The Court has now drawn a new maritime boundary between the two countries. A decision which is final and without appeal.
By fifteen votes to one, the ICJ decided that the starting-point of the single maritime boundary delimiting the respective maritime areas between Peru and Chile is the intersection of the parallel of latitude passing through Boundary Marker No. 1 with the low-water line.
The council also stated that the initial segment of the single maritime boundary follows the parallel of latitude passing through Boundary Marker No. 1 westward. This initial segment runs up to a point (Point A on image) situated at a distance of 80 nautical miles from the starting-point of the single maritime boundary.
It was then ruled, by ten votes to six, that from Point A, the single maritime boundary shall continue south-westward along the line equidistant from the coasts of the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Chile, as measured from that point, until its intersection (at Point B) with the 200-nautical-mile limit measured from the baselines from which the territorial sea of the Republic of Chile is measured.
From Point B, the single maritime boundary shall continue southward along that limit until it reaches the point of intersection (Point C) of the 200-nautical-mile limits measured from the baselines from which the territorial seas of the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Chile, respectively, are measured.
Peru's President, Ollanta Humala Tasso, commented that the decision is a triumph for peace and gratifying for the Peruvian people.
"This is a triumph for peace and is a source of satisfaction for the people. This is a historic moment," he said.
"More territory means we now have more responsibility. Peru will now have international commitments it has to fulfill," said Mr Tasso.
Following the decision, Chile's National Fisheries Society (Sonapesca) said it mourns the loss of national maritime territory and that the Chilean position was not fully embraced.
Sonapesca hopes that, from this ruling, a future agenda that includes at strong commitment between the two countries for joint management and sustainable use of shared resources is generated.
