On 3 - 4 December 2025, the Ocean Law and Policy team organized an in-person event "Regional Roundtable on the Law Of The Sea" at the Orchard Hotel, Singapore. The CIL Regional Roundtable on the Law Of The Sea brought together leading experts and academics from 12 institutions across Southeast Asia with an aim to foster regional dialogue on key developments in the law of the sea relevant to Southeast Asia, to strengthen research and policy networks across institutions and academics working on maritime issues, and to identify shared challenges and map areas for future collaboration, including joint research and capacity-building programs.

Experts addressed recent developments, including gray zone activities, joint development proposals, dispute settlement, and the complexities surrounding Code of Conduct negotiations. There were robust discussions surrounding legal and governance issues related to archipelagic sea lanes passage, transit passage, and the enforcement measures required to combat dark ships operating without identification systems. Participants also examined the legal weight of the recent ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change, affirming states’ "stringent" obligations to reduce marine pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, alongside challenges related to sea level rise and climate finance. Finally, focus was also placed on the ratification process, implementation challenges concerning Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) provisions of the BBNJ Agreement.

The event concluded with a strong emphasis on feasible future collaboration among Southeast Asian institutions and pushing for more Southeast Asian perspectives in future global and regional ocean governance dialogues.