These collected essays examine different aspects of the modern law of the sea. They address many key provisions in the United Convention on the Law of the Sea, including its historical development, the substantive rules governing navigation, resources, the regime of the high seas, maritime jurisdiction, the protection of the marine environment and the delimitation of maritime boundaries, as well as the settlement of disputes. The essays also review the Implementation Agreement of 1994 concerning deep seabed mining and the Implementation Agreement of 1995 concerning Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. The author presents purely personal views on many negotiations and cases in which he participated. The essays, written between 1988 and 2006, will be of interest to everyone involved in the law of the sea.