Maritime Delimitation Zones in the Framework of Customary Rules

Abstract

Background and Aim: The international law of the seas is based on the strong shoulders of the powerful system of international custom that has been repeatedly cited by international judicial and arbitration authorities. Therefore, in a comprehensive study, it was necessary to study the customary rules of delimitation of maritime areas, which have undergone many changes and transformations over the centuries. The present article examines this trend with a brief look at the customary rules of delimitation of maritime areas. Materials and Methods: The research method in this paper is descriptive-analytical. Ethical Considerations: Ethical considerations regarding the writing of texts as well as references to sources were observed. Findings: Customary international law has played an important role in the process of forming the international law of the seas and shaping the necessary criteria to evaluate its rules. The principle of the commonality of the seas, the national authority over the seas, the principle of the freedom of the seas in the Middle Ages, the judgment of the maritime courts and the legal opinions of the maritime dispute resolution authorities are evidence of the customary rules governing the seas. If the customary rules are so effective in the formation of the rules of delimitation of maritime areas that need special attention, then the course of its evolution was examined and the impact of customary rules on the development of the law of the sea was examined. Conclusion: This article emphasizes that customary law has not provided a specific method for delimitation that is legally binding or creates a privileged position over other methods.