The opening of Arctic sea routes necessitate urgent analysis at the critical intersection of Arctic maritime security and environmental governance. The Centre for International Law (CIL) at the National University of Singapore and the Norwegian Centre for Law of the Sea (NCLOS) at the University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway continue their CIL– NCLOS Dialogue series in November 2025 with a 1.5-day workshop, bringing together experts in the law of the sea, the international regulation of shipping, and environmental protection to discuss the implications of legal and practical developments in Arctic governance.

This year’s Dialogue begins by confronting complex challenges—from clarifying Northern Sea Route (NSR) navigational rights and to integrating coastal state sovereignty and jurisdiction amid strategic competition. It also examines how the NSR is currently leveraged to facilitate transshipment of crude and LNG while assessing prospects for container shipping along the Arctic Route. Building on this foundation, the sessions address critical immediate concerns, including measures for the protection of areas beyond national jurisdiction in the Arctic, evaluation of the implementation of black carbon and heavy fuel oil bans, and assessment of the security externalities of seabed mining and expanding coastal infrastructure. The programme further examines safety implications of maritime autonomous vehicles and how to mitigate the growing maritime cyber threat emerging in the Arctic, concluding with a panel that provides actionable recommendations for responsible Arctic stewardship.

This workshop is organised by CIL and NCLOS pursuant to the CIL-MPA Oceans Governance Research Programme with support from the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI-2023-MA-03)