OCEAN: Australia’s Reefs in Danger & more – 19th Aug 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 19th of August twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

Over the Atlantic, reports from the National Hurricane Center on the development of Hurricane Erin published on Saturday, the 16th, say the first major storm of the Atlantic season swelled into a vast system as it passed north of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Even though it now holds category three winds, down from rare category five, the hurricane is growing in size, spreading tropical-storm conditions across the Virgin Islands, Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos.

The storm threatens flash floods, landslides, and life-threatening surf swells along the US East Coast.

Meanwhile, marine heatwaves are torturing Australia’s reefs. According to reports by the Guardian from Wednesday, the 15th, scientists warned that Australia’s reefs—both the Great Barrier and those off Western Australia—are suffering record coral bleaching after the longest, most intense marine heatwave since records began.

Some reefs saw more than ninety percent coral loss, including the Rowley Shoals, which were once considered hope spots.

This matters far beyond Australia: reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean but support a quarter of marine life and hundreds of millions of people.

From intensifying wind currents to shrinking colossal ice caps, scientists confirmed on Monday, the 18th, through Inside Ecology that Argentina’s famous Perito Moreno Glacier—once thought stable—is now in rapid, likely irreversible retreat.

Known as the world’s first superstar glacier, it draws nearly 700,000 visitors a year, but warming temperatures and falling snowfall have set it on course to vanish.

Beyond lost tourism, the glacier’s collapse signals wider dangers: higher sea levels, disrupted freshwater supplies, and increased risks of sudden glacial floods.

In news about a microscopic giant of the ocean, on Wednesday, the 13th, scientists announced the discovery of PelV-1, a giant virus in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre with the longest tail ever recorded—nearly three micrometers.

It infects planktons, key players in ocean food webs and carbon cycling. Unusually, its genes are found in living cells, potentially altering host metabolism and energy use.

Understanding PelV-1 could reshape how we monitor nutrient flows, forecast harmful algal blooms, and assess climate impacts on marine ecosystems.

However, humans are more of a threat to oceans than viruses. On Thursday, the 14th, wildlife officers arrested four people in the US for illegally taking nearly 250 spiny lobsters—most of them undersized—months after the season ended in March from the Ocean near San Pedro, California.

The suspects had no fishing licences or measuring tools — both required under state law. Officers returned the live lobsters to the ocean after documenting them as evidence.

Even in season, only seven fully grown lobsters are allowed per person. This ensures the sustainability of the lobster population, so that their numbers are maintained in the region and that the local food web and marine ecosystem will not be disrupted.

From lobsters to tunas, according to a report by Euractiv from Monday, the 18th, Europe’s favourite fish is back in the spotlight as the EU’s top court sided with French NGO BLOOM in a case over controversial tuna fishing devices in the Indian Ocean.

The ruling forces Brussels to revisit its defence of fish aggregating devices, widely used by French and Spanish fleets but accused of harming turtles, sharks, and reefs.

With tuna being the EU’s most-consumed fish, mostly canned, the outcome could shape prices, sustainability, and seafood choices for millions of households.

In surprising developments for the future of web surfing, on Wednesday, the 13th, Alphabet spin-off Aalyria announced it had used its Tightbeam laser tech to sustain a 100-gigabit-per-second internet link over sixty-five kilometers (around forty miles) between two Northern California mountaintops, and in simulated conditions for ships at sea.

The system’s adaptive optics kept connections stable despite turbulence, wind, and motion, with signal reacquisition in seconds after disruptions. Aalyria says Tightbeam could beam high-speed links for land, sea, air, and space, potentially transforming connectivity for remote communities, maritime trade, disaster zones, and defence.

There’s no launch date yet, but if commercialized, this could rival satellite internet in speed and stability for everyday users worldwide.

Speaking of casting over a wider net access, reports by the Digital Ship from Friday, the 15th, said Starlink unveiled an unlimited satellite internet plan for International Maritime Organization-registered cargo and tanker vessels, scrapping data caps and bundling free gear.

Partnering with Elcome International, the rollout will include terminals and routers provided without upfront cost, while upgraded customers will see higher bandwidth allocations. The changes are expected to alter how crews connect with families at sea and how operators manage expenses across fleets.

Analysts suggest that greater digital capacity at sea could improve communication and predictability of global shipping, a sector that moves the bulk of everyday goods and fuels across supply chains.

From giving the world better access to raging boundary disputes, on Thursday, the 14th, the U.S. Navy deployed the destroyer USS Carl M. Levin in the North Pacific as Russian and Chinese warships neared Alaska’s Aleutian Islands during a joint patrol.

The move comes amid heightened U.S.–China–Russia tensions, with China also sending five research vessels into nearby Arctic waters.

While US officials say the foreign ships remain in international waters, their presence signals increased strategic geopolitical competition in the Arctic and North Pacific region.

For further displays of naval power, on Friday, the 15th, Australia and the Philippines launched their largest joint drills, Exercise Alon, near the South China Sea.

Over three thousand six hundred troops, joined by US Marines and Canada’s navy, are training with live fire, beach assaults, and airlifts until the 29th of August.

Leaders said the show of force underscores their commitment to protect sovereignty and international law after recent tensions with China.

On a brighter horizon, on Friday, the 15th, Portugal’s BetterSea launched the world’s first FuelEU Maritime index, giving the shipping industry a benchmark for trading low-emission ship allowances.

Under FuelEU rules, polluters can buy surplus credits from greener vessels to avoid heavy fines. Since June, ask prices have dropped by twenty-four percent, trade prices climbed nine percent, and bid-ask spreads narrowed sixty-four percent, signalling a stronger, more confident market.

Over 41,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent surplus are already listed, with uptake from major liner fleets and even non-shipping traders.

Now, for some updates on the marine and economic effects of the tariffs, on Friday, the 15th, global container freight rates steadied after months of tariff-fuelled swings, but analysts warn of sharp declines ahead.

Drewry’s World Container Index slipped three percent to 2,350 USD per forty-foot box, the ninth weekly drop. Transpacific routes softened as the pre-tariff shipping rush faded.

July’s US imports surged eighteen percent, largely from China, but forecasts show steep year-on-year falls through December, with November volumes hitting their lowest since April twenty twenty-three.

Finishing off this edition with a party invitation, on Friday, the 15th, Waikiki, Hawaii, started hosting the Duke Kahanamoku Ocean Festival, the world’s premier celebration of ocean sports and Hawaiian culture.

Thousands turned out over ten days for surfing, canoeing, volleyball, lifeguard challenges, and even a Dog’s Surfur competition, all honouring Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing.

Beyond the fun, the non-profit festival raises funds for Hawaii’s scholar athletes, helping young people access education and sport.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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