) proceed without delay through or over the strait, b) refrain from any threat or use of force against the coastal nation(s) and c) refrain from any activities other than those incident to their normal modes of continuous and expeditious transit unless rendered necessary by force majeure or distress.

This may not be impeded or suspended in peacetime for any reason.

Ships may use electronic detection, radar, sonar, launch and recover aircraft.

Submarines may be submerged.

Question 13

Archipelagic Transit

Answer 13

Identical to straits transit except for the following rules:

1: each sea lane is defined by a continuous axis line from the point of entry through the archipelagic waters to the point of exit.
2: ships transiting must remain within 25nm of either side of the axis line while transiting and must approach no closer to the coastline than 10% of the distance between points of land of islands bordering the sea lane and axis line.

If transiting through other than the sea lanes the vessels are only afforded innocent passage.

Question 14

Flight Information Regions

Answer 14

As a policy military aircraft should comply with FIRs and ICAO procedures to enhance safety of flight with civil aircraft when entering the territorial airspace of a foreign nation.

If we do not intend to enter their airspace we should not identify ourselves or comply with FIR procedures when a nation requires foreign military to do so because we do not recognize the right of foreign nations to do so.

Question 15

Air Defense Identification Zone

Answer 15

ADIZ are used solely for aircraft that intend to enter national airspace. They are in international airspace to allow nations to regulate who enters.
The US will not comply with ADIZ or identifying themselves when operating near a foreign nation they do not intend on entering.

In times of war this may change because nations may take measures in self defense on aircraft in international airspace.

Question 16

Quarantine

Answer 16

In order to avoid restrictions placed by quarantines the HAC should request free pratique in accordance with the sailing directions for that port.

Offer every assistance and answer questions but shall not authorize inspection of the aircraft.

Question 17

Asylum

Answer 17

Add definition

Only granted by higher authority.

Question 18

Temporary Refuge

Answer 18

May be granted if someone’s life is in imminent danger for the duration of that danger.

Question 19

Pursuit of pirates into territorial seas

Answer 19

Every effort should be made to contact the host nation to acquire consent to continue the pursuit but due to the international nature of piracy the pursuit shall be continue if unable to gain consent in a timely manner. If the host nation requests to break off the pursuit it must be done so immediately. The trying, and seizure of the pirates and vessel is at the discretion of the host nation as well.

Question 20

Assistance Entry

Answer 20

All ship and aircraft commanders have an obligation to assist those in danger of being lost at sea. This duty of mariners permits assistance entry into the territorial sea by ships and, under certain circumstances, aircraft without permission from the coastal nation to engage in bona fide efforts to render emergency assistance to those in danger or distress at sea. This only applies when the location of the danger or distress is reasonably well known.

They are in distress in territorial waters.
Location is reasonably well known.
Any delay in assistance could cause life threatening circumstances.
Rescue can be completed in a timely manner.