Media ININ Economy We Trust
Media IN Abu-Dhabi, 14th May, 2019
The Assistant International Law Professor at the Law School of UAEU, pointed out that international law guarantees the freedom and safety of maritime navigation and punishes violators and attacking commercial ships is a crime according to international law.
The Dean of the Law School at UAE University and international law specialist, said that protecting maritime navigation and guaranteeing freedom of movement for ships is the responsibility of the international community.
Economic waters are located 200 nautical miles from the coast of a country, which can utilise all maritime resources in the area and protect its ships while international waters are located over 200 nautical miles from the coast, and all countries have equal rights to the area.
All countries also have the legal right to investigate accidents and attacks within its regional or economic waters, as well as to ask relevant international authorities to undertake the necessary procedures. Countries are entitled to take legal action according to international law if their ships are attacked, regardless of the location of the incident.
The difference between territorial waters, marine economic zones and international waters, is that territorial waters are located 12 nautical miles from the coast of a country, which has sovereign rights to the area, including control of fishing, navigation and shipping.
