船舶污染对无害通过权影响之检视

The impact of pollution from ships on the right of innocent passage

1982年《联合国海洋法公约》把无害通过权这项国际习惯法编纂并使之成文化,但是公约涉及船舶污染对无害通过权影响的条文规定得不甚清楚,对非故意造成污染的船舶、非造成严重污染的船舶以及存在重大污染威胁的船舶的无害通过权问题缺乏明确规定。欧盟法院审理的女王诉交通大臣案以及美国和加拿大帕萨马科迪湾LNG项目争议就体现了缔约国对公约这些条文存在理解上的歧义。这些歧义的理解在实践中影响着外国船舶无害通过权的行使。

The 1982 UNCLOS compiles the right of innocent passage and makes it from the customary international law to culture. However, the provisions relating to the impact of pollution on the right of innocent passage of ships in the Convention are not clear, the Convention does not provide clearly defined rules as to the right of innocent passage for the vessels that cause pollution with no intention or cause pollution which is not serious, or simply pose a threat to pollute. The controversy of Passamaquoddy Bay LNG project between the United States and Canada and ECJ＇ s case of the Queen v. Secretary of State for Transport on the European Court reflects the divergent understanding of the contracting states as to the relevant provisions of the Convention which in practice affect greatly the right of innocent passage of foreign ships.