OCEAN: The Royal Navy in the Pacific & more – 29th Oct 2024

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 29th of October twenty twenty-four. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

On Friday the 25th, Keir Starmer, the UK Prime Minister, revealed plans to expand the Royal Navy’s patrols in the Pacific, aiming to counter China’s influence and improve security for island nations. Speaking in Samoa during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Starmer emphasized the UK's commitment to the Indo-Pacific, stressing that foreign policy must address both local and global challenges.

With his plan, Starmer is reinforcing the UK’s Indo-Pacific tilt strategy, which envisions a stronger UK role in regional defense, trade, and climate initiatives. Upcoming deployments include the warship HMS Prince of Wales visiting Singapore in twenty twenty-five, and a new Pacific Business Club, which will be launched with Australia to deepen economic ties in the region.

More about the UK prime minster as on Tuesday the 22th, he warned that increased Russian strikes on Black Sea ports threaten global food security and delay vital aid for Palestinians. He condemned President Vladimir Putin’s actions as reckless, noting that attacks have damaged several vessels and grain infrastructure since early September.

Starmer stated that Putin is jeopardizing the well-being of millions across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East in pursuit of military gains. The strikes have specifically delayed shipments of vegetable oil from the World Food Program headed to Palestine, along with grain destined for Egypt and southern Africa. Before the war, Ukraine exported around six million tons of grain per month via the Black Sea, making grain sales essential for its economy.

Meanwhile, in the Indian region, the EU Naval Force’s Operation ATALANTA warns of a renewed Somali piracy threat after spotting a group of thirteen armed pirates sailing from a known Somali pirate base toward the Indian Ocean. This move comes after a period of reduced piracy activity due to the monsoon season.

On Wednesday the 23rd, a Chinese bulk carrier, Huan Hang 99, reported a suspicious approach by five skiffs in the Gulf of Aden, highlighting recent piracy risks. ATALANTA cautions that pirates often seize local dhows - traditional wooden boats in the region - to use as mother ships for attacks up to 600 nautical miles offshore. ATALANTA is urging shipping companies to increase vigilance and follow security practices in high-risk areas.

In other news, on Monday the 21st, forty-four climate and ocean scientists published an open letter addressed to Nordic policymakers warning that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (or AMOC) - a key Atlantic current that we talked about in previous shows - is about to collapse. The AMOC transports warm water northward and cold water southward, maintaining climate balance, especially in the Northern Hemisphere.

However, recent studies suggest that climate change has intensified the AMOC’s instability, raising the likelihood of a tipping point this century. A collapse could bring drastic cooling in Nordic regions, increase extreme weather across Europe, disrupt monsoon patterns, raise sea levels, and threaten marine ecosystems and agriculture globally. The scientists call for international adherence to the Paris Agreement to prevent catastrophic impacts lasting centuries.

But it’s not all bad news from the Atlantic. The Azores islands, an autonomous region of Portugal, has recently passed new legislation to create the largest Marine Protected Area in the North Atlantic, covering almost 300,000 square kilometers (or 111,000 square miles), which represents 30% of the waters around the islands, preserving important habitats for whales, sharks, and deep-sea corals.

Half of the area will be fully protected from resource extraction, setting an example for global biodiversity efforts. This initiative will help marine ecosystems combat climate change, boost eco-tourism, and support fishing by allowing fish stocks to recover. The project involves collaboration between the local government, environmental groups, and industries, showing that protecting the environment can also benefit the economy.

On another note, a new krill research aquarium and facility is being built in Taroona, Hobart. Tanya Plibersek, the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water of Australia, said that the facility would take the name of Doctor Isobel Bennett, a pioneering marine biologist who passed away in two thousand eight.

The facility is scheduled to be completed in twenty twenty-eight. It will support research on Antarctic krill and other crucial Southern Ocean species and will feature advanced systems and eighteen dedicated research labs, significantly expanding the capabilities of previous facilities.

From one Pole to the other. On Friday the 25th, the EU Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries reported news about Arctic Reflections, an initiative focused on protecting Arctic sea ice, which is essential for maintaining global climate balance. The project involves innovative techniques, such as pumping seawater into sea ice to facilitate its rapid freezing and thickening. This method aims to extend the ice's lifespan and enhance its cooling effect on the planet.

Arctic Reflections has benefited from the support of BlueInvest, another European Union initiative that provides coaching and networking opportunities for ocean-related ventures. Through this collaboration, Arctic Reflections seeks to secure funding and broaden its reach to tackle the Arctic region's urgent issues.

Sailing to the Suez Canal. According to Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has significantly impacted Egypt's economy, causing a 70% drop in revenue from the Suez Canal.

On Friday the 25th, Georgieva announced her upcoming visit to Egypt to assess the country's economic situation and how external factors affect its financial stability. The International Monetary Fund raised concerns about Egypt's current account deficit and ongoing inflation issues.

From the Suez to the Panama Canal. In previous shows, we talked about the long drought that impacted the Canal. Now, the situation has gotten better and the Canal’s conditions are improving, but they are not yet at the before-drought level.

A proposed dam on the Indio River aims to help the Panama Canal but faces strong local opposition. The project would displace around 2,000 residents and alter the river's flow, affecting downstream communities. While some people hope for job creation and improved services, the dam project was put into question as it might harm the locals’ livelihoods.

Some residents expressed willingness to support the project if it led to tangible benefits like better infrastructure. However, communities near the dam site, like Limon, fear displacement and are particularly resistant, exposing signs reading No to the reservoirs.

Let’s have a look at the Mediterranean Sea. The NGO Human Rights Watch (or HRW) launched the #WithHumanity campaign, calling on Frontex, the European Union’s border and coast guard agency, to use its aerial surveillance to rescue endangered vessels in the waters. Currently, Frontex alerts only official rescue centers and fails to consistently inform NGO ships.

The campaign urges Frontex to improve its emergency response by sharing distress locations with NGOs and monitoring migrant safety more effectively. With over 30,500 migrant deaths reported in the past decade, HRW stresses the need for the EU to provide safe and legal migration routes.

Next up, the National Hurricane Center is tracking a Pacific low-pressure system about 1,000 miles southwest of Baja California, with a 60% chance of strengthening into a tropical cyclone within a week. This potential storm, which would be named Tropical Storm Lane, follows Hurricane Kristy, which reached Category five but has since dissipated. Another system in the Caribbean has a 40% chance of forming into Tropical Storm Patty by the weekend.

Closing with watersports. Alessandro Marega from Italy clinched victory at the twenty twenty-four Open Finn European Championship, which took place in Cannes from Friday the 18th until Friday the 25th.

In a tense finale, Marega outpaced France's Valerian Lebrun, who took the European Masters title, and Hungary’s Kristof Kaiser, who ended up third. Sudden storms and unpredictable winds challenged the last day's races, where Marega ultimately prevailed. The championship set the stage for the next Finn Europeans in Naples, Italy, in early twenty twenty-five.

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

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See you next week!