This authoritative guide to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea provides a timely assessment of its activities over the past two decades. P. Chandrasekhara Rao and Philippe Gautier?s comprehensive book delivers a detailed and extensive analysis of the Tribunal?s jurisdiction, the procedural rules governing cases before it, and its contribution to the development of the law of the sea. Through a thorough examination of the Tribunal?s judicial practice, as well as referencing primary sources such as treaties and statutes, the authors demonstrate that the Tribunal has fulfilled the role entrusted to it by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Utilising a practice-orientated approach, this methodical analysis reveals that the Tribunal has successfully developed its own working methods in handling cases, whilst establishing itself as a judicial institution with the ability to discharge its functions efficiently and cost-effectively, and most importantly, determines that its jurisprudence has contributed to the development of a coherent and progressive interpretation of the law of the sea. Perceptive and meticulous, this book will be an invaluable resource for legal practitioners, as well as for academics, students and researchers interested in the functioning and achievements of the Tribunal.