The losc and the Delimitation of the Continental Shelf in the Arctic Ocean

Abstract

The article shows the evolution of the concept and content of the ‘continental shelf’ legal category and covers the applicability of relevant international legal norms to the shelf of the Arctic Ocean and their use in bilateral agreements between the Arctic States on the delimitation of their marine areas. A special place in the article has been given to the submissions made by Russia to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in 2001 and 2015. In this regard, the article analyses prospects of delivering its final decision on the submissions, especially taking into consideration the submission of Denmark, which was made on 15 December 2014, and that of Canada, which is expected to be submitted in the future.

Canada and the Russian Federation: Maritime Boundaries and Jurisdiction in the Arctic Ocean

“…Russia made its resubmission in 2015, which refined and adjusted the outer limits that had been indicated in the earlier submission. 17 According to the later submission, the area of continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the Arctic Ocean covers almost 1,200,000 square kilometres, that is, approximately 100,000 square kilometres more than in Russia's 2001 submission. 18 In December 2014, Denmark delivered to the Commission a submission on establishment of outer limits of the northern continental shelf of Greenland.…”