Right of Visit

The right of visit, UNCLOS Article 110, lets a warship on the high seas board a foreign ship where there is reasonable ground to suspect piracy, the slave trade, unauthorized broadcasting, statelessness, or that the ship, though flying a foreign flag, is in truth of the same nationality as the warship. The boarding may verify the ship’s documents and, if suspicion remains, proceed to a further examination. If the suspicion proves unfounded and the ship has done nothing to justify it, the ship is compensated for any loss.