New maritime legislation Aruba 2017
By Anika in Free Zone Aruba News on 29. Sep, 2016No Comments
According to Mr. Carlyle Coteau, Director of “Directie Scheepvaart”, if everything goes according to plan, Aruba will soon introduce a maritime legislation. This legislation includes all activities at sea and it should be implemented by the second quarter of 2017 . The new legislation will involve Aruba’s territorial waters and economic zone. With the introduction of this legislation, Aruba will be the frontrunner in maritime legislation in the region.
Maritime Lawyer, Mr. Tim Timmers is supporting Aruba in formalizing this new legislation. Mr. Timmers has worked for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment in the Netherlands. According to Mr. Timmers it will take a while before the law can be implemented but Aruba is on the right track. Directie Scheepvaart already started with interviewing different (inter)national stakeholders.
The Maritime legislation covers all maritime and economic zones and regulates; protection of nature and the environment, economic development and the safety.
Territorial waters and Economic zone
Aruba’s territorial waters reach up to twelve nautical miles. One nautical mile is approximately 1.8 kilometers. All activities within the territorial waters are subjected to the law that applies to Aruba.
Aruba’s economic zone is up to two hundred nautical miles offshore. In this area Aruba has different rights such as; extraction of minerals, fisheries, scientific research, environmental protection, etc. there will be a different legislation for the economic zone, since the economic zone reaches further than Aruba’s territorial waters. The economic zone on the south side quite small and extends to Venezuela, but on the northern side goes through the Dominican Republic.