Naval blockade

A naval blockade uses armed forces at sea to prevent maritime traffic from entering or leaving a designated area. It can serve military, economic, or political aims.

Blockade runner: A vessel that attempts to evade a blockade and deliver or remove people or goods. Runners test whether a blockading force can control traffic in practice.
Declaration of Paris: The 1856 agreement that established major rules for maritime warfare, including requirements for effective blockades. It rejected paper blockades that lacked sufficient force to be effective.
Blockade of Germany: The Allied maritime restrictions on Germany during the First World War and their continuation after the armistice. It illustrates how economic isolation can persist beyond battlefield operations.
Embargo: A government prohibition on trade or specified transactions with a country or entity. An embargo relies on legal restrictions, while a naval blockade physically intercepts maritime traffic.
Humanitarian access: The ability of relief organizations and supplies to reach people affected by crisis or conflict. Blockade enforcement can obstruct aid and intensify disputes over civilian relief.
Contraband: Goods whose possession or transport is prohibited by law, especially during armed conflict. Rules on contraband determine which cargo a blockade may lawfully intercept.
Declaration of London: A 1909 international agreement proposing rules for naval warfare that never entered into force. Its detailed blockade rules shaped debate despite its failure to become binding law.
Blockade of Japan: The Allied campaign to cut Japan’s maritime supply lines during the Second World War. Submarine warfare and mining made the blockade a major factor in Japan’s wartime shortages.
Sanctions: Restrictions imposed by states or international bodies to influence another actor’s conduct. Sanctions can target trade and finance without deploying forces to stop ships at sea.
Neutrality in war: The legal status and duties of states that do not participate in an armed conflict. Neutral vessels and states face restrictions and risks when a blockade interrupts their trade.

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