OCEAN: Three Cyclones in the Pacific & more – 4th Mar 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 4th of March twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

Three tropical cyclones, namely Rae, Seru and Alfred, are simultaneously spinning across the South Pacific, a rare but not unprecedented event. These storms formed over five days, stretching from east of Australia to deep into the Pacific. The last time the region saw three active cyclones at once was in early twenty twenty-one.

Alfred, the strongest of the trio, intensified to a Category 3 storm, producing powerful winds off Queensland’s coast. Rae, which developed near Fiji, brought heavy rain and damaged crops, while Seru should pass near Vanuatu but remain offshore. Scientists warn that, while climate change doesn’t necessarily increase cyclone frequency, it leads to stronger and slower-moving storms, intensifying their destructive impact.

Hurricane Alfred will also pose a big challenge for Aurimas Mockus, the Lithuanian adventurer who has already spent over four months rowing solo across the Pacific, enduring extreme weather and unpredictable winds. Nearing the final stretch of his 12,000-kilometer (or 7,500-mile) journey from San Diego to Brisbane, he now has to face the Tropical Cyclone, intensifying in the Coral Sea.

Mockus, who is rowing up to twelve hours daily, has met blisters and powerful currents during his journey that forced him off course. Despite a brief window of favorable weather, shifting conditions have made navigation difficult. Rather than quitting, he is determined to finish, and now plans to use the cyclone’s outer winds to push him forward while avoiding its dangerous center.

Still in the Pacific. Nauru has launched a citizenship-for-sale program to fund inland relocations as rising sea levels threaten its coastline. David Adeang, Nauru’s President, said on Tuesday the 25th of February that foreigners can buy Nauruan citizenship for 105,000 US dollars, with hopes of generating up to forty-three million US dollars annually. The initiative aims to support climate adaptation as traditional funding sources fall short.

The island, once rich from phosphate mining, now faces severe land loss, with 80% of its terrain uninhabitable. Officials estimate that 90% of residents will need to move inland, with initial relocation costs exceeding sixty million US dollars. The nation previously hosted Australia’s offshore asylum seekers, but after years of controversy, it now seeks sustainable revenue for long-term survival.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. A new study published on Wednesday the 26th of February in the journal Nature suggests the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is unlikely to fully collapse this century, but significant weakening remains probable. Scientists warn that even a 50% slowdown could drastically impact global climates, intensifying storms, altering rainfall patterns, and accelerating sea level rise.

Researchers analyzed thirty-four advanced climate models, finding that strong Southern Ocean winds help sustain the system. However, rising temperatures and melting Greenland ice continue to weaken the currents. While past studies suggested this circulation could collapse within decades, the latest findings indicate it may take longer, though a post-two thousand one hundred collapse remains a serious risk.

Talking about the Southern Ocean, mass tourism is surging in Antarctica, due to viral TikTok videos showcasing luxury cruises, hot springs, and extreme activities. Sites like Deception Island, previously visited only for scientific reasons, now attract thousands of visitors capturing social media content. Tourists are disrupting fragile local ecosystems, with concerns over sunscreen pollution harming krill, a key food source for marine life.

The number of visitors has increased from 20,000 annually two decades ago to 125,000 last year. Scientists warn that unregulated tourism threatens wildlife and historic sites. Despite guidelines limiting tourist interactions with wildlife, the rapid growth of Antarctic tourism raises alarms over its environmental impact. The Antarctic Treaty nations are considering a visitor tax to fund conservation efforts.

Next up, Charlina Vitcheva, EU Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, announced on Wednesday the 26th of February, that the European Union had committed 250,000 euros, helping the members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency boost economic returns from the tuna industry. This funding will support efforts to add value to the tuna fisheries sector and explore investment opportunities.

The initiative aligns with the twenty fifty Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. During the East New Britain Initiative event held last week, Vitcheva emphasized the EU's dedication to regional cooperation and sustainable ocean management. The funding complements the EU's broader partnership with Pacific nations, including its ongoing European Union-Pacific Marine Partnership program.

Let’s sail to the Indian Ocean. Somalia is considering granting Ethiopia access to an Indian Ocean port, potentially easing tensions over Ethiopia’s push for a direct trade route to the sea. Ali Mohamed Omar, the Somali State Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated that both nations aim to finalize a framework agreement by June, outlining the port’s location, type, and associated costs.

Tensions escalated in early twenty twenty-four when Ethiopia struck a controversial deal with Somaliland, an unrecognized self-governing region claimed by Somalia, to secure port access and a military base in exchange for a stake in Ethiopian Airlines. Turkey brokered the deal in December.

Ethiopia, landlocked since Eritrea’s nineteen ninety-three independence, relies on neighboring ports for trade.

More updates from the Indian Ocean as on Tuesday the 25th of February, the Bulgarian bulk carrier Eleen Armonia rescued thirty-four Indonesian fishermen from a burning vessel, Hasil Abadi 28, about 500 nautical miles south of Sri Lanka.

While sailing from Singapore to the Cape of Good Hope, the crew saw smoke and diverted to assist. The fishing boat lacked the Automatic Identification System identification and had a weak radar signal. The Eleen Armonia’s crew successfully evacuated all fishermen, provided food and medical care, and later transferred them to a nearby sister vessel. The crew extinguished the fire, but they could not save the fishing boat.

In other news, according to Osama Rabei, Chairman of the Suez Canal, forty-seven ships have rerouted from the Cape of Good Hope to Egypt's Suez Canal since February. Despite disruptions caused by the Houthi rebels’ presence in the Red Sea, Rabei noted that no sustainable alternative exists to the canal and saw signs of regional stability.

Previously, Rabei projected that traffic through the waterway would gradually return to normal by March twenty twenty-five, with full recovery expected by mid-year, depending on the Gaza ceasefire's stability.

From the Suez to the Panama Canal, where a massive new bridge is under construction. The bridge will span 1,120 meters (or 3,670 feet) and cost 1.2 billion US dollars. This cable-stayed structure will rise seventy-five meters (or 245 feet) above the canal, featuring two striking towers. It aims to ease congestion on the Bridge of the Americas and the Centennial Bridge, benefiting over 500,000 residents on the canal’s west side.

The bridge will include six traffic lanes, two additional lanes for a metro line, and pedestrian walkways. The West Tower, designed in an inverted Y shape, will house an observation deck and a high-end restaurant. Engineers designed the bridge to withstand seismic activity, ensuring a 100-year lifespan.

Let’s have a look at the Black Sea. In previous shows, we talked about the massive oil spill that two damaged Russian tankers caused almost three months ago, polluting the water in the region. Authorities said on Tuesday the 25th of February that oil slicks still continue to wash ashore in southern Russia. They recently discovered fuel oil fragments in eleven of the forty-one clean-up sites, along Krasnodar's coastline, and similar contamination appeared off Crimea.

Cleanup efforts will probably last until at least twenty twenty-six. The spill has severely impacted marine life and seabirds, with up to ten million birds at risk.

Closing with news from the Mediterranean Sea. Chevron Corporation - which specializes in oil and gas - and its partners, have submitted a revised development plan to increase production at the Leviathan gas field off Israel's coast. The expansion includes drilling new wells, upgrading offshore facilities, and potentially adding a fourth pipeline. The project aims to meet growing domestic demand and improve Israel’s role in regional energy supply.

The companies Chevron, NewMed Energy, and Ratio Energies hold stakes in the field.

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

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