International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
- It is an intergovernmental organisation
- Established in 1996 under UNCLOS
- UNCLOS was signed in 1982 (Came in force in 1994)
- It established an international framework for law over “all ocean space, its uses and resources”
- The Tribunal is composed of 21 independent members who are elected from among persons enjoying the highest reputation for fairness and integrity and of recognised competence in the field of the law of the sea.
- The Tribunal has the power to settle disputes between party states.
- Currently, there are 161 parties
- Based in Hamburg, Germany
Why in news?
India’s law expert Neeru Chadha has been appointed as a judge at the tribunal