Protection of Life at Sea
Sub-Working Groups
Sub-Working Group 1.1
The SWG will focus on protection of people in distress at sea as a manifestation of the duty to protect the right to life at sea. The SWG will address existing rules on search and rescue and identify how they apply to people at sea. It will also consider whether there are gaps and inconsistencies in the legal framework applying to search and rescue; will discuss cases of non-compliance with the rules, so as to identify the reasons and possible remedies; and will advance suggestions for strengthening the regime and ensuring its universal application.
Sub-Working Group 1.2
The SWG will examine how the right to life may be put at risk in cases involving the use of force at sea. It will address use of force in different scenarios, including law enforcement / police operations, measures falling short of armed conflict, and armed conflict proper. The SWG will identify and critically discuss existing rules, with a view towards identifying their capacity to ensure proper protection of the right to life, also drawing analogies from the well-developed jurisprudence on land.
Sub-Working Group 1.3
The SWG will address threats to life arising out of the conditions of vessels and platforms. The SWG will focus on safety of vessels and structures, drawing a comparison between different types of vessels and between them and (different types of) structures. The SWG will identify existing rules, assess their capacity to effectively protect human life on board, and advance suggestions for filling the numerous gaps still existing for platforms and specific types of vessels.