The San Remo Manual is a contemporary restatement - together with some progressive development - of the law applicable to armed conflicts at sea, and has been drafted by an international group of specialists in international law and naval experts convened by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law. The last such restatement was undertaken by the Institute of International Law in 1913, and for the most part treaty law has not incorporated developments in the law since 1907.

The accompanying Explanation is written in the form of a commentary and indicates the sources used by the experts for each of the provisions of the Manual and the discussion that led to their adoption. The work is based on treaty law of continuing validity and State practice and takes into account developments in related areas of international law, in particular, the effect of the UN Charter, the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, air law and environmental law.

1. The Manual and Explanation represent a unique effort of experts from different parts of the world to establish the present state of the law. This document will be of major contemporary, future and historical importance, and will help shape generally accepted international law regulating armed conflicts at sea. There is no other book like it.