OCEAN: Iceberg Drifting to the South Atlantic Ocean & more – 28th Jan 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 28th of January twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

On Tuesday the 21st, the Colombian police seized 8.2 tonnes of cocaine at the Pacific port of Buenaventura, disrupting a major shipment destined for Toledo, Spain. According to William Salamanca, the Police Chief General, the operation dealt a significant blow to drug cartels.

Combined with another naval operation that intercepted 1.4 tonnes in Pacific waters, authorities confiscated nearly ten tonnes of cocaine within only twenty-four hours. This bust pushes the total cocaine seized in January to over twenty-four tonnes, as Colombia continues its crackdown on drug trafficking. Buenaventura, a key transit point for the world's top cocaine exporter, plays a central role in the trade.

In other news, on his first day back in office, US President Donald Trump, ordered the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The Interior Department announced the change as part of efforts to honor American heritage and reaffirm national pride. While Trump directed the US Geological Survey to adopt the new name, Mexico, which shares the coastline with the US, rejected the move.

Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican President, emphasized the Gulf of Mexico’s long-standing international recognition as a maritime reference and humorously suggested renaming North America to Mexican America in response. Despite the name change being official in the US, international acknowledgment is still not certain, reflecting tensions on the unilateral decision.

Still in the Atlantic. The world’s largest iceberg is drifting north from Antarctica, and it may approach South Georgia, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic. The iceberg was previously stuck near an underwater mountain, and is now moving with ocean currents. Scientists warn it could break apart, creating smaller icebergs, difficult to detect, which pose significant risks to navigation and wildlife.

The iceberg measures more than 3,600 square kilometers (or 1,400 square miles), so it’s only a bit smaller than Rhodes Island. It could block wildlife feeding grounds or disrupt shipping and fishing near South Georgia.

While this iceberg’s drift is part of a natural cycle, scientists stress that climate change is accelerating the shifts in Antarctica, threatening rising global sea levels.

Talking about the Antarctic Ocean, new research published in the journal Science on Friday the 24th found that krill’s vertical migration contributes less than 10% to the transfer of carbon to the deep ocean. Instead, their fecal pellets, which sick fast, can export up to forty million tonnes of carbon annually, and play a more significant role.

The study showed that only about 25% of the krill population migrates, most of them in winter, when phytoplankton and carbon are scarce. This finding could affect carbon export models, which currently overestimate krill migration's role by up to 215%.

From one Pole to the other. A study published on Wednesday the 22nd in the journal Nature, revealed that Arctic cyclones have significantly contributed to rapid sea ice loss over a short period of time, especially during summer months. These very rapid sea ice loss events are increasingly common in regions with thinner sea ice, where pressure gradients between high and low-pressure systems are stronger.

The study highlights how cyclones can cause ice to break up through ocean waves, accelerating the ice loss. While cyclones can sometimes help preserve sea ice by increasing cloud cover early in the season, they generally contribute to melting or reduced growth later.

Next up, Hassan El Khatib, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, expressed cautious optimism that the Suez Canal's traffic would recover following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The Suez Canal's revenue dropped over 60% due to attacks on Red Sea shipping by Yemen’s Houthi rebels who support Hamas.

Although the ceasefire has eased some tensions, El Khatib emphasized that recovery will take time. The government plans to attract foreign investment, with several asset sales expected in twenty twenty-five to raise up to 2.5 billion US dollars.

From one Canal to the other. As we talked about in our previous shows, Tensions rose in Panama after Donald Trump threatened to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's officials strongly rejected Trump's allegations of Chinese control over the canal, emphasizing that Panamanians fully manage the waterway.

According to an article published in The Guardian on Sunday the 26th, Trump's threats have sparked diplomatic turmoil, with Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, potentially visiting Panama to discuss the situation.

The Panama government is also conducting an audit of canal ports. Economic pressure remains a genuine concern for Panama as it navigates these heightened tensions. The Panamanians, especially those who lived through the nineteen eighty-nine invasion, strongly oppose any US interference.

Let’s sail to the Black Sea. According to Mircea Fechet, Romania’s Environment Minister, the country will establish its first Black Sea fish farms in twenty twenty-five, marking a significant step forward after decades of delay. Specific areas have already been designated for these farms, which will produce mussels, oysters, rainbow trout, and sea bass, all species currently imported from countries like Greece and Bulgaria.

Fechet emphasized that leases for investors will span about twenty years, ensuring ample time to recover their investments. The government also plans to streamline bureaucratic processes and build the necessary infrastructure to support the farms. Romania’s fish consumption remains below the EU average, with twenty twenty-one data showing per capita consumption at eight kilograms, mostly through supermarkets. Trout, carp, mackerel, and salmon are the most popular species among Romanian consumers.

Talking about the Black Sea, on Tuesday the 21st, Denis Bulanov, a deputy in the Saratov regional assembly, proposed renaming the Black Sea to the Russian Sea to highlight Russia's historical and cultural identity. He pointed out that the Black Sea had been known by this name in ancient Russian chronicles. Bulanov suggested this change for internal Russian use, without seeking international approval, sparking mixed reactions.

While some argue the name change is unnecessary and could cause international tension, others see it as a symbolic gesture to reclaim cultural heritage. This idea aligns with global trends of revisiting geographical names for historical or political reasons, though it risks creating diplomatic friction with neighboring countries like Turkey.

Let’s have a look at the Mediterranean Sea. According to the German NGO Sea Punks, a shipwreck in the Mediterranean on Sunday the 26th resulted in the death of two children, while seventeen other migrants were rescued. The incident occurred in the Maltese Search and Rescue area. Sea Punks reported that they found one child dead, while their medical team saved another child’s life after performing CPR.

A Maltese rescue helicopter evacuated a pregnant woman and a seriously injured man, and an Italian coastguard vessel rescued the remaining survivors, along with the bodies of the two children. The survivors shared that the boat originally carried twenty-one people, and that two are still missing.

In other news, on Sunday the 26th the Sri Lankan Navy took command of Combined Task Force (or CTF) 154 during a ceremony in Bahrain. Commodore KMH Bettage of Sri Lanka succeeded Egyptian Commodore Haytham Khalil, marking Sri Lanka’s first leadership of a CTF since joining the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in November twenty twenty-three.

The task force promotes maritime security through training sessions across the Middle East, enabling participation from partner nations. CTF 154's core staff includes members from Canada, Egypt, Jordan, Seychelles, Türkiye, and the US. Bettage emphasized the importance of international collaboration to ensure safe and efficient maritime commerce, which in turn supports global economic growth. CMF, based in Bahrain, includes forty-six nations committed to maritime security across strategic global shipping lanes.

Closing with watersports. Tim Cox and Andy Purvis, rowing as Oar Mighty Mates 2C, are nearing the end of their 3,000 miles (almost 5,000 kilometers) Atlantic crossing in what’s being called the ‘World’s Toughest Row’. With under 500 miles (or 800 kilometers) left, they’ve pushed through challenging seas, fueled by strong winds and determination. Their journey supports the charities Dementia UK and Abigail’s Footsteps. They expect to finish in Antigua next week.

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

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