Shipping Interdiction and the Law of the Sea

In this comparative study of shipping interdiction, Douglas Guilfoyle considers the State action of stopping, searching and arresting foreign flag vessels and crew on the high seas in cases such as piracy, slavery, drug smuggling, fisheries management, migrant smuggling, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and maritime terrorism. Interdiction raises important questions of jurisdiction, including:-

• how permission to board a foreign vessel is obtained;
• whether boarding State or flag State law applies during the interdiction (or whether both apply);
• and which State has jurisdiction to prosecute any crimes discovered.

• Comprehensive overview of interdiction across all relevant areas of international law (excluding the laws of war and UN operations) allows the law of interdiction to be understood in a comparative context
• Examines how an interdiction must be conducted, and what consequences follow if they are broken, thus placing the law in a practical context
• Based on a wide-ranging and thorough survey of what States do in practice, making this of enormous use to researchers and practitioners in this area