Article 234 UNCLOS and the Polar Code - The interaction between regulations on different levels in the Arctic region

Abstract

Given the increased activity in the Arctic region in recent years and the urgent need of regulation that follows, the main purpose of this thesis is to examine the current legal situation in the area with a particular focus on the interaction between shipping regulations on different levels. Focus will mainly be put on the connection between national regulations justifiable according to Article 234 in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and international regulations such as the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code), which is currently being negotiated in the International Maritime Organization (IMO). In this regard, the content of Article 234 UNCLOS itself will also be evaluated in the light of the Polar Code.