Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas Designation; Purposes, Protection, Implications and Application in The Malacca Strait

Abstract

This paper basically aims to analyze the designation of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA) by International Maritime Organization observed from three critical aspects: its purposes, scope of protection and implications. Further, this paper also addresses the possibility of PSSA to be applied in Indonesian sea areas especially in the area of Malacca straits, one of the busiest marine trade routes in the State. As a result of normative-legal research, this paper dissects secondary data which includes conventions, resolutions, various legal documents, researches, and other references relevant to the designation of PSSA in international level. Expected from this paper, layman could get more understanding regarding the concept of PSSA and Indonesian government could consider the possibility of Indonesian sea areas can be situated as one of PSSA in the world.