Dumping and oil pollution: Regulatory approaches for vessel operations in an ice-free Central Arctic Ocean

Pollution of the seas by ships has long been an international regulatory concern. International law is mainly reactive in nature, responding to specific needs for regulation. Because lawmaking at the international level can be a slow-moving process, it is important to determine such regulatory needs early on. This article asks the question whether the regulatory possibilities that exist today are sufficient to protect the Central Arctic Ocean from vessel-based pollution, with a focus on oil pollution and dumping. It analyses different legal tools with a view to their suitability for the protection of the Central Arctic Ocean against future threats of pollution from vessels operating in the area. It will be shown that, though imperfect and incomplete, rules are already in place which enable the international community to take action to protect the Central Arctic Ocean against dumping and deliberate oil pollution.