Guinea—Guinea-Bissau Maritime Delimitation Case

Abstract

Sea — Maritime boundaries — Delimitation — Principles of — Single maritime boundary — Arbitration tribunal asked to establish single boundary line for territorial waters, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf — Adjacent States — Equitable solution — Whether international law contains any rules regarding the means of achieving an equitable solution — Whether rules more than guidelines — Equidistance method — Use of parallel lines of delimitation — State practice — Significance of regional practice — Configuration of coastline — Significance of general direction of coastline — Notion of a maritime facade — Relevance of geological and geo-morphological considerations — Proportionality of coastline to maritime zones — Economic considerations — Relevance of the security interests of the parties

Sea — Islands — Significance of islands in determining boundary of territorial waters, economic zones and continental shelf between adjacent States — Convention concluded by colonial predecessors of parties to arbitration — Convention settling question of title to certain islands — Effect on maritime boundaries

State succession — Treaties — Convention concluded by colonial powers regarding title to islands — Effect upon successor States — Significance in relation to maritime boundaries

Arbitration — Compromis — Maritime boundary delimitation — Composition of tribunal