Maritime policing, a mediterranean perspective and proposal

Maritime policing has always been a sensitive issue especially when this is practiced beyond the national jurisdiction of a State. This paper deals with the setting up of a Regional Maritime Police Organisation (“RMPO”) for the Mediterranean region and gives an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of such an organisation. The intention of the RMPO would be to have Mediterranean States, which are parties to a regional agreement, exercise maritime policing duties on the high seas in the Mediterranean region on vessels belonging to these States, without having to go through the normal diplomatic channels to get consent for boardings outside waters under their own national jurisdiction. This paper will also examine current international maritime conventions as well as customary international law practices and will discuss standing operating procedures for maritime police units deployed in the crime prevention and law enforcement roles.