The Protection of Offshore Oil Rigs in International Law (Part I)

This article outlines and examines the legal issues relating to the protection of offshore oil installations in international law. It analyses the right of the coastal States to regulate innocent passages and to establish safety zones around their offshore oil rigs in order to protect these installations. It also examines the provisions of the 1988 Protocol for Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism against Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf, the relevant Resolutions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the practice of States. It concludes that existing international law rules and national legislation are insufficient to protect oil platforms. The article proposes a preferred approach for consideration to improve the safety and protection of offshore oil rigs.