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University of Malta Chancellor to preside over ITLOS Seabed Disputes Chamber hearings

The University of Malta is proud to announce that its Chancellor, Judge Prof. David J. Attard, will be presiding over the Seabed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in a newly instituted case concerning the International Seabed Authority.

According to a , by Order of 10 June 2026, Judge Prof. Attard, as President of the Seabed Disputes Chamber, fixed 2 July 2026 as the date for the opening of the oral proceedings in the Case concerning an inquiry by the International Seabed Authority (Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. v. International Seabed Authority).

The proceedings were instituted by Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. against the International Seabed Authority on 5 June 2026. The case concerns an inquiry being conducted by the Authority into the company as a contractor allegedly requiring ‘specific attention’ for possible non-compliance with contractual obligations arising from direct or indirect actions related to activities in the Area.

The application was accompanied by a request for the prescription of provisional measures under article 290, paragraph 1, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The hearing scheduled to open on 2 July 2026, will be devoted to that request.

Judge Prof. Attard’s role in these proceedings reflects his long-standing contribution to the development and application of the international law of the sea.

The founding Head of the International Law Department, and a distinguished jurist and scholar, Judge Prof. Attard has served as Chancellor of the University of Malta since 2011 and was reappointed for a further seven-year term in 2025.

His Presidency of the Seabed Disputes Chamber in this matter further highlights the University of Malta's strong connection with international maritime law and ocean governance, fields in which Malta has made significant contributions over many decades.