OCEAN: North Pacific Coast Guard Forum & more – 15th April 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 15th of April twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

From Monday the 7th until Friday the 11th, Coast guard representatives from North Pacific nations gathered in Nanjing, China, for the 25th North Pacific Coast Guard Forum. The event brought together officials from China, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States to strengthen regional maritime governance through multilateral efforts.

Participants discussed ways to coordinate fishery law enforcement across international waters, strengthen international cooperation, and crack down on illicit maritime activities. They highlighted the importance of joint efforts to guarantee maritime safety and security in the North Pacific. At the end of the five-day forum, delegates reached an agreement to hold an annual meeting for senior coast guard officials from the participating countries.

Still in the Pacific. Researchers created an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV-assisted maritime communication system designed to deliver fast, long-range wireless coverage across the northern Pacific Ocean using elevated atmospheric ducts. These ducts, which are shaped by tropical trade winds, appear in the region up to 94% of the time, providing perfect conditions for GHz-band microwave transmissions.

This technology is a promising option for future 6G networks, since it allows UAVs to maintain over-horizontal links with low path loss and wide-area coverage. Simulations using the parabolic equation method confirmed the feasibility of high-capacity communication within the duct layer. In contrast to traditional maritime networks, this UAV-based approach supports smooth LAP-to-LAP and ship-to-UAV data exchange without the need for relay nodes.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. According to an article published on Friday the 11th in the journal InfoMigrants, since the beginning of twenty twenty-five, Mauritanian authorities have recovered over 100 bodies of African migrants from the Atlantic, in addition to the more than 500 found in twenty twenty-four. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, the Foreign Minister, blamed criminal smuggling networks for the rising death toll and called for stronger measures to promote legal, safe migration.

Despite this, Mauritania has increased the number of deportations of Senegalese, Malian, Ivorian, and Guinean nationals, sparking criticism and diplomatic tension, especially with Mali. Malian officials accused Mauritania of violating human rights and mistreating migrants during expulsions. In response to the growing friction, Merzoug traveled to Bamako, Mali, on Thursday the 10th to meet with Malian leaders, calling for better coordination on migration.

More news from the Atlantic Ocean, as on Friday the 11th, the International Maritime Organization’s 83rd Marine Environment Protection Committee approved the creation of the world’s largest Emission Control Area in the North-East Atlantic. This initiative aims to drastically reduce ship-related air pollution, and is supported by all twenty-seven EU nations, the UK, and the European Commission.

The Emission Control Area connects the current Emission Control Areas in Europe and the Arctic and covers the waters of eight countries, affecting over 190 million people. Regulators expect it to slash sulfur oxide emissions by 82%, fine particulate matter by 64%, black carbon by 36%, and nitrogen oxides by up to 71% with future fleet upgrades. These reductions could prevent up to 4,300 premature deaths and save around thirty billion euros (thirty-one billion US dollars) in health costs by twenty fifty.

Sailing to the Arctic Ocean, researchers from the University of Bristol have discovered new insights into how Siberian river materials move across the Arctic Ocean via the Transpolar Drift. Their study, published in Nature Communications on Monday the 14th, shows that warmer temperatures and shifting sea ice patterns significantly alter the pathways of both natural substances and pollutants.

The team monitored the evolution of river-borne matter as it moves through the Arctic by analyzing water, ice, and snow samples using geochemical tracers. They found that sea ice not only carries materials but actively shapes their movement, creating complex mixtures that drift across the ocean. These results, based on data from the year-long MOSAiC expedition, challenge long-held views of the Transpolar Drift as a stable current.

In the other Pole, after completing the 41st Antarctic expedition, the Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2 is preparing to return to China. The team advanced technological innovation, expanded the use of homegrown polar equipment, and strengthened international collaboration.

The expedition conducted scientific research in the Southern Ocean, collected long gravity cores in the Amundsen Sea, and filled crucial data gaps through aerial surveys. Researchers built new facilities at Qinling Station and installed a clean energy system combining wind, hydrogen, solar and energy storage. These efforts support global climate research and reinforce China’s role in Antarctic governance.

Meanwhile, on Sunday the 13th, Costas Kadis, the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, officially opened the 29th Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (or IOTC) meeting in La Réunion, alongside French Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher. The IOTC brings members together to protect tuna and similar species while promoting sustainable fisheries.

The European Union is leading the charge to improve monitoring, increase compliance, and fortify stock management across the Indian Ocean. The EU submitted several proposals concerning tropical tuna and shark conservation. By focusing on scientific guidance and international cooperation, the EU pushes for decisive action against overfishing and environmental harm, reaffirming its direction to sustainable fisheries.

In other news, the UK Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, is preparing to depart Portsmouth on Tuesday the 22nd for an eight-month mission to Japan, transiting the Suez Canal and Red Sea. After completing the Exercise Tamber Shield and loading ammunition, the group readies for deployment. Its air wing includes two F-35B squadrons, Wildcat and Merlin helicopters, Chinooks, and Royal Marines.

The carrier will sail alongside the destroyer HMS Dauntless, the UK attack submarine HMS Richmond, and allied vessels from Norway, Canada, and Spain. The group may adjust plans to support operations in the Red Sea, potentially impacting Indo-Pacific engagements.

On Friday the 11th, the US and Panama signed a new agreement allowing US troops to deploy near the Panama Canal for joint training and security operations. The deal grants access to two former US military sites and an airport but avoids terms like military bases, which Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino firmly rejected.

Mulino sent back several drafts of the agreement to eliminate any mention of a permanent military presence, emphasizing Panama's sovereignty. Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon chief, briefed President Trump, who sees the deal as a way to counter Chinese influence. Many considered the deal a betrayal, and protests broke out in Panama over concerns of diminished sovereignty.

On another note, according to Turkey’s Defense Ministry, military officials from Turkey and several foreign nations will gather in Ankara on Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 17th to discuss the future of Black Sea security. The meeting will take place at the Naval Forces Headquarters and will focus on regional stability after a potential ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

The Ministry confirmed the event on Monday the 14th, but did not list the participating countries. However, it clarified that neither Russia nor Ukraine will take part in the discussions.

Turkey continues to position itself as a key regional actor amid ongoing tensions and diplomatic efforts in the Black Sea region.

Speaking of Turkey, the Turkish Defense Ministry has warned that no projects in the East Mediterranean can proceed without Turkey’s consent. This statement followed the Greek Foreign Ministry's announcement on Thursday, the 10th, that Greece, Cyprus, and Israel would resume preparatory work on the Great Sea Interconnector, a project designed to link the electrical grids of the countries via an undersea cable.

Turkish officials criticized Greece and Cyprus for their "maximalist aspirations" and emphasized that any initiatives in the region must consider Turkey’s claims to maritime jurisdiction, particularly over the Turkish-controlled northern part of Cyprus. They warned that projects conducted without Turkey's approval would be provocative and affirmed the country’s intent to continue responding as it has in the past.

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

Did you know that the Rorshok Ocean Update is just one of many? We’ve got country updates, and non-county updates, including the Arctic Update, about the area north of the Arctic Circle, the Multilateral Update, about the world’s major multilateral institutions.

To check out the full list of updates, follow the link in the show notes!

See you next week!