Russia announced the issue at a meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council on March 25. "The United States is unilaterally trying to reduce the area of seabed under the jurisdiction of the ISA as well as the entire international community," according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Previously, the US State Department announced the extended continental shelf (ECS) project in December 2023, claiming jurisdiction beyond its territorial waters of about one million square kilometers.
Map of the US extended continental shelf project released in December 2023
Accordingly, these additional ECS zones in 7 areas in the Arctic, Atlantic, Bering Sea, Pacific, Mariana Islands and 2 areas in the Gulf of Mexico. This is believed to be able to expand the US potential in areas such as mining, shipping, fishing and security in the above locations, but it must be approved first.
According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the continental shelf of a coastal state has a minimum width of 200 nautical miles from the baseline; if the actual continental margin is wider than 200 nautical miles, the coastal state has the right to establish the scope of its continental shelf up to a maximum of 350 nautical miles or not exceeding 100 nautical miles from the 2,500 m isobath.
How did the United States get an additional 1 million square kilometers?
In cases where a coastal state wishes to establish a continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, UNCLOS requires states to submit a submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles can only be established based on the recommendations of the Commission. Russia submitted a submission to the Commission in 2015.
"These unilateral steps by the United States are inconsistent with the rules and procedures established by international law," the Russian Foreign Ministry said, stressing that it "has blocked the latest attempt by the United States to use the 1982 Convention exclusively to advance its interests."
In addition to the note sent to the ISA, Russia also sent a document rejecting the US continental shelf claim to Washington through bilateral channels.
The US has not yet responded to Russia's new move.
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