Grey and White Hulls by Ian Bowers & Swee Lean Collin Koh

Author:Ian Bowers & Swee Lean Collin Koh
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789811392429
Publisher: Springer Singapore

Resources and Capacities

From the examination of the three coast guard structures, it is apparent that the chosen set-up in each of these Nordic countries is relatively similar. This leads to the question: Why have these three Nordic and North East Atlantic countries converged on a comparable coast guard model? Speaking to the larger theme of this volume, what determines the choice of coast guard model, in conjunction with a country’s navy? The following section outlines a few key elements that seem to have determined the choice of institutional structure in these three Nordic countries specifically, which in turn might hint at relevant factors for coast guard structures in general.

First, as is obvious when examining Denmark, Norway, and Iceland, the importance of sheer geographic space cannot be ignored. It is apparent that the larger the maritime domain, the more need there will be for states to manage this domain. As the map of the North East Atlantic displays, the size of the Danish, Icelandic, and Norwegian EEZs (including the Fisheries Protection Zone around Svalbard) is instructive. This is due to the simple fact that Norway, Denmark (through Greenland and to some extent the Faroe Islands), and Iceland all lie facing relatively open bodies of ocean with few nearby opposing states limiting a full extension of the allowed 200 nautical miles economic zone.

While the concept of occupation is essential in establishing title to land territory , it does not hold relevance in the maritime domain. Contrary to customary international law on sovereignty over land territory, occupation of the continental shelf cannot in itself lead to acquisition of sovereign rights.44 A marked separation between land and maritime space has arisen, with rights to the latter deriving from the former.45 Thus, as in the case of Iceland, a relatively small piece of land generates a rather considerable maritime zone which needs to be administered. This is the case across the three countries in focus in this chapter.

What, in turn, do large maritime zones require for coastal states setting up their respective coast guards? Arguably, space itself is less important unless considered in tandem with the size of the relevant country, defined in terms of material capabilities, resources, and population. All three countries in question here are small states, in terms of economy and population. Albeit relatively wealthy in terms of GDP per capita and human development,46 these countries are small in capabilities compared to neighbours such as Canada, the UK, or even Sweden. The combination of large maritime zones in need of administration and relatively limited resources—especially when the coast guards/navies took on their modern form during the first decades after World War II—yields the so-called unitary structure we see in all these North East Atlantic states. As several of the coast guard and navy officials highlight in interviews, this all-purpose set-up is especially suited to small countries with a limited resource base.47 Crucially, Iceland is closer to a micro-state then a small state, which in turn places even more restrictions on resources and ability to uphold multiple maritime institutions.

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