Annex VII Tribunal

An Annex VII tribunal is the five-member ad hoc arbitral panel that hears UNCLOS disputes where the parties have not chosen the same forum under Article 287, making it the default mechanism of compulsory dispute settlement. Each party appoints one arbitrator, the remaining three are agreed or appointed by the ITLOS President, and the Permanent Court of Arbitration often acts as registry. The South China Sea arbitration (Philippines v China, 2016) and the Arctic Sunrise and Enrica Lexie cases were all Annex VII proceedings.