In 2025, Spain will officially expand its maritime territory off the coast of Galicia by 38,500 square kilometers. This decision was made by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf after nearly two decades of reviewing Madrid’s application. The new maritime zone extends beyond the standard 200 nautical miles set by international maritime law and approaches the 300-mile mark from the shore.
As a result of the expansion, Spain gains rights to significant underwater resources. These waters may contain deposits of rare metals such as cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese, as well as so-called rare earth elements. In addition, if commercial fish stocks are discovered in the future, their harvesting will be regulated under Spanish law. However, oil extraction in these waters has been prohibited since 2021.
Alongside economic prospects, Spain also faces new responsibilities. Part of the expanded platform includes areas where, for nearly forty years, European countries dumped radioactive waste. According to experts, about 200,000 containers with such materials may lie on the seabed. In the summer of 2024, a French scientific expedition began surveying these areas. Now Spain will need to conduct its own studies to determine the exact location and condition of this waste.
To search for and monitor hazardous sites, modern oceanographic vessels based in the ports of Galicia are expected to be used. Authorities emphasize that protecting the marine environment is becoming a priority, as deep-sea areas were previously used for the disposal of hazardous substances.
The process of approving the new boundaries turned out to be lengthy. The first stage of the platform extension was agreed upon back in 2006 together with France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, which added 20,000 square kilometers to Spanish waters. The final phase began in 2019 but was suspended due to the pandemic. It was only in 2024 that the UN commission confirmed preliminary approval, with the final decision expected at the beginning of next year.
In the coming months, Spain will complete all the necessary procedures to officially formalize its new maritime boundaries. This event will mark an important milestone in the country’s management of marine resources and will strengthen Galicia’s role in national maritime policy.
