Grotius's notion of the freedom of the seas would persist until the mid-twentieth century, and it continues to be applied even to this day for much of the high seas, though the application of the concept and the scope of its reach is changing.
Gagasan Grotius tentang kebebasan di laut kelak bertahan sampai pertengahan abad ke-20, dan tetap diterapkan sampai saat ini untuk kebanyakan wilayah perairan internasional, kendati terdapat perubahan dalam penerapan konsep dan ruang lingkupnya.