Passage of warships through the Swedish section of The Sound is free, but arbitrary stopping or anchoring is not permitted.

Merchant vessels have the right of free and unlimited passage-without customs duty-through the straits. It should be noted that the rules stipulated for warships are extended to training ships and yachts flying the merchant flag.

English Channel and Strait of Dover. The regime of navigation in the straits outside the territorial waters of Great Britain and France is regulated under the 1958 Convention on the High Seas, the general principles of contemporary international law and historically established customs and rules. Warships and merchant vessels sailing under the flag of any State enjoy the right of freedom of navigation.

In accordance with established customs, the British section of the strait (English Channel) is recommended for passage in the direction of London and vice versa, and also from Dover. The French section of the straight (Pas de Calais, or Strait of Dover) is recommended for passage to ports on the French coast (Dunkerque, Boulogne, etc.) and for egress from them. It is recommended that navigators adhere to the indicated regime of navigation until the adoption of a new international agreement.

Strait of Gibraltar. The regime of navigation is regulated under international treaties of 1904 and 1907 and the 1958 Convention on the High Seas. Warships and merchant vessels of all States have the right of passage through the strait. There is a belt of open sea, with a breadth of 1.2 to 2.5 miles, to the south of the median line between the territorial waters of Spain and Morocco, in the narrowest section of the strait. Neither in peacetime nor in time of war may a single State control movement of warships and merchant vessels in the strait, since it is a vital international sea route.

Tsugaru and La Perouse Straits. There are no international agreements regarding the straits. Tsugaru Strait is not part of Japanese territorial waters. The straits are open to navigation by warships and merchant vessels.

Korea Strait. There are no special international agreements regarding the legal regime of the Korea Strait. In accordance with established postwar practice, the Korea Strait is open for passage of warships and merchant vessels of all States.

Straits of the Indonesian Archipelago (Sunda, Karimata and Makassar Straits). In accordance with a 1957 law of the Indonesian Republic, the straits have been declared inland waters of Indonesia. The straits are open and free for navigation by warships and merchant vessels of all States, but the Indonesian Republic reserves the right to refuse passage through the straits by warships intending to oppose the national liberation movement.

Formosa Strait. No special convention regulating the regime of navigation has been concluded. Beyond the limits of the territorial waters of the People's Republic of China the waters of the Formosa Strait are part of the high seas.

Merchant vessels and warships of all States enjoy the right of free passage through Formosa Strait. However, in practice Formosa Strait was illegally converted by the Chiang Kai-shek clique into an area permanently closed to naviga

tion on 5 April 1958. A special notice stipulates the requirement that foreign merchant ships may pass between the Island of Taiwan (Formosa) and the Pescadores Islands and must keep to the east of the center of Formosa Strait. Merchant ships making passage along the west coast of the Pescadores Islands must give prior notification of this to Formosan authorities.

Hainan Strait. In accordance with a 1964 national law, the waters of Hainan Strait have been declared inland waters of the People's Republic of China. A control zone for administration of the strait has been established in the strait, bounded on the east by the Mu-lan T'ou and Shan-kou-hou lights, and on the west by the Lin-kao and Chiao-wei Chiao li lights. For passage of merchant ships through the strait, permission must he obtained by radio from the Zone Administration 48 hours prior to approach to the control zone. The nationality of the ship, her name, displacement, hull color, funnel marking, point of origin and destination, and the time of departure, must be reported. After obtaining permission, 24 hours before approaching the Control Zone the Zone Administration is informed of the exact time of call in the Zone. Passage through the strait is permitted only in the daytime (from sunrise to sunset). All foreign merchant ships call in the strait and depart from it through the main channel, if there is no other authorization. The use of radar is prohibited in the Strait Zone, except for extreme cases with permission from the Strait Administration.*

SECTION 65. INTERNATIONAL CANALS*

Suez Canal. Navigation is regulated under the Constantinople Convention of 1888, with respect to assurance of free navigation through the Suez Canal, and under national legislation of the United Arab Republic. In peacetime and time of war the canal is open for free passage of merchant vessels and warships (regardless of flag) on the basis of equality with respect to navigation and port dues and other navigation conditions. Deep-draft ships*** are not permitted entry into the canal, or those with inoperable radios, improper distribution of deck cargoes without special night searchlights or those in improper operating condition, etc.

Twenty-four hours prior to arrival of the merchant vessel (warship) at the outer roadstead at Port Said or Suez (or as soon as the ship is close enough for radio communication), the masters of all merchant vessels (or Commanding Officers of warships) communicate the following information to their agents in the canal zone:

*For more details, see Notices to Mariners, Publishing House of the Hydrographic Service of the Navy, No. 14, 3 April 1964, No. 2266.

**See Mezhdunarodno-pravovoy rezhim vazhneyshikh prolivov i kanalov (International Legal Regime of Vital Straits and Canals), Moscow, "Yuridicheskaya literatura" Publishing House, 1965.

***Since May 1961, movement of ships with a draft of 37.5 feet (11 m, 44 cm) has been permitted through the canal. Subsequent deepening of the channels permits passage of ships with a draft of 40 feet (12 m, 40 cm).

1) the name and nationality of the merchant vessel (warship);

2) whether the merchant vessel (warship) is in transit or is calling at a port and will conduct cargo operations;

3) the time of arrival and duration of anchorage;

4) the presence of passengers in transit or passengers proceeding only to the UAR;

5) the presence of inflammable cargoes, etc. (only for merchant vessels); 6) the need for servicing (bunker fuel, water);

7) the need for repairs requiring anchorage in port for more than 12 hours. Upon approaching the outer roadstead at Port Said and Suez (and during anchorage at these roadsteads) there must be a radiotelephone watch to receive further instructions on passage or change in the anchorage site from the canal administration. The radio station of the canal administration transmits reports only on passage through the canal on call signs "SUQ," at a frequency of 420 kc (714 m). Merchant ships communicate with the radio station at a frequency of 425 kc (705 m) or 468 kc (641 m). Arriving ships (and those in the roadsteads) communicate by radiotelephone with the port authority at Port Said (call sign "Port Said-1") at a frequency of 2182 kc; with the "Pilot boat" call sign, and with port authority on call sign "Port Said-4," at a frequency of 156.3 Mc (modulated oscillations); with the port of Suez (Tewfik)-at a frequency of 157.3 Mc or 2102 kc; with the port of Ismailia-at a frequency of 156.8 Mc or 2182 kc.

It is recommended that merchant vessels in the roadstead of Port Suez south of Green Island concentrate in the following order:

a) tankers with a cargo consisting of crude oil and gasoline-on the eastern side of the roadstead, keeping passage free through the main channel;

b) other ships-on the western side of the roadstead.

From Suez, the first to make passage are loaded tankers.

One hour and 40 minutes after entry of the last tanker in the canal, movement begins in the following sequence:

1) warships;

2) tankers with tanks which have not been degassed;

3) passenger ships;

4) cargo ships;

5) merchant vessels without helm indicators and tachometers;

6) ships proceeding at low speed;

7) ships with defective engines or steering gear.

At Port Said a convoy is formed at the anchorage site. Warships and passenger vessels proceed first, followed by the other ships. The following intervals are observed in the convoy:

1) between loaded tankers-2 km;

2) between other ships and warships-1 km.

From Port Said southward the first convoy departs between 0000 hours and 0200 hours, and the second between 0900 and 1200 hours.

From Suez northward there is only one convoy per day-between 0600 and 1200 hours.

A convoy departing from Port Said at night proceeds without stopping to the anchorage site in the southern section of Great Bitter Lake, where it remains until the arrival of ships proceeding northward, after which the convoy continues its journey into the Gulf of Suez.

A daytime convoy from Port Said anchors in the western branch of the canal between 51 and 61 km, where it remains until the arrival of the meeting convoy, then proceeds without stopping until egress from the canal.

The convoy proceeding from Suez anchors in the northern section of Great Bitter Lake until the arrival of the meeting convoy proceeding at night from Port Said.

Passage of convoys en route occurs in Cabret Canal, through which a convoy proceeding from the south passes.

The speed in the waters of the canal for all merchant vessels (warships) is 7.5 knots (14 km/hr), and for oil tankers-7 knots (13 km/hr).

Pilotage at Port Said, Port Taufiq Harbor and throughout the entire length of the canal is mandatory for all merchant ships the total displacement of which exceeds 500 GRT. In Suez Bay and in the vicinity of Port Suez pilotage is mandatory for all merchant ships (warships, merchant vessels of the UAR and the canal administration not engaged in trade, and merchant ships with a carrying capacity of up to 300 tons do not require pilotage).

Emergency stopping of a warship requires no special permission, but the canal administration must be informed of this and, if need be, can render appropriate assistance.

Passage of warships is executed in convoys (formed by the canal administration). As a rule, the first to proceed southward from Port Said in a convoy are warships (at a speed of 7.5 knots), and from Suez northward warships follow oil tankers (at a speed of 7 knots).

Warships of belligerents must pass through the canal in the shortest possible time and without stopping. They must not remain at Port Said and in the Suez Roadstead for more than 24 hours (except for an emergency stop). The interval between departure of a warship (merchant vessel) of a belligerent and the departure of a warship (merchant vessel) of the other side must not be less than 24 hours.

In canals and at entry ports, warships may take on provisions and other types of supply (warships and prizes of belligerents exercise this right within the limits of strict necessity).

Panama Canal. Navigation is regulated under unilateral acts of the U.S., on the basis of the inequitable treaty of 1903, concluded between the U.S. and Panama. In peacetime merchant ships and warships flying the flag of any State enjoy the nominal right of free passage. Actually, "free passage" is restricted by a number of discriminatory measures by the Canal Zone Administration (a complex documentation procedure, various types of inspections), infringing upon the dignity and interests of merchant ships of many States.

At the approaches to the canal, all merchant ships hoist their call signs, and at night communicate the name of the ship to the signal station by signal lamp. Merchant ships are inspected in the roadstead of Limon Bay, as well as opposite the entrance to the deep channel from the Pacific Ocean. Earlier arrival of a ship at the entrance does not give her the right of priority passage. Priority of passage is enjoyed only by passenger ships (50 passengers and more) on regular schedules.

Pilotage of ships with a draft up to 11.27 m is permitted. Pilotage is mandatory for all merchant vessels and warships throughout the entire length of the canal and in all six locks.

Passage of warships requires the sending of written notification to the U.S. State Department or to the Governor of the Canal Zone, providing detailed information on the time of arrival, the dimensions of the warship, her armament and composition of the crew. Warships can fire salutes only at the ports of Cristobal and Balboa.

In peacetime and time of war the U.S. reserves the right to refuse passage to warships for security reasons.*

Kiel Canal. Pending conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany, the legal regime of navigation is provisionally regulated under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany-specifically, the Rules for Navigation in the Kiel Canal.**

Passage of merchant ships of all nations through the canal is permitted at any time of day after paying a toll and obtaining a pass. Warships of foreign States are restricted in their right of passage and may make passage only after obtaining permission from the Federal Republic of Germany through diplomatic channels at the proper time. Pilotage is mandatory for all merchant vessels and warships. If requested from the Administration mandatory towing and pilotage may be utilized, with the aid of a pilot from the Canal Administration.

Merchant vessels and warships with the following dimensions are permitted in the canal:

1) draft: 9.5 m;

2) maximum breadth: 40.0 m;

3) length: 315.0 m;

4) height of the masts above the waterline: 40.0 m.

Not permitted to make passage are merchant vessels with poor maneuverability and with a cargo which decreases stability or maneuverability. The Administration determines the possibility of priority passage for a ship. Movement is in two directions and continuous. The speed for merchant vessels with a draft in excess of 9 m is 12 km/hr, and 15 km/hr for all others.

*For more details on the canal, see Pravila plavaniya v Panamskom kanale (Rules for Navigation in the Panama Canal), Publishing House of the Hydrographic Service of the Navy, 1958.

**See Pravila plavaniya v Kil'skom kanale, vklyuchaya kanal Gazelau i AkhtervererShiffarts-kanal (Rules for Navigation in the Kiel Canal, including Haselau Canal and the Achterwehr Ship Canal), Publishing House of the Navy, 1961.