United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provides a far-reaching legal framework for the management of the world’s oceans and their constituent resources. It provides a broad list of guidelines in order to facilitate ocean-going commerce, ensure that ocean-based resources are used effectively and finally demarcates the various ocean territorial zones for coastal states. In addition to providing a comprehensive outline of these principles, the convention outlines several restrictions for nuclear-powered vessels and ships carrying nuclear materials. These ships must carry appropriate documentation, follow stringent safety measures, and only travel within certain sea lanes under a traffic separation scheme. Although UNCLOS does not outline the specific measures ships must follow when transporting nuclear material, it is clear that The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material would be applicable to such a situation. UNCLOS currently has 168 parties since its adoption in November 1982 with notable absences including Turkey and the United States.