Future directions of maritime cabotage law

Our assessment of maritime cabotage law reveals on the one hand the growing expansion of the concept of maritime cabotage and on the other its increasing legal uncertainty. We have also observed that sovereignty, economic development and national security are the basis for adopting a maritime cabotage law in many countries. We must now consider what the future direction of maritime cabotage law will be. It is suggested that the ambit of maritime cabotage law will continue to expand, particularly in the international domain. This will require developing a comprehensive framework that addresses the various concerns that cause uncertainty and make the concept of maritime cabotage a complex matter. Any success will depend on whether we can find an appropriate balance between a national sovereignty-directed system and a harmonized international agenda.