ABSTRACT
The theory of developmental sovereignty brings to the fore the important questions of what the common understanding of the law of maritime cabotage should be and what is its basis. This chapter suggests that this new theory reins in many of the inconsistencies surrounding the concept and application of the law of maritime cabotage. It demonstrates this by applying the theory of developmental sovereignty to the different maritime cabotage approaches adopted in various sovereign states of the world. One of the important elements of the theory of developmental sovereignty is the fact that it embodies the concept of 'sustainable development'. The chapter considers how the theory of developmental sovereignty applies to the protectionist and liberal maritime cabotage approaches. To promote sustainable economic development based on the chosen maritime cabotage approach, a government should adopt a pragmatic and flexible agenda in the pursuit of realistic economic development objectives.
