The management, use, and operation of a research vessel by a State are activities subject to regulation within its own domestic legal order. However, the external activities carried out by such a vessel—particularly in waters under the jurisdiction of another State—are subject to certain “constraints.”

These constraints or obstacles are addressed within the framework of the Law of the Sea. This seminar proposes a reflection on the legal framework applicable to all vessels under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and in particular on the differentiated regime to which research vessels are subject.

Notwithstanding the existence of such constraints, the navigation and passage of marine scientific research vessels in waters under the jurisdiction of another coastal State require close inter-State cooperation and coordination, which are essential for the conduct of studies and scientific research programs.