Importance of maritime delimitation

ZIZ News — The need for St. Kitts and Nevis to officially outline its maritime boundaries with the neighbouring islands was highlighted at a recent meeting between local officials and their counterparts from The Netherlands.

Both nations are currently working on the delimitating the maritime boundaries between St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Eustatius.

Director of Maritime Affairs, McClean Hobson says this exercise is important as it can open up the doors for the exploration of renewable energy sources.

“You would not get explorers to explore St Kitts and Nevis unless our maritime boundaries are delimited and so we are pushing in this regard,” he said.

According to Hobson once this delimitation exercise with St.Eustatius is completed, they will be moving on to other surrounding territories.

“The strategy is to delimit our boundaries first of all with St Eustatius following that we are moving on to St Barths/ Barthélemy in the case of France; then we move on to Antigua and Barbuda; then Montserrat or the British in the case of Montserrat and finally Venezuela in the case of Aves Island,” he said.

Hobson says St. Kitts and Nevis is well ahead of other OECS islands in the case of the delimitation of its maritime boundaries.