International Court of Justice clarifies rules on delimitation of maritime boundaries with significant impact

On 13 July 2023, the International Court of Justice (“ICJ” or the “Court”) in Question of the Delimitation of the Continental Shelf between Nicaragua and Colombia beyond 200 Nautical Miles from the Nicaraguan Coast (Nicaragua v. Colombia) found that Nicaragua is not entitled to an extended continental shelf within 200 nautical miles from the baselines of Colombia’s mainland coast.

The ICJ’s judgment would seem to resolve the disputed sovereign rights between Nicaragua and Colombia over the mineral- and fish-rich waters in the Caribbean Sea.

For Governments, this judgment provides helpful guidance as to the delimitation of maritime boundaries under the…

• International Court of…