Internal Waters

Internal waters are the waters on the landward side of the baseline: ports, harbours, river mouths, bays within the closing line, and the like. The coastal state exercises full sovereignty there, as over its land territory, and foreign ships enjoy no right of innocent passage (the limited exception being waters newly enclosed by a straight baseline under UNCLOS Article 8(2)). Jurisdiction over events aboard a foreign ship in port is shared in practice between flag and port state under the customary internal-economy doctrine.