The seabed and ocean floor, as well as the subsoil, that are beyond the limits of any national jurisdiction are governed by the UN Convention on the Law of Sea. This area, some 200 nautical miles from baselines along the shore into the ocean, is subject to international regulation. In some cases, this distance is 350 nautical miles offshore, depending on the natural prolongation of the continental shelf of the territory concerned. The International Seabed Authority and its parties are in charge of organizing and controlling this area, especially with regard to the distribution of mineral-related resources. Established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1994, the International Seabed Authority is an autonomous international organization with a headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica. The basic Agreements and Treaties governing the establishment of the International Seabed Authority and its work are presented in Volume 1 and Volume 2 of this series. In future volumes, the annual sessions will be presented in chronological order, making the collection useful for anyone working in the area of maritime law.