Pedra Branca: Lost in borderless waters

Pedra Branca: Lost in borderless waters – Tue, July 13 2021 – The Jakarta Post

Mohd Hazmi Bin Mohd Rusli (The Jakarta Post)

Nilai, Malaysia   ●   Tue, July 13 2021

In 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decided that Singapore would have sovereignty over Pedra Branca, a small rocky outcropping at the eastern end of Singapore Strait, toward the South China Sea. About 600 meters away lie the Middle Rocks which were awarded to Malaysia. The South Ledge was left unadjudicated by the world court.

Article 3 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) allows coastal states to claim a breadth of territorial sea of up to 12 nautical miles (approximately 22 kilometers) measured from their baseline.

Recently, Singapore has announced a plan to begin work on Pedra Branca to improve existing facilities, provide berthing for vessels and additional logistical services, administrative support and communications facilities on the island. These are to begin by the end of 2021.

This project includes r…