OCEAN: China’s Navy Presence & more – 25th Mar 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 25th of March twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

China's navy is reinforcing its presence in the Pacific Ocean, with a naval task group from the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command conducting live-fire drills and Replenishment at Sea operations. Footage from Tuesday the 18th shows three warships, the Type 055 destroyer Zunyi, the Type 054A frigate Hengtang, and the supply ship Weishanhu, operating in strategic waters.

These exercises reflect China’s push for extended naval deployments and increased maritime influence. The country continues expanding its fleet, adding advanced warships, aircraft carriers, and logistical support vessels. China's assertive naval activities challenge the US’ strong regional presence and signal its growing presence in the Pacific’s power balance.

Still in the Pacific. A new study published on Monday the 17th in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that thirty-four million years ago, the ancestors of modern Fijian iguanas completed an extraordinary 5,000-mile (or 8,000-kilometer) journey from North America across the Pacific Ocean. These reptiles probably traveled on floating vegetation, such as uprooted trees, reaching Fiji through storms or floods.

Genetic analysis links Fijian iguanas to desert iguanas from the southwestern US and Mexico, challenging previous theories of an overland migration. Their cold-blooded nature allowed them to endure long periods without food, possibly sustaining themselves by eating vegetation during the voyage. Scientists estimate the trip lasted between two and a half and twelve months.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. On Friday the 21st, the containership MSC Houston V lost at least fifteen containers in rough seas off Portugal as Storm Martinho battered the area with forty-eight-knot wind gusts. The vessel, en route from Piraeus to Liverpool, suffered a partial stack collapse, leaving several containers damaged or dangling over the starboard side.

To address the situation, the ship made an emergency stop at Vigo, Spain, where port authorities are developing a plan to remove or reposition the affected containers safely. Terminal operators have cleared the area and will use a mobile crane to ensure workers' safety. Carlos Botana, president of the Vigo Port Authority, ensured that the vessel now poses no risk to navigation or nearby fishing vessels.

In more news from the Atlantic, weather forecasters predict that the twenty twenty-five Atlantic hurricane season will be near or slightly above average. Based on similar past seasons, analysts expect around fourteen or fifteen named storms, eight or nine hurricanes, and three or four major hurricanes. The Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico might see less activity, while the Atlantic might be more active.

Analog years like twenty eighteen, twenty twelve, two thousand one, nineteen eighty-nine, and nineteen eighty-six, storm tracks will depend on atmospheric conditions such as high-pressure ridges. Past similar seasons have brought devastating storms, including Hurricane Sandy in twenty twelve and Hurricane Michael in twenty eighteen. Colorado State University will release its first twenty twenty-five hurricane outlook on the 3rd of April.

Next up, the Arctic Ocean. According to the World Meteorological Organization, in twenty twenty-four, the Earth experienced its warmest year in 175 years. As the journal The Barents Observer reported on Thursday the 20th, the warming Arctic, particularly in Svalbard, Norway, is contributing to the melting of glaciers, causing sea levels to rise by nearly five millimeters (or 0.2 inches) per year.

This small rise significantly impacts coastal populations, leading to more severe floods and storms. The rapid warming also disrupts global weather patterns, triggering extreme heat waves and floods in Europe, and cold spells in North America. Researchers emphasize that human-induced CO2 emissions are the primary driver of this rapid climate change, which is occurring much faster than natural changes in Earth's history.

From one Pole to the other. On Friday the 21st, the journal Scientific American reported that scientists recently explored the seafloor under a massive iceberg that calved off Antarctica’s George VI Ice Shelf, revealing an unexpected and thriving ecosystem. Using an underwater robot, researchers discovered a variety of life, including anemones, octopuses, and new species of snails, worms, and fish.

These creatures have lived in isolation for millions of years, evolving in the Antarctic’s unique conditions. The size of the sponges suggests the community has been sustained for decades or even centuries. The breakaway iceberg raises concerns about the future of this fragile ecosystem, as the loss of ice could disrupt the environment these species depend on.

In other news, on Wednesday the 19th the Malaysian government approved a new search for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared in twenty fourteen with 239 people on board. The search will cover an area of 15,000 square kilometers (almost 5,800 square miles) in the southern Indian Ocean, conducted by the exploration firm Ocean Infinity under a no-find, no-fee agreement. If the wreckage is located, the company will receive seventy million US dollars.

Despite previous efforts, including a costly multinational search that ended in twenty seventeen, the wreckage is still untraceable. Investigators believe the plane crashed in the Indian Ocean, but the cause remains unknown. The renewed search aims to provide closure for the victims' families, many of whom have voiced frustration over the lack of communication from Malaysian authorities.

Let’s have a look at the Suez Canal. On Monday the 17th, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the President of Egypt, said that the Canal is losing about 800 million US dollars in revenue each month due to regional tensions.

As we mentioned in previous shows, the conflict, particularly the Houthi group's attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, has forced ships to reroute around Africa instead of using the canal, raising shipping costs. In December, el-Sisi stated that these disruptions caused a seven billion US dollar loss in twenty twenty-four.

From the Suez to the Panama Canal. China and Hong Kong officials criticized a proposal for BlackRock-led investors to buy ports at both ends of the Panama Canal from the multinational CK Hutchison. This move caused shares in CK Hutchison to drop. Even though the ports are outside China, the country’s strong opposition suggests the deal may face obstacles.

Mao Ning, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, emphasized the country’s opposition to economic coercion, while John Lee, Hong Kong’s leader, echoed similar sentiments. BlackRock’s group plans to purchase the ports for 22.8 billion US dollars and control forty-three other ports globally.

On another note, US and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Monday the 24th to negotiate a Black Sea maritime ceasefire before broader Ukraine peace talks. The discussions followed Russia’s third consecutive airstrike on Kyiv and Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian targets. President Trump, who spoke with both Zelensky and Putin, expressed optimism about the talks.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, emphasized maritime safety, while European leaders remained skeptical of Putin’s intentions to compromise. Meanwhile, Russia continued its pause on energy attacks, despite Ukraine’s accusations of violations. Talks also addressed border control, peacekeeping, and the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

On Monday the 17th, a rubber dinghy carrying around fifty-six migrants sank in the central Mediterranean after departing from the Tunisian port of Sfax. The Italian Coast Guard recovered six bodies and was searching for forty missing migrants.

On Tuesday the 18th, authorities rescued ten survivors, including four women, and brought them to Lampedusa, Italy. They received psychological care and were in good condition. Migrants on board were from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Mali.

Closing this edition with watersports. The NorthStar Canada SailGP Team displayed Rockwool's logo on their F50 platform at the Oracle San Francisco Sail Grand Prix, showing support for Rockwool Racing, who couldn’t race due to damage sustained in the Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix. NorthStar’s gesture came as a goodwill offer, reflecting the strong relationship between the teams.

Nicolai Sehested, Rockwool Racing's driver, expressed gratitude for the support, noting the commercial impact for their sponsor, Rockwool. The teams have a history of collaboration, including the Rockwool Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax. Sehested looks forward to returning to the race with NorthStar in May.

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

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