2012 International Foundation of the Law of the Sea – Week 1

By Will Russell, Legal Research Intern at WWF-Canada
Initially it is strange to think of Hamburg as a port city as it is situated nearly 100 km inland from the Baltic Sea on the River Elbe. However, this position has acted as a significant strategic advantage in helping Hamburg become Europe’s second largest port.

Though beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures beckoned throughout the week, the call of the outdoors was easily outweighed by the quality of the lectures, which were focused on Law of the Sea issues. Highlights of the week included the presentations delivered by Dr. Shunji Yanai, the President of the Tribunal, Dr. Rüdiger Wolfrum and Dr. Vladimir Golitsyn, who are both members of the Tribunal. Each of the lectures focused on different aspects of the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and how the various articles have been applied and interpreted.
Later in the week, the members of the 2012 Summer Academy, comprised of 36 participants from nearly 30 different countries, had the opportunity to put aside the textbooks and put their knowledge to practical use with a full day delimitation exercise organized by the British Hydrographic Office.
The week has not been all work and no play. There has been ample time to explore the city and its hundreds of parks, and the organized tours of the harbour facilities and the city itself provided the basis for future exploration in the coming days!
The focus of the Academy now shifts towards the uses of the world’s ocean, with a series of lectures including discussion topics such as Fisheries and Marine Environmental Protection. With the bar set high, I am looking forward to what Week Two has in store!