Historic Waters: The Everlasting Anomaly of the Law of the Sea

Waters claimed on the basis of historic grounds represent an anomaly in the face of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) provisions on the measurement of marine spaces. In fact, they deviate from the codified prescriptions pertaining to both rules and exceptions governing the drawing of baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. This contribution outlines the intricate theoretical evolution of this anomaly, the considerations developed during its challenging codification, and the reasoning of international courts and tribunals that have contributed to clarifying regimes and legal terms associated with claims based on historic reasons. Furthermore, it assesses the impact of the anomaly through a brief overview of national practices and the (failed) attempts to quantify them. The anomaly reveals certain paradoxes, but also asserts its necessary presence within the system, to the extent that the LOSC provisions related to historic claims can be counted among the elements on which the LOSC has grounded its resilience.