A COMPREHENSIVE ADVISORY SERVICE
Six Challenges, One Trusted Adviser.
Maritime Frontiers primarily advises on six core areas concerning ocean governance, maritime boundaries, shipping and maritime transport, maritime security and enforcement, international fisheries, offshore energy and living marine and non-living natural resources — serving governments, international organisations, NGOs and private clients worldwide.
MANAGING MARITIME SPACE, MARITIME ACTIVITY AND THE BLUE ECONOMY
Ocean Governance and the Blue Economy
We provide advice to coastal and island states on the development of national ocean governance frameworks, the marine data, marine spatial planning and institutional development to support the transition to a sustainable blue economy. The includes strategic assessment, policy development, assistance in the preparation of national legislation and capacity building and training.
CaPABILITIES
- Advice on the development of comprehensive ocean governance frameworks and blue economy transition models
- Threat and risk assessment for coastal states
- Advice on marine data stocktakers and marine spatial planning
- Maritime domain awareness (MDA) system design
- Port and offshore infrastructure security
- Interagency coordination and joint operations doctrine
Defining BOUNDARIES AND Resolving disputes.
Maritime Boundaries and Disputes
Maritime boundary delimitation is one of the most technically and legally complex areas of international law. Our advisors have supported states through bilateral negotiations, UNCLOS arbitration proceedings, and submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). We also provide advice on domestic implementation and national legislation. We combine deep legal expertise with geospatial and hydrographic analysis to deliver defensible, durable outcomes.
CaPABILITIES
- Advice concerning EEZ, continental shelf and territorial sea delimitation
- Advice and support for maritime boundary negotiations and dispute settlement
- Comprehensive support for the preparation, lodgement and defence of CLCS submissions.
- Advise on the litigation of unresolved boundary disputes before international courts and tribunals
- Provision of Geospatial and hydrographic analysis
- Advice on Joint Development Zone and shared resource management frameworks
ADVISING ON international shipping law and regulation.
Marine Transport and Shipping
The international shipping industry operates within a complex web of flag state obligations, port-state control regimes, and IMO conventions. We advise flag-states on the development and modernisation of national shipping legislation, port authorities, and shipping operators on their rights and obligations under international law in different maritime zones including the regimes of transit passage and international straits, as well as compliance with national and international regulatory requirements.
CaPABILITIES
- Advice on flag-state obligations and maritime administration
- Port state control and inspection regime design
- Advice on IMO convention implementation and compliance
- Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) advisory
- Casualty investigation frameworks
- National shipping legislation drafting
SECURING jurisdictioN. PROTECTING RESOURCES
Maritime Security and Enforcement
We provide comprehensive maritime enforcement advice covering national policy development, maritime domain awareness architecture, and the development of national maritime security legislation aligned with international law concerning the suppression of piracy, smuggling, IUU fishing and human trafficking. We support coast guards and maritime enforcement agencies in capacity-building, the development of modern enforcement doctrine, ROE and establishing the legal frameworks necessary to exercise jurisdiction at sea — from hot pursuit and boarding procedures to use of force policy.
CaPABILITIES
- National capacity building, including advice on policy, legislation and institutional development
- Enforcement doctrine and standard operating procedures
- Training for coast guards and enforcement agencies concerning Boarding, search, and seizure legal frameworks
- Right of visit advisory, Hot Pursuit, Arrest of vessels and prompt release negotiations.
- Use of force policy and rules of engagement
- Interagency and multinational coordination frameworks
MANAGING FISHERIES. COMBATTING IUU FISHING
International and National Fisheries
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the most significant threats to ocean governance, the marine environment and food security. We advise states and regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) on IUU suppression strategies, fisheries treaty negotiation, port state measures, and the development of national fisheries legislation consistent with international law including UNCLOS, regional and bilateral treaties.
CaPABILITIES
- Advice on national fisheries policies and legislation development and reform.
- Advice and support in RFMO negotiations and repreentation
- Support for multilateral, regional and bilateral fisheries treaty negotiation and drafting.
- Advice on port-state fisheries inspection and certification implementation.
- Advice on IUU fishing suppression and enforcement.
- Vessel monitoring system (VMS) and MCS frameworks
Complex challenges. Bespoke solutions.
Offshore Energy and Natural Resources
Securing access to areas of national maritime jurisdiction is critical to the effective management of living and non-living marine resources, including traditional petroleum and natural gas deposits and frontier seabed mineral resources. New challenges also arise from the rapid expansion in offshore renewable energy projects including large-scale wind, solar and deep water energy projects. Providing advice on these increasingly important renewable energy sources requires cross-disciplinary expertise — drawing on the full depth of our experience to deliver integrated advice where security, law, governance, and diplomacy intersect.
CaPABILITIES
- Advice on offshore petroleum and seabed mineral policy, institutional reform and legislation.
- Advice on offshore renewable energy policy, institutional reform and legislation.
- Development of model offshore petroleum and seabed mineral exploration and exploitation agreements.
- Advice on offshore joint management regimes and treaty negotiation for offshore petroleum and marine resources.
- Delivery of training and capacity building programmes.