U.S.: Twenty-Two Challenges to Freedom of Navigation

The U.S. challenged 22 countries over excessive maritime claims against naval ship freedom of navigation rights last financial year.

The U.S. Department of Defense released its fiscal year 2016 freedom of navigation (FON) report for October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016, highlighting the need to challenge excessive claims in order to maintain global mobility of U.S. forces. 

The Department says its freedom of navigation program is comprehensive in scope and executed in an even-handed manner, challenging excessive maritime claims based on principle rather than identity of the coastal State asserting the claim. The program is applied to allies, partners, and other nations on a worldwide basis.

The program demonstrates the U.S.’ non-acquiescence, says the Department. Among the countries challenged were China, Iran, Brazil, India and Indonesia.

The report is available here.