Iran Says Strait of Hormuz Won't Have 'Tolls' but It Will Have 'Fees'

[pat_k]

13. I don't actually know much about it, but FWIW, here's an AI summary.

Apply whatever level of skepticism you apply to all AI:

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) explicitly prohibits coastal nations from charging tolls or fees simply for transiting natural international straits

Conflicts regarding the Law of the Sea are primarily resolved through the dispute settlement mechanisms mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Under Part XV of the Convention, nations are legally required to settle their maritime and ocean disputes through peaceful means, such as direct negotiation, mediation, or conciliation.

If those efforts fail, nations have compulsory recourse to one of four binding judicial bodies:

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS): Based in Hamburg, Germany, this independent judicial body specializes entirely in maritime disputes, such as delimitation of boundaries and fishing rights. It notably handles cases requiring emergency, provisional measures or the "prompt release" of detained vessels and crews.

International Court of Justice (ICJ): Located in The Hague, Netherlands, the primary judicial organ of the UN can also hear and resolve disputes between nations.

Annex VII Arbitral Tribunal: Often the most common and flexible option, this process relies on a panel of five arbitrators appointed by the disputing parties. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague acts as the registry for these proceedings.

Annex VIII Special Arbitral Tribunal: These are specialized panels composed of experts in particular fields (e.g., fisheries, marine environment, scientific research) established to resolve specific technical disputes.

When signing or ratifying UNCLOS, nations can declare which of these four forums they prefer to use. If they do not designate a preference, arbitration under Annex VII becomes the default mechanism.