OCEAN: China’s Naval Reach Expansion & more – 17th June 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 17th of June twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

China has recently expanded its naval reach by sending the Liaoning aircraft carrier beyond the Second Island Chain for the first time, operating east of Iwo Jima. Simultaneously, both the Liaoning and the Shandong conducted training in the West Pacific, marking the first joint operation of two Chinese carriers in that region. Japan tracked their movements but avoided direct confrontation since the vessels remained in international waters. Meanwhile, China’s third carrier, the Fujian, held drills in disputed Yellow Sea waters.

These maneuvers aim to strengthen China’s far-sea operational capabilities and deter US military intervention in a potential Taiwan crisis. The US responded by preparing the George Washington aircraft carrier for regional patrols following maintenance. Japan and South Korea expressed concerns, while China asserted that its actions comply with international law.

In other news, the Ocean Cleanup invites sailors traveling between California and Hawaii this summer to help map plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Volunteers can install AI Automatic Debris Imaging Systems on their vessels to capture images of floating plastic and send data to the organization's headquarters. Sailors can also deploy GPS trackers on ghost nets and abandoned fishing gear to help model their movements. These efforts will support targeted cleanup strategies.

The Ocean Cleanup has already extracted over one million pounds of plastic waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which holds an estimated 100,000 tons of plastic.

Let’s sail to the Atlantic Ocean. A new study warns that a collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (or AMOC) could cause extreme climate disruptions. Researchers modeled an 80% slowdown in a world 2°C (36°F) warmer than pre-industrial levels and found that Europe could face severe winter cooling. London could experience temperatures as low as -19°C (-2.2°F), while Oslo might drop to -48°C (-55°F), with sub-freezing conditions lasting nearly half the year. Sea ice could extend as far south as the UK and the Netherlands, amplifying cooling. Northwestern Europe would also face more intense storms.

Meanwhile, the US would continue to warm, and the Southern Hemisphere would heat further.

Still in the Atlantic. According to the research organization OCEARCH, a massive great white shark named Contender recently resurfaced off North Carolina’s Outer Banks near Cape Hatteras. At nearly fourteen feet long and weighing over 1,600 pounds, Contender holds the title of the largest tagged great white shark in the Atlantic. Researchers first tagged the thirty-year-old male in January twenty twenty-five near the Florida-Georgia line. Since then, Contender has transmitted several location pings via a dorsal fin tag, helping scientists track his northward migration.

These updates provide critical insights into white shark behavior and movement along the East Coast. OCEARCH emphasized that each ping supports ongoing efforts to better understand and protect the species. The sighting coincides with the seasonal migration toward cooler northern waters in search of food.

On another note, the Canadian Armed Forces launched a joint military exercise called Trident Fury off Vancouver Island, running from Monday the 16th to Sunday the 29th. Over 1,000 personnel from Canada, the US, and Mexico are participating, using warships, aircraft, and a submarine. Navy Captain Sam Patchell said the exercise focuses on preparing for modern threats, including the growing use of drones in global conflicts. Forces will practice both deploying and defending against uncrewed systems.

While residents may spot military activity near Cattle Point, Clover Point, and off the coast of Tofino, the maneuvers will take place further offshore. Despite recent political remarks, Patchell confirmed that US-Canada cooperation remained steady throughout the planning process.

In news from the Arctic Ocean, a new study published on Thursday the 12th in the journal Nature Communications by Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen reveals that centuries-old mercury pollution, carried by ocean currents, continues to threaten Arctic wildlife. Global mercury emissions have gone down since the nineteen seventies, but top predators such as polar bears and toothed whales still show a range of high mercury levels.

Researchers analyzed over 700 samples from Greenland and traced mercury fingerprints using isotope data. They discovered that ocean currents, such as the Irminger Current and Arctic Ocean flows, carry long-standing mercury pollution from distant sources, like China, to the Arctic over time spans of decades or even centuries. Because mercury can stay in ocean water for over 300 years, Arctic ecosystems remain exposed long after emissions decline.

From one Pole to the other. Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute and the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research analyzed over 30,000 hours of acoustic data from krill fishing vessels to uncover where and when fisheries compete with whales, seals, and penguins for krill in the Southern Ocean. Using AI, they detected predator dive signals under vessels and identified intense overlap during penguin breeding seasons near colonies in the South Orkney Islands.

They also found surprisingly frequent encounters in winter, challenging the assumption that off-season fishing reduces ecosystem pressure. The study shows that echo sounder data from ships gives reliable, cost-effective insight into the ecological impact of krill fishing.

Meanwhile, in the Indian Ocean, on Thursday the 12th, all twenty-three members of the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Run Fun 3 safely escaped after the vessel began sinking in the Indian Ocean due to flooding in the cargo hold. The ship, built in nineteen ninety-seven, was en route from Singapore to Togo when the incident occurred about 500 nautical miles south of the Maldives. The crew, twenty-one Vietnamese and two Myanmar nationals, abandoned the ship in life rafts.

The nearby bulk carrier Maple Harbour, managed by C Transport Maritime, rescued the crew and then transported them to Port Louis, Mauritius, where they safely disembarked. South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries confirmed the successful rescue. The cause of the flooding remains unknown.

Next up, following Israeli strikes on Iran’s military and nuclear leadership, commercial shipping in the Middle East now faces heightened risks. The UK Maritime Trade Operations warned of potential escalation, especially in the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran has not yet targeted shipping. Non-state actors like the Houthis also threaten regional trade routes.

Lars Jensen of the consultancy firm Vespucci Maritime said that even limited attacks can drive carriers away, which occurred in the Red Sea. A full Hormuz closure would cripple transshipment at Dubai and Abu Dhabi and severely affect Gulf ports. Rerouted services, port congestion, and oil price hikes could spike freight rates. The situation may also delay containerships’ return to the Red Sea amid continued Houthi threats.

Let’s have a look at the Red Sea, where shipping traffic remains about 60% below the level prior to the Houthis' attack, despite a ceasefire between the US and the Houthis in May, when 971 cargo ships passed through the Bab el Mandeb and 891 transited the Suez Canal. Most shipowners and operators continue to avoid the route, sticking to Cape of Good Hope diversions. Even though some major carriers began returning after the short-lived Israel-Hamas ceasefire in January, full confidence hasn’t come back.

Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority now offers a 15% discount on transit fees to encourage boxship traffic, yet containership volumes remain steady. Lloyd’s List Intelligence data confirms that security concerns and ongoing threats still shape routing decisions across the Red Sea corridor.

Closing with the Mediterranean Sea. The NGO Doctors Without Borders (or MSF) released a report on Thursday the 12th, condemning violence and obstruction of lifesaving efforts in the Central Mediterranean. The report, called Deadly Manoeuvres, highlights how Italian laws like the Piantedosi Decree and distant port assignments severely restricted search and rescue operations, forcing the NGO to cease missions with the Geo Barents in December twenty twenty-four.

The organization rescued 2,278 people in twenty twenty-four, half the number saved in twenty twenty-three, yet urgent medical referrals increased by 14%, showing many survivors arrived in critical condition. Survivors reported violent interceptions and forced returns to Libya, where abuse and detention are common. The MSF accuses Italy, the EU, and the Libyan Coast Guard of colluding to push migrants back to dangerous conditions.

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

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