Which statement is accurate about Transit Passage?

• A. Transit Passage must be continuous and expeditious, connecting High Seas/EEZ areas when no other route exists
• B. The host nation can suspend transit passage
• C. Submarines may not pass
• D. Transit Passage is continuous and expeditious, and may be conducted through straits without any other constraints

Answer: (A)

Transit passage is the regime that guarantees freedom of navigation through straits used for international navigation. The passage must be continuous and expeditious, allowing ships (and aircraft) to move between two parts of the high seas or the EEZ without undue delay. It isn’t about there being no other route; the key point is that the passage itself must be uninterrupted and swift, respecting safety and the rights of the coastal state.

The coastal state cannot suspend transit passage; it may regulate it for safety and environmental reasons, but such regulations must not block the right of passage. Submarines do have the right to transit through straits open to international navigation, though they must comply with safety and identification requirements and may be required to traverse in a manner that ensures safe navigation. And while safety regulations can be applied, transit passage is not unconstrained or unlimited by other rules.

So the statement emphasizing continuous and expeditious passage through the strait, linking two open areas, best reflects how transit passage operates. The other statements overstate or misstate the regime (for example, suggesting suspension by the coastal state, a ban on submarine transit, or no constraints beyond the passage itself).