The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) unanimously ordered provisional measures to protect the due-process rights of two The Metals Company (TMC) subsidiaries.
The Seabed Disputes Chamber identified a real and imminent risk of irreparable harm to Nauru Ocean Resources (NORI) and Tonga Offshore Mining (TOML).
This ruling marks the first of its kind issued under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The tribunal directed the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to follow a proper legal framework and provide clarity regarding ongoing inquiries.
The ISA must respect due-process requirements while considering NORI’s pending application for an exploration contract extension.
Both parties must cooperate and avoid escalating the conflict while the underlying dispute remains unresolved.