OCEAN: Escalating Tensions in the Mediterranean & more – 22nd July 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 22nd of July twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

Kicking off this edition, on Thursday the 17th, Libya has escalated tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, submitting a formal maritime claim to the UN, asserting sovereign rights over a broad continental shelf shared with Turkey under their twenty nineteen agreement.

Libya rejects the twenty twenty Greece-Egypt maritime deal calling it null and void, accusing both nations of illegal hydrocarbon exploration. Libya also protested Greece’s Exclusive Economic Zone declarations in the Ionian and Central Mediterranean, demanding a halt to drilling. Greece dismissed the allegations as legally ineffective and reiterated its commitment to international law.

The dispute signals deepening maritime friction amid competing energy ambitions and unresolved boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific Ocean, this Wednesday, the 16th – in a bold show of force, the Philippines deployed its newest warship, BRP Miguel Malvar, for joint naval drills with the US in the West Philippine Sea, near Chinese vessels.

This eighth Maritime Cooperative Activity underscores rising tensions with China and aims to boost maritime defense and interoperability.

Formation exercises with the USS Curtis Wilbur further emphasized unity. The drills come as the Philippines ramps up defense ties with the US, challenging China's sweeping claims in the region.

There was more display of strength in Central America, as this Sunday the 21st, Honduras and El Salvador approved Action Plans to modernize maritime traffic facilitation, aligning with the International Maritime Organization's (or IMO’s) Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic.

The plans aim to implement Maritime Single Windows (or MSW)—digital systems to streamline port clearance. Over fifty stakeholders across both countries participated, reviewing national needs and drawing insights from Guatemala’s MSW success.

This marks a major step toward smarter, more efficient maritime operations in Central America, boosting trade and sustainability in the region’s ports.

Speaking of smarter maritime operations, just this Sunday the 21st – THE MPC Container Ships (or MPCC) ordered four eco-friendly, dual-fuel ready container vessels worth $228 million dollars from China’s Taizhou Sanfu, with deliveries starting in twenty twenty-seven.

The MPCC is modernizing its fleet by selling three aging vessels and securing over 100 million dollars in financing from KFW-IPEX and Deutsche Bank, with a loan expansion option.

The new ships aim to slash slot costs by 50% and reduce environmental risks. With updated charters, 100% of MPCC's fleet is now covered for twenty twenty-five..

Veering into the consequences of not using eco-friendly tech before, ocean scientists are warning about a rare Atlantic Niña—cooler-than-usual waters off West Africa—that briefly slowed hurricane activity this month.

Unlike its Pacific cousins El Niño and La Niña, this Atlantic version cools the Gulf of Guinea, weakening monsoons that fuel hurricanes. But experts say it’s already fading. According to meteorologist Ryan Truchelut, “It just doesn’t have the persistence,” noting subsurface warmth and weakening trade winds.

As waters rapidly reheat, conditions may soon supercharge storms. So despite a quiet start, forecasters still predict an intense twenty twenty-five Atlantic hurricane season—driven by oceans that refuse to stay cool for long.

In a historic first, from Wednesday the 16th to Saturday the 19th, INS Sandhayak, India’s newest hydrographic survey vessel, docked in Port Klang, Malaysia, for a landmark hydrographic mission.

The visit, part of India’s MAHASAGAR initiative, propels maritime cooperation through knowledge-sharing, tech exchanges, and goodwill activities with the Royal Malaysian Navy. Sandhayak is a cutting-edge asset in India’s naval fleet.

Highlights included expert sessions, cultural exchanges, and student visits — strengthening ties and regional maritime security. This mission marks India’s navigational breakthrough in hydrographic capacity-building and anchors a deeper India-Malaysia naval alliance, showing a wave of progress in the field.

Wading to the US, a new Ocean Conservancy report revealed a startling reality: 90% of U.S. states are falling behind in the fight against plastic pollution.

Released during Plastic Free July, the United States of Plastics report gave states an average score of just 1.5 out of five stars, which means that they need improvement. Only six states scored good or better. The study analyzed over twenty policy areas, from plastic bans to microplastic prevention.

Experts warn that state-level action is vital, as the U.S. leads global plastic waste and ranks among top ocean polluters. Every minute, a garbage truck’s worth of plastic enters our seas—threatening ecosystems, food safety, and communities.

In more environmental mishaps, this Saturday, the 20th, a groundbreaking Swedish study revealed that ships moving through shallow waters stir up methane trapped beneath the seafloor, releasing this powerful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

Conducted in Neva Bay, Russia, researchers found ship traffic can trigger methane emissions up to twenty times higher than nearby calm areas. The emissions aren’t from ship fuel, but from pressure changes and turbulence that force gas bubbles to the surface. Cruise, container, and ropax ships were the biggest culprits.

Since most of the world’s busiest ports share similar conditions, global methane estimates may be severely underestimated—posing a hidden climate risk needing urgent attention.

Now reporting progress on the frontlines of fisheries – this Monday the 21st – at a three-day meeting in Rome, global partners of the Common Oceans Tuna Project led by the Food and Agriculture Organization or FAO reviewed major strides in sustainable tuna management.

Once overfished, 99% of tuna landings now come from well-managed stocks—a massive leap in just a decade. The $45 billion US dollars tuna market remains vital to global food security, yet oceans receive just 1% of climate funding.

At the meeting, experts tackled pressing issues like plastic gear pollution, bycatch, and climate change.

FAO’s Joe Zelasney hailed progress but stressed the need for stronger electronic monitoring and climate-resilient practices. As the ocean warms, the race to protect tuna—and millions of livelihoods—continues.

Heading to the Arctic, South Korea is eyeing the Arctic shipping route as a game-changer in global logistics, aiming to cut travel time to Europe by 7,000 km (or 4,400 miles) and bypass traditional chokepoints like the Suez Canal.

Melting sea ice has made this northern shortcut more viable, and President Lee Jae Myung’s administration is pushing to position Busan as a key hub. However, challenges loom: Russia controls the route, climate conditions remain harsh, and high costs deter shippers.

While China accelerates its Polar Silk Road, a projected transit route for trading and shipping with Europe via the Arctic, Korea must weigh risks and nurture Arctic-ready fleets. Could Busan become the next polar gateway? The race is heating up.

Still in the Arctic, this Thursday, the 17th – Magellanic penguins are proving that sometimes, going with the flow is smarter. A new study in PLOS Biology reveals that these South American seabirds adjust their homeward routes based on ocean currents.

In calm waters, they swim straight back to their colonies, but in strong currents, they follow S-shaped paths aligned with tides — conserving energy and grabbing extra fish along the way. Researchers tracked twenty-seven penguins with GPS and found this strategic detour boosts efficiency, even on sixteen-hour return trips.

Scientists believe a mix of instinct and learning helps penguins read invisible currents — an enduring mystery in ocean animal navigation.

Closing with a final splash in the Arctic, last Tuesday the 15th – under Finland’s midnight sun near the Arctic Ocean, over 300 festivalgoers gathered in Utsjoki for Loktafeasta — a rap festival founded by Sámi artist Yungmiqu.

Rapping in the Indigenous Sámi language, Laiti spotlighted Sámi identity, challenging stereotypes while celebrating cultural pride. The open-air event mixed Sámi and Finnish acts, from hip hop to old-school tango, showcasing the rich diversity of Lapland.

Despite the rain, the crowd danced, laughed, and connected through music. Once banned, the Sámi language now resonates on stage, proving that modern beats and ancestral roots can unite — even under a sun that never sets.

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

Remember you can send us feedback at info@rorshok.com. Help us make our updates better!

See you next week!