Timeline
The Judges convene in Hamburg for their first meeting
Election of Judge Thomas Mensah (Ghana) as President and Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum (Germany) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
Ceremonial inauguration of the Tribunal in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who thereafter lays the foundation stone for the new premises
Election of the first Registrar, Mr Gritakumar Chitty (Sri Lanka) and, on 25 October 1996, the Deputy Registrar, Mr Philippe Gautier (Belgium)
The Tribunal is granted observer status at the United Nations General Assembly
Establishment of the Seabed Disputes Chamber, the Chamber for Fisheries Disputes and the Chamber for Marine Environment Disputes
Adoption of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea by the States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
The Tribunal delivers its first judgment in The M/V “SAIGA” Case (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines v. Guinea), Prompt Release
Order in the provisional measures phase of The M/V “SAIGA” (No. 2) Case (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines v. Guinea)
Election of Judge P. Chandrasekhara Rao (India) as President and, on 4 October 1999, Judge L. Dolliver M. Nelson (Grenada) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
Official opening of the new premises of the Tribunal in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan
Election of Mr Philippe Gautier (Belgium) as Registrar
Election of Mr Doo-young Kim (Republic of Korea) as Deputy Registrar
Election of Judge L. Dolliver M. Nelson (Grenada) as President and, on 2 October 2002, Judge Budislav Vukas (Croatia) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
Establishment of the International Foundation for the Law of the Sea (IFLOS)
Election of Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum (Germany) as President and Judge Joseph Akl (Lebanon) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
First regional workshop held in Dakar, Senegal
Standing special chamber created to deal with maritime delimitation disputes pursuant to article 15, paragraph 1, of the Tribunal's Statute
Joint ITLOS – International Oceanographic Commission workshop in Libreville, Gabon
Regional workshop in Kingston, Jamaica
Regional workshop in Singapore
Regional workshop in Manama, Bahrain
Regional Workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Election of Judge José Luis Jesus (Cabo Verde) as President and, on 2 October 2008, Judge Helmut Türk (Austria) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
Regional Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa
Regional Workshop in Nadi, Fiji
Order in the provisional measures phase of The M/V "Louisa" Case (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines v. Kingdom of Spain)
The Seabed Disputes Chamber delivers its first advisory opinion in Responsibilities and obligations of States sponsoring persons and entities with respect to activities in the Area (Request for Advisory Opinion submitted to the Seabed Disputes Chamber)
Election of Judge Shunji Yanai (Japan) as President and Judge Albert Hoffmann (South Africa) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
The Tribunal delivers its first maritime delimitation judgment in the Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh/Myanmar)
Regional workshop in Mexico City, Mexico
Election of Judge Vladimir Golitsyn (Russian Federation) as President and Judge Boualem Bouguetaia (Algeria) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
Regional workshop in Nairobi, Kenya
The Tribunal delivers its first advisory opinion in Request for an Advisory Opinion submitted by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC) (Request for Advisory Opinion submitted to the Tribunal)
Order of the Special Chamber in the provisional measures phase of the Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire in the Atlantic Ocean (Ghana/Côte d'Ivoire)
Regional workshop in Bali, Indonesia
Celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Tribunal in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-Moon
Judgment in the preliminary objections phase of The M/V “Norstar” Case (Panama v. Italy)
Election of Ms Ximena Hinrichs Oyarce (Chile) as Deputy Registrar
Regional workshop in San José, Costa Rica
Judgment of the Special Chamber in the Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire in the Atlantic Ocean (Ghana/Côte d'Ivoire)
Election of Judge Jin-Hyun Paik (Republic of Korea) as President and Judge David Attard (Malta) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
Regional workshop in Mindelo, Cabo Verde
Election of Ms Ximena Hinrichs Oyarce (Chile) as Registrar
Regional workshop in Montevideo, Uruguay
Joint ITLOS-International Maritime Organization symposium on flag State responsibilities and the future of article 91 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Election of Mr Antoine Ollivier (France) as Deputy Registrar
Election of Judge Albert Hoffmann (South Africa) as President and Judge Tomas Heidar (Iceland) as Vice-President of the Tribunal
Judgment of the Special Chamber in the preliminary objections phase of the Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius/Maldives)
Regional workshop in Messina, Malta
First ITLOS Workshop for Legal Advisers (sponsored by the Republic of Korea)
Regional workshop in Nice, France
Judgment of the Special Chamber in the Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius/Maldives)
Second ITLOS Workshop for Legal Advisers (sponsored by the Republic of Korea)
Election of Judge Tomas Heidar (Iceland) as President and Judge Neeru Chadha (India) as Vice-President of the Tribunal