THEY won鈥檛 be flying the skull and crossbones, but a new generation of
research mini-submarines and 鈥渟mart鈥� torpedoes will roam the high seas,
unaffected by international law, warns Charles Fay, chairman of the
International Research Ship Operators Association. The group discussed framing
laws to govern the vessels when it met in Southampton this week.
鈥淲e want to lay down the law before there is a diplomatic incident,鈥� says
Fay, who manages Britain鈥檚 research fleet. 鈥淪ome states may see them as a
threat, and may need reassuring that the data being collected are purely for
蝉肠颈别苍肠别.鈥�
Researchers will soon have a vastly increased capacity for such research.
This year, the Southampton Oceanography Centre has been testing its new Autosub
1, which will soon have a range of 500 kilometres. The US, Canada and Denmark
all have similar vessels.
Advertisement
The UN Law of the Sea includes provisions for research vessels but says
nothing about free-floating research buoys and remotely operated subs which
might cross into another nation鈥檚 waters.