The Territorial Sea (Baselines) Order 2014
At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 27th day of May 2014
Present,
The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council
1.
(1)
This Order may be cited as the Territorial Sea (Baselines) Order 2014 and shall come into force on 30th June 2014.
(2)
Baselines
2.
(1)
Except as provided in Article 3 of this Order, the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man shall be established in accordance with the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Cmnd 8941), as modified and set out in Schedule 1 to this Order,
(2)
In Schedule 1 to this Order, except in the phrase “low-water line”, the word “line” means a geodesic line.
3.
(1)
The baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured between Cape Wrath and Laggan shall consist of the geodesic lines drawn so as to join successively, in the order in which they are there set out, the points identified by the co-ordinates of latitude and longitude in the first column of Schedule 2 to this Order, each being a point on the low-water line and on or adjacent to the feature named in the second column of that Schedule.
(2)
In Schedule 2 to this Order, all positions given by means of coordinates are defined on World Geodetic System 1984 Datum (WGS84).
SCHEDULE 1RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA, WITH MODIFICATIONS
Note: modifications to the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea are indicated in bold and omissions by dots.
Article 5
Normal Baseline
Except where otherwise provided in the provisions of this Convention specified below, the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the low-water line along the coast………
Article 9
Mouths of Rivers
If a river flows directly into the sea, the baseline shall be a straight line across the mouth of the river between points on the low-water line of its banks.
Article 10
Bays
1.
This article relates only to bays the coasts of which belong to a single State.
2.
For the purposes of this Convention, a bay is a well-marked indentation whose penetration is in such proportion to the width of its mouth as to contain land-locked waters and constitute more than a mere curvature of the coast. An indentation shall not, however, be regarded as a bay unless its area is as large as, or larger than, that of the semi-circle whose diameter is a line drawn across the mouth of that indentation.
3.
For the purpose of measurement, the area of an indentation is that lying between the low-water mark around the shore of the indentation and a line joining the low-water mark of its natural entrance points. Where, because of the presence of islands, an indentation has more than one mouth, the semi-circle shall be drawn on a line as long as the sum total of the lengths of the lines across the different mouths. Islands within an indentation shall be included as if they were part of the water area of the indentation.
4.
If the distance between the low-water marks of the natural entrance points of a bay does not exceed 24 nautical miles, a closing line may be drawn between these two low-water marks, and the waters enclosed thereby shall be considered as internal waters.
5.
Where the distance between the low-water marks of the natural entrance points of a bay exceeds 24 nautical miles, a straight baseline of 24 nautical miles shall be drawn within the bay in such a manner as to enclose the maximum area of water that is possible with a line of that length.
6.
The foregoing provisions do not apply …. in any case where Article 3 of this Order applies.
Article 11
Ports
For the purpose of delimiting the territorial sea, the outermost permanent harbour works which form an integral part of the harbour system are regarded as forming part of the coast. Off-shore installations and artificial islands shall not be considered as permanent harbour works.
Article 12
Roadsteads
Roadsteads which are normally used for the loading, unloading and anchoring of ships, and would otherwise be situated wholly or partly outside the outer limit of the territorial sea, are included in the territorial sea.
Article 13
Low-tide elevations
1.
A low-tide elevation is a naturally formed area of land which is surrounded by and above water at low tide but submerged at high tide. Where a low tide elevation is situated wholly or partly at a distance not exceeding the breadth of the territorial sea from the mainland or an island, the low-water line on that elevation may be used as the baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea.
2.
Where a low-tide elevation is wholly situated at a distance exceeding the breadth of the territorial sea from the mainland or an island, it has no territorial sea of its own.
Article 121
Regime of Islands
1.
An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide.
SCHEDULE 2
Latitude North | Longitude West | ||
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 58° 37’.642 | 5° 00’.295 | Cape Wrath |
2 | 58° 31’.173 | 6° 15’.752 | Lith-Sgeir |
3 | 58° 30’.707 | 6° 16’.985 | Gealltuig |
4 | 58° 29’.123 | 6° 20’.350 | Dell Rock |
5 | 58° 18’.442 | 6° 47’.812 | Tiumpan Head |
6 | 58° 17’.575 | 6° 52’.778 | Màs Sgeir |
7 | 58° 17’.125 | 6° 55’.395 | Old Hill |
8 | 58° 14’.475 | 7° 02’.160 | Gallan Head |
9 | 58° 13’.992 | 7° 03’.010 | Islet SW of Gallan Head |
10 | 58° 10’.625 | 7° 06’.960 | Eilean Molach |
11 | 57° 59’.110 | 7° 17’.757 | Gasker |
12 | 57° 41’.295 | 7° 43’.268 | Haskeir Eagach |
13 | 57° 32’.347 | 7° 44’.018 | Huskeiran |
14 | 57° 14’.532 | 7° 27’.787 | Rubha Ardvule |
15 | 57° 00’.817 | 7° 31’.752 | Greuab Head |
16 | 56° 58’.102 | 7° 33’.452 | Doirlinn Head |
17 | 56° 56’.935 | 7° 34’.335 | Aird a’Chaolais |
18 | 56° 56’.068 | 7° 34’.968 | Biruaslum |
19 | 56° 49’.335 | 7° 39’.583 | Guarsay Mór |
20 | 56° 47’.985 | 7° 40’.000 | Sròn an Dùin |
21 | 56° 47’.102 | 7° 39’.650 | Skate Point |
22 | 56° 19’.273 | 7° 07’.087 | Skerryvore |
23 | 56° 07’.958 | 6° 38’.057 | Dubh Artach |
24 | 55° 41’.595 | 6° 32’.090 | Frenchman’s Rocks |
25 | 55° 40’.395 | 6° 31’.040 | Orsay Island |
26 | 55° 35’.397 | 6° 20’.358 | Mull of Oa |
27 | 55° 17’.950 | 5° 47’.962 | Mull of Kintyre |
28 | 54° 58’.485 | 5° 11’.183 | Laggan |
This Order establishes the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man is measured in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It applies the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention, with modifications, as set out in Schedule 1. The baseline is generally the low-water line around the coast, including the coast of all islands.
Between Cape Wrath and Laggan a straight baseline system is established in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention; this is defined by a series of straight lines joining specified points lying on the low-water line generally on the seaward side of the islands lying off the coast. Elsewhere, where there is a bay, a line not exceeding 24 nautical miles in length is drawn across the bay and will constitute the baseline.
The limits of the territorial sea derived from these baselines are shown on Admiralty Charts published by the UK Hydrographic Office and obtainable from Admiralty Chart agents.