Submarine Cables and Deep Seabed Mining: A Successful and Foundational Workshop

In their inaugural workshop, the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) held a joint seminar: “Submarine Cables and Deep Seabed Mining—Advancing Common Interest and Addressing UNCLOS ‘Due Regard’ Obligations” from 10-11 March 2015 in the New York offices of Douglas Burnett, ICPC’s International Cable Legal Advisor.

The focus of the initial meeting was to exchange information between the ISA and ICPC in relation to the practical facets of fulfilling the ‘due regard’ provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as they correlate to subsea cable and mining activities. The two day workshop included five representatives from ICPC, mining experts, legal counsel and government organisations. On behalf of ISA, speakers included: Michael Lodge, Deputy to the Secretary-General and Legal Counsel, Gwenaëlle Le Gurun, Legal Officer, and Sandor Mulsow, Head, Office of Resource and Environmental Monitoring.

Neil Rondorf, ICPC Chairman stated: “We are pleased to have connected members of ISA and ICPC to learn more about one another and to have shared important information that benefit both organisations in regards to building a relationship between seabed users in the subsea mining and subsea cable sectors.”

ISA’s Deputy to the Secretary-General and Legal Counsel, Michael Lodge acknowledged, “The inaugural and joint workshop was an excellent starting point to help foster the collaboration between the ISA and ICPC that originated from our bilateral MoU. We look forward to future conversations.”

The joint workshop was an excellent springboard for forthcoming meetings and discussions will continue to take place regarding subsea mining operations and undersea cable development.