Can You Do Anything You Want in International Waters? (No Laws?)

Have you ever been watching a movie or reading the news when you heard the term “international waters” mentioned? Frequently, with the mention of the term, we usually find some sort of legal dilemma. Some might be under the impression that this area of water that doesn’t technically belong to anybody creates some sort of land of lawlessness.

Could it possibly be true, though, that there is an area of this world where someone can go to commit any crime that they want to without repercussion? It couldn’t be as simple as having to drive out into the middle of the ocean if you wanted to do something illegal… Or could it?

Well, unfortunately for the criminally inclined among us, that’s not the case. While the legality of certain criminal acts definitely changes in international waters, it doesn’t mean that it’s a free-for-all out there.

Instead, this time, there’s a YouTube video that explains exactly what’s legal and what’s not when it comes to international waters. Once outside of the range of law of a country that just so happens to be 12 miles from the coastline, the United Nations steps in and starts determining right and wrong.

However, this is definitely an area where you’re going to need a lawyer because it’s way more complicated than abiding by a single rulebook. Instead, we have to consider things like a ship’s origin or “flag state” which can help determine the law set. In fact, certain industries might go out of their way to register in a different country for a different set of laws depening on the specifics of their operation.

By following along with the video below from Casual Navigation, we get to learn a little bit of everything about the law of international waters from minimum standards all the way up to what exactly the deal is with this whole flag state operation.