OCEAN: New Drug-trafficking Route & more – 3rd Dec 2024

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 3rd of December twenty twenty-four. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

On Thursday, the 28th of November, the journal The Guardian reported that the Colombian Navy intercepted a semi-submersible vessel in the Pacific Ocean carrying a large quantity of cocaine, marking a major drug smuggling bust. During Operation Orion, in which sixty-two different countries collaborated, Colombia seized a record 225 tonnes of cocaine in six weeks. The operation uncovered a new drug route to Australia, where cocaine can sell for up to 240,000 US dollars per kilogram.

The authorities intercepted six narco-submarines, including one carrying five tonnes of cocaine thousands of miles off Colombia’s coast, headed directly to Oceania. These submarines, designed to avoid detection, represent a new tactic by cartels. The operation also seized over 1,000 tonnes of marijuana and stopped illegal weapons and human trafficking.

Still in the Pacific. On Saturday, the 30th of November, Lai Ching-te, the Taiwanese President, went on a diplomatic mission to strengthen ties with three Pacific Island nations: the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau. These countries represent one-quarter of the few states maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan. As China intensifies efforts to isolate Taiwan in the Pacific region, Lai seeks to secure support from these island allies.

The Pacific Ocean, a region increasingly caught between Chinese and Taiwanese diplomacy, remains central to Taiwan’s strategy to counter Chinese influence. Lai’s visit highlights the importance of these maritime nations in resisting China’s attempts to diminish Taiwan’s role globally. Taiwan’s allies also enjoy strong connections with the US and Australia, reinforcing their commitment to Taiwan.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. The twenty twenty-four Atlantic hurricane season ended on Saturday, the 30th of November, showcasing an active year with eighteen named storms, eleven hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. The season saw a record-breaking surge in activity after a mid-season lull. Hurricanes Beryl and Milton made history, with Beryl being the earliest Category-5 hurricane on record and Milton becoming the strongest cyclone of the year, reaching Category-5 in the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA)’s satellites keep closely tracking tropical storms and hurricanes across the Atlantic. Despite the official season ending, NOAA urges continued vigilance, as tropical cyclones can form anytime. The new hurricane season will begin in June twenty twenty-five.

More updates from the Atlantic, where a company launched its storm-resistant floating platform as part of advancing ocean thermal energy conversion (or OTEC) technology. Global OTEC built the platform, named Don, under the EU-funded PLOTEC project and launched from Hidramar Shipyards for initial testing. It will soon be towed to the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands for further assembly and testing.

This platform addresses a key challenge for OTEC’s commercial viability. The project, supported by the Horizon Europe program with 3.5 million euros (or 3.7 million US dollars), aims to boost renewable energy availability for small island developing states facing severe weather.

Next up, the Schmidt Ocean Institute will embark on an exciting twenty twenty-five expedition across the South Atlantic Ocean, including regions near Antarctica, South Georgia, and Uruguay. The research vessel, Falkor(too), will map unexplored seafloor features and study biodiversity, earthquakes, and active volcanoes.

The journey begins in early twenty twenty-five near the Antarctic Peninsula. The team will then explore the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, looking for new species. Later, they will map the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon in Argentina and investigate deep waters off Uruguay’s coast. In autumn, scientists will focus on two underwater canyons along the Patagonia Shelf. Through these expeditions, the Schmidt Ocean Institute aims to push the boundaries of oceanographic research and foster collaboration.

In other news, the Clean Arctic Alliance, a coalition of twenty-three NGOs, urged Arctic shipping operators and member states of the International Maritime Organization to prioritize protecting the Arctic from the harmful impacts of shipping. To mark World Sustainable Transport Day, on Tuesday, the 26th of November, the Alliance outlined three priorities: shifting from heavy fuel oil to cleaner fuels to reduce black carbon emissions, establishing Emission Control Areas to limit air pollution, and banning scrubbers that discharge acidic wastewater into the ocean.

Doctor Sian Prior, the Alliance’s Lead Advisor, emphasized the urgency of tackling climate and environmental issues in the Arctic, where ice loss and ocean acidification are accelerating.

From one Pole to the other. The NGO Sea Shepherd, which aims to protect Antarctic wildlife and promote sustainable practices, will launch a twenty twenty-five campaign in Antarctica to protect krill, a vital food source for whales, seals, and penguins, from industrial fishing. Its ship, Allankay, will follow and monitor large supertrawlers that catch krill for products like Omega-3 supplements and fish feed.

This campaign comes after a failed attempt to create a Marine Protected Area in the region. The team will document how these fishing operations harm marine life, including whales, to strengthen future Marine Protected Areas proposals. Sea Shepherd will also run campaigns targeting companies that sell krill products, raising awareness about the damage caused by overfishing.

Let’s sail to the Indian Ocean. According to an article published by The Independent on Thursday, the 28th of November, archaeologists believe a shipwreck found off the coast of Malindi, in Kenya, might be the Sao Jorge, a Portuguese vessel linked to the final voyage of Vasco Da Gama, a key character in maritime history, which took place in fifteen twenty-four.

The shipwreck, discovered in twenty thirteen, lies six meters (or twenty feet) underwater and is protected by the local community through an archaeology initiative. Researchers recently raised the possibility that it could be one of two early Portuguese vessels that sank in fifteen forty-four. Future studies aim to confirm its identity through surveys of nearby coral reefs. If proven to be the Sao Jorge, the discovery would offer new insights into early European exploration in the Indian Ocean and Vasco da Gama’s maritime legacy.

Next up, on Monday the 2nd, Houthi rebels in Yemen have promised to continue attacking Israel and disrupting shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, despite a ceasefire in Israel's conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. These attacks have caused significant economic impacts, including a sharp decline in revenues for the Suez Canal. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Egyptian President, reported a 40-50% drop in canal revenue, worsening the situation following the COVID pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The Houthis previously declared that they would halt attacks on international shipping only if Israel ceased its actions in Gaza. Recently, German shipowners have also reported receiving threats from the Houthis, raising concerns for maritime security in the region.

From Suez to the Panama Canal. According to an article by Reuters published on Monday the 2nd, the Panama Canal Authority plans to build a 1.6 billion US dollar Rio Indio dam to address recurring droughts threatening canal operations. The dam would provide fresh water for the locks, ensure up to fifteen additional ship transits daily during dry seasons, and support Panama’s growing population.

However, as we talked about in a previous show, this project faces strong opposition from residents of affected communities like Tres Hermanas, which would be displaced. The alternative plan to transfer water from the Bayano reservoir, less disruptive to communities, has gained local support, but was discarded due to cost and logistical issues. Environmentalists also warn of biodiversity loss and deforestation.

And to wrap up this edition, some news from the Mediterranean Sea. Storm Bora caused severe flooding across Greece, hitting Islands Rhodes and Lemnos the hardest during the last weekend of the 30th of November and the 1st of December. Heavy rain turned streets into rivers, destroyed roads and bridges, and damaged homes. The storm also caused evacuations and fatal accidents.

The storm, powered by warm Mediterranean waters and slow atmospheric movement, will likely bring more rain through midweek, increasing the risk of additional flooding. Greece, already impacted by droughts, wildfires, and heatwaves, faces ongoing challenges from volatile weather patterns forecasted for the region.

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

Do you know that besides the Rorshok Ocean Update, we also do others? Our latest ones are the Arctic Update, about the area north of the Arctic Circle, and the Multilateral Update, about the world’s major multilateral institutions. The other ones are all country updates. We have a selection of countries from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Check roroshok.com/updates for the full list, the link is in the show notes.

See you next week!