NCLOS - Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea

14/09/2026

Registration is now open for the NCLOS Annual Conference 2026: Swinging Tides — Transformations and Resilience in the Law of the Sea

📅 Conference dates:
3–5 November 2026

📍 Venue:
UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Tromsø, Norway

Registration closes on October 14.

To register, please fill out our registration form: https://nettskjema.no/a/646749

For more details about the conference, please visit the event page: https://uit.no/tavla/artikkel?p_document_id=924434

Photo: TPHOTOBLOGGERS/Mostphotos

31/08/2026

On Friday, August 28, our colleague Bastiaan Klerk successfully defended his PhD thesis in Law, titled "Dynamism and the Law of the Sea: Rethinking Area-Based Management Tools for a Changing Ocean".

Congratulations!🌹

28/08/2026

Today, PhD Candidate Bastiaan Klerk at The Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea (NCLOS), will be presenting his trial lecture and defending his PhD dissertation in Law.

Both sessions will be streamed, so if you can’t make it in person, you’re welcome to join online.

The trial lecture starts at 10:15 and the doctoral defence starts at 12:15.

🔗 For more details and to access the stream links, please visit the event page:

Velkommen til UiT, bli bedre kjent med studiehverdagen ved UiT Norges arktiske universitet!

10/06/2026

On 26-27 May 2026, Richard Barnes and Jessica Schechinger from the Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea (NCLOS) organized the BlueRights Training School on "Understanding Contemporary Challenges in Protecting the Right to Life at Sea" in collaboration with the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Msida, Malta.

The event brought together IMLI students from across the globe, BlueRights members, scholarship awardees, and young researchers interested in learning more about protecting the right to life at sea. NCLOS Research Fellows Bastiaan Klerk and Tina Brun Henriksen also took part as trainees.

Participants engaged with expert trainers from BlueRights and IMLI through lectures, discussions, and a hands-on practical exercise designed to apply legal knowledge to real-world scenarios. The programme focused on key themes including search and rescue, the use of force at sea, and life risks in maritime work environments, while also addressing related issues concerning liberty and health.

The training school was supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

19/05/2026

We are pleased to share that our colleague Mana Tugend successfully defended her PhD thesis in Law today! The title of her dissertation is "Sustaining Good Relations with Nature: Relationality, Rights of Nature, and the Restorying of International Environmental Law".

Congratulations! 💐

19/05/2026

Today, on May 19, Mana Tugend, PhD Candidate at The Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea (NCLOS), will be presenting her trial lecture and defending her PhD dissertation in Law.

Both sessions will be streamed, so if you can’t make it in person, you’re welcome to join online.

The trial lecture starts at 10:15 and the doctoral defence starts at 12:15.

🔗 For more details and to access the stream links, click on the link below:

On May 19, Mana Elise Héra Tugend will hold her trial lecture and defend her thesis for the degree of PhD in Law. 

30/01/2026

Under the theme “Turn of the Tide,” Arctic Frontiers 2026 brings together experts from science, policy, business, and local Arctic communities to explore how climate change, shifting geopolitics, and economic transformation are reshaping the Arctic region.

In the link below, you can view all the events members of The Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea are part of:
https://uit.no/research/nclos

23/11/2025

SSFI Lunchtime Seminar – Arctic Governance is Dead. Long Live Arctic Governance!

On Friday November 21, NCLOS Director Professor Vito De Lucia presented ongoing research at a lunchtime seminar hosted by Singapore Sustainable Futures Initiative (SSFI) Director, Associate Professor Nengye Liu at the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law.

⚖️ Professor De Lucia explored the pressing question of whether the current architecture of Arctic governance can adequately respond to ongoing geopolitical shifts and rising security concerns. He argued that the future of Arctic governance is in a critical state in terms of addressing conflict and ongoing security concerns. He proposed, drawing from Italian theory, that conflict should be understood as an inherent element within cooperative governance rather than something to be neutralized and considered pathological.

🏛️ The seminar revisited the Ottawa Declaration’s mention of military security, questioned long-standing assumptions about Arctic exceptionalism, and considered whether the Arctic Council will need to engage more directly with security-related issues. Professor De Lucia emphasised that the structure of Arctic governance must evolve, and that meaningful engagement with topics such as security, war, and conflict is essential for sustaining effective cooperation in the Arctic region.

Thank you to Associate Professor Nengye Liu for organizing this seminar, which fostered insightful discussions on the future of Arctic governance and the role of the Arctic Council!

19/11/2025

From 18–19 November, we were pleased to co-organise the CIL–NCLOS Dialogue 2025 workshop in Singapore, “Arctic Governance: Contemporary Trends in Shipping, Environment, and Security,” together with Centre for International Law (CIL).

The opening address was delivered by First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission Valentin Musangwa at the Norwegian Embassy in Singapore, who emphasised the importance of international cooperation in strengthening Arctic governance.

The discussions examined developments along the Northern Sea Route, environmental measures such as black carbon and heavy fuel oil regulations, and the security implications of growing maritime activity, including seabed mining, autonomous technologies, and cyber risks. The workshop concluded with an insightful panel on the significance of the BBNJ Agreement for the Arctic.

We extend our thanks to the Norwegian Embassy in Singapore, to Innovation Norway’s Singapore office, and to all speakers for their valuable contributions.

A special appreciation goes to the CIL team for their excellent organisation and warm hospitality throughout the event!

07/11/2025

NCLOS Annual Conference 2025 took place this week, from 3–5 November. This year’s theme was on the role of implementing agreements, and the conference brought together leading experts and practitioners in the field of the Law of the Sea.

The conference opened with a keynote speech by Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, former Director of the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, on Tuesday, and then with another keynote speech by Rena Lee, Singapore’s Ambassador for International Law and President of the Intergovernmental Conference, on Wednesday.

Five thematic panels explored key issues relating to the Fish Stocks Agreement, the Agreement on the Implementation of Part XI of the LOSC, the BBNJ Agreement, and broader cross-cutting topics concerning the function and significance of implementing agreements.

The conference concluded with a high-level panel featuring Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Rena Lee, Joanna Mossop, and Vito De Lucia, who offered forward-looking reflections on how implementing agreements continue to shape the evolution of ocean governance. They also discussed the potential of the BBNJ Agreement to further strengthen global collaboration and cooperation.

The discussions across all sessions provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities ahead for the Law of the Sea and for implementing agreements in particular.

We extend our sincere thanks to all speakers, moderators, rapporteurs, and participants for their engagement and contributions to making this year’s NCLOS Annual Conference a success!