Deep-sea mining: has Trump unleashed a scramble for the seabed?

The "Hidden Gem", belonging to the Swiss company Allseas, could pave the way for seabed mining, following the signing of the US executive order. 2022 Sopa Images

In opening the door to deep-sea mining, the United States is bypassing the United Nations body entrusted with managing the ocean floor. The UN warns of a ‘dangerous precedent’. Meanwhile, a Swiss company is at the centre of the diplomatic storm.

For some it is an Eldorado, for others a sanctuary that must be protected: the ocean floor and its mineral deposits are at the heart of geopolitical tensions. In early June, the international community gathered at a United Nations conference on the ocean in Nice, France, to discuss major marine challenges.

In April, US President Donald Trump signed a controversial executive order External linkpromoting deep-sea mining in US and international waters. The goal is to collect a billion tonnes’ worth of minerals over ten years – resources that are deemed crucial for the energy transition, digitalisation and weaponry.

“Any unilateral decision sets a dangerous precedent that could destabilise the entire system of global ocean governance,” warned Leticia Reis de Carvalho, secretary general of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Today, any commercial activity in the deep sea, beyond national jurisdictions, requires the approval of this UN body. This global governance framework was established by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which Washington has not ratified.

What is deep-sea mining?

Energy transition, digitalisation, an arms race: demand for critical metals is soaring and could increase by 500% by 2050, according to the World Bank. Some corporations are now eyeing the ocean floor in their search for an Eldorado.

Underwater mining, which is still in the exploratory stage, involves scraping the seabed to extract polymetallic nodules. These are large pebbles rich in manganese, iron, nickel, copper or cobalt.

This technique is strongly criticised by scientists and environmentalists, as the impact on still unfathomed marine ecosystems is not yet fully known. Around 30 countries, including Switzerland, are therefore calling for a moratorium.

Bypassing international law

“Despite not having ratified the convention, in 1994 the United States signed an agreement relating to its implementation, in particular with regard to deep-seabed mining. This gives it a moral obligation to respect the convention,” said Clément Chazot, an ocean specialist at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “We can speak of customary law, meaning that all states are bound by it, even if they did not sign the treaty.” 

Under the convention, in international waters the seabed and its resources are considered the common heritage of humankind. “No State may claim, acquire or exercise sovereignty over any part of the [international seabed] Area or its mineral resources. It is common understanding that this prohibition is binding on all States, including those that have not ratified the convention,” ISA secretary general Reis de Carvalho said in a press release.

According to the UN body, possible sanctions could include financial penalties, the suspension or termination of contracts or “other corrective actions”.  The treaty’s 170 member states are obliged not to recognise illegally extracted minerals, which means that they should not be resold on the world market.

Swiss ship on the front line

Switzerland has found itself at the centre of the diplomatic standoff. The Fribourg-based multinational Allseas, which specialises in the construction of underwater infrastructure, has confirmed its intention to take part in seabed mining following the US executive order. The company, which was involved in building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, has developed the Hidden Gem, a giant vessel capable of collecting polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor.

Allseas holds a 20% stake in the Canadian company The Metals Company, which has just applied to the US government for a licence to begin deep-sea mining operations. Switzerland has ratified the Convention on the Law of the Sea and supports a moratorium on seabed mining until its impact is better understood. 

Environmental activists demonstrate in front of the “Hidden Gem” on its return from two months of mineral exploration in the Clarion-Clipperton zone, between Mexico and Hawaii, on November 16, 2022. Reuters / Gustavo Graf

This could put Allseas at odds with the Swiss authorities. “In acceding to the Law of the Sea convention, Switzerland undertook to respect its provisions; this includes any person or company under its jurisdiction and control,” the ocean specialist Chazot said. When contacted by Swissinfo, Allseas declined to comment.

The matter has been referred to the Swiss parliament and is now the subject of a formal question for clarification – an interpellation – to the federal executive, which is to examine it in June. The Geneva city government, meanwhile, has called onExternal link the federal government to assume its responsibilities, warning that “the decree threatens the environment and international law alike”.

Will there be a scramble for the seabed?

As demand for critical metals continues to rise, the prospect of a rush for the seabed is causing concern. Chazot of IUCN is, however, reassuring. “A scramble for the high seas seems hard to imagine, given that it would be a violation of international law,” he said. “Most States are participating in good faith in the ISA negotiations and do not want to undermine this multilateral framework.”

As for territorial waters, which are not covered by the moratorium or the treaty, approaches diverge. “The United States is not the only country considering mining in its national waters. Norway has conducted extensive consultations on the subject, and attempts were made in the past in Papua New Guinea,” Chazot said. Other countries, meanwhile, have decided to extend the moratorium to their territorial waters. These include France, the semi-autonomous French territory of New Caledonia, and Portugal.

This is a trend that Chazot has also observed in industry: “Battery technology for electric vehicles is evolving rapidly and already offers alternatives that do not use certain minerals found in deep waters, thus reducing the pressure on these unique ecosystems.”

A mining code for the ocean

The Mining Company could start operations as early as this summer in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, while the seabed authority ISA is working to finalise a mining code by the end of the year. This code should provide a framework for all mining activities in the international seabed area, ensuring the best possible protection of marine ecosystems and an equitable sharing of the benefits. Industry, meanwhile, and Allseas in particular, complains that the process is moving forward too slowly.

“The level of legal complexity of such work cannot be denied,” said Reis de Carvalho. “Any negotiations where 169 countries are involved, and where foundational concepts such as ‘common heritage’ and global ‘benefit sharing’ are being implemented, will never be easy.”

Meanwhile Chazot, who is taking part in the negotiations as an observer, finds the end-2025 deadline premature. “We are still a long way from reaching a finalised text,” he said. “There are still too many grey areas before we can guarantee that mining will not have a major impact on the marine environment.” He calls for rigorous impact studies to be incorporated into the process, and greater transparency in the discussions.

Beyond the technical and legal challenges, the question remains eminently political: faced with a growing demand for metals, what role should these underwater resources play? For Chazot, the path ahead is clear.

“Before launching any new mining activities, priority must be given to reusing and recycling, as part of the move towards a more circular economy,” he argued. To date, 33 countries support a moratorium on seabed mining. The next few months will prove decisive. Time will tell if the world is poised for a rush to the ocean floor. 

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United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice

From June 9 to 13, 2025, the international community met at a UN summit in Nice, France, to discuss the major challenges facing the oceans. Calls for a ban on trawling, the protection of marine areas and pollution were just some of the subjects debated, with a special focus on the 2023 High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect marine life in international waters. Deep-sea mining was also on the agenda, with the formation of a coalition advocating for common rules.

Summing up at the conference’s opening ceremony, UN Secretary General António Guterres said: “The deep sea cannot become the Wild West.”

Edited by Virginie Mangin. Adapted from French by Julia Bassam/gw