The tub-thumping of the first half of the year would seem to have receded into background noise for now, giving space for other reflections—from the maps we use…

On 1 July 2026, the IMO's non-mandatory International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships took effect. The Code provides guidelines for maritime autonomous surface ships…

Following the submarine cable cuts in the Baltic Sea, the Australian Federal Police was urged to commence an investigation at the behest of Subco, a private…

Constitution or Compass? A Quiet Renegotiation of the Maritime Order Vito De Lucia In June 2026, the China Institute for Marine Affairs published…

On 27 May 2026, the ITLOS Special Chamber rendered its judgment in M/T Heroic Idun (No. 2). Brought by the Marshall Islands against Equatorial Guinea, the case…

The Legal Novelty of the Proposal  International commentary on the Strait of Hormuz crisis has focused, understandably, on the lawfulness of Iran’s closure. The more legally significant…

For every complex problem, there is a solution that is clear, simple, and wrong. In a time of exceedingly complex problems, the last few weeks have seen some…

In the morning of Wednesday 25 February 2026, a Cuban government vessel carrying five border guard troops approached a speedboat, registered in the U.S. as FL7726SH, after it…

This post assesses the legality of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz from the perspective of the law of armed conflict at sea. In the context of…

Normative and institutional context  On 20 January 2026, the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (the ‘Authority’) – the international organization established under the United Nations…