Legal Definitions - right of visit

The right of visit refers to the authority of a warship or other authorized government vessel to approach, stop, and board another vessel on the high seas. The primary purpose of this initial boarding is to verify the vessel's identity, nationality, and sometimes its manifest or crew list. This right is typically exercised to ensure compliance with international law, such as during wartime to confirm neutrality, or in peacetime to combat piracy, illegal fishing, or smuggling. It is often a preliminary step that may lead to a more extensive "right of search" if initial findings warrant further investigation.

• Example 1: Wartime Neutrality Verification

  During an international armed conflict, a naval destroyer from a belligerent nation encounters a merchant ship flying the flag of a neutral country in international waters. The destroyer exercises its right of visit by signaling the merchant ship to stop and sending a small boarding party. The boarding party's objective is to inspect the ship's papers, verify its registration, and confirm its declared neutral status and cargo manifest without conducting a full search of all compartments. This initial verification helps ensure the merchant ship is not secretly aiding the enemy while maintaining its neutral status.

• Example 2: Anti-Piracy Operations

  A multinational anti-piracy task force patrol vessel spots a suspicious, unmarked dhow (a traditional sailing vessel) operating in a known high-risk piracy area off the coast of Somalia. The task force vessel invokes its right of visit. It approaches the dhow, hails it, and dispatches a team to board. The team's initial action is to identify the vessel, interview the crew, and check for any obvious signs of piratical activity or weapons, without necessarily tearing apart the cargo hold. This initial verification helps determine if further action, like a full search, is required.

• Example 3: Fisheries Enforcement

  A coast guard patrol boat from a coastal state is monitoring its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and observes a foreign-flagged fishing trawler operating near the boundary in international waters. The trawler's behavior suggests it might be engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing. The coast guard exercises its right of visit. It stops the trawler and sends a boarding team to verify its flag state, inspect its fishing license, logbooks, and crew documentation. The goal is to confirm the vessel's legal authorization to fish and ensure it is not violating international fishing agreements, before potentially initiating a more detailed inspection or seizure if violations are found.