Liberia Seeks to Nearly Double Seabed Maritime Jurisdiction

London – October 29, 2018 – Cooley advised the Republic of Liberia on lodging a submission to establish the outer limits of its continental shelf with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in New York.

“The submission is important as it provides the legal basis for Liberia to extend the area of its continental shelf by more than 75,000 square kilometers, almost doubling the country’s area of maritime jurisdiction,” said Joshua Brien, Cooley special counsel. “In addition, the submission enables Liberia to exercise sovereign rights over the living and non-living resources of the seabed and subsoil in the extended area of continental shelf jurisdiction for the benefit of present and future generations.”

The submission was prepared in accordance with Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, under which coastal states such as Liberia can submit scientific and technical information to the Commission to determine the outer limits of the continental shelf where those limits extend beyond the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

Read the Executive Summary of the submission.

About Cooley LLP

Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation, where innovation meets the law.

Cooley has 900+ lawyers across 13 offices in the United States, China and Europe.

This content is provided for general informational purposes only, and your access or use of the content does not create an attorney-client relationship between you or your organization and Cooley LLP, Cooley (UK) LLP, or any other affiliated practice or entity (collectively referred to as “Cooley”). By accessing this content, you agree that the information provided does not constitute legal or other professional advice. This content is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction and you should not act or refrain from acting based on this content. This content may be changed without notice. It is not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up to date, and it may not reflect the most current legal developments. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Do not send any confidential information to Cooley, as we do not have any duty to keep any information you provide to us confidential. This content may be considered Attorney Advertising and is subject to our legal notices.