ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the noteworthy influence of the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on developing international law of the sea. The preliminary survey explores the effect of its case-law on the practices of domestic courts in the field, highlighting the dynamic relationship between the World Court and its municipal counterparts. The study identifies 19 domestic judicial decisions from 12 different jurisdictions referring to ICJ judgments within the domain of maritime law, and this reception has been categorised in three main groups of cases: maritime disputes between federal and constituent state governments, cases involving foreign or international elements and the continuation of inter-state disputes in domestic courts. The ICJ’s rulings, such as those in the Fisheries Case and North Sea Continental Shelf cases, provide crucial guidance to domestic judges, ensuring clarity and coherence in the application of international maritime law within domestic legal contexts.
