Drug Trafficking
November 8, 2023Drug Trafficking / NewsIn Europe, the explosion in containerized maritime trade has led to a surge in cocaine trafficking. National authorities are struggling to stem the tide.
The increase of cocaine in Europe is not a new phenomenon. This has been a real issue since the 2000s. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in 2011, as much cocaine was sold in Europe as in the United States. 2020 marks the explosion of trafficking to the Old Continent. Since last year, local consumption has been dangerously competing with that in South America.
All these illegal flows are part of an expanding economy starting from Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador or Paraguay… Cocaine crosses the Atlantic before arriving in the major ports of the North Sea concealed in maritime containers carrying legal cargoes of fruit, tea, sugar, canned goods or livestock.
The most gangrenous docks in recent years
In 2022, with 110 tonnes intercepted, the biggest seizure of cocaine in Belgium was made at the port of Antwerp, unsurprisingly, the largest European port. The previous year, 70 tonnes were seized in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In France, over 26.5 tonnes of cocaine seized in 2021 in the port of Le Havre. In Hamburg, Germany, 19 tonnes were seized in the same year.
More recently, the largest cocaine seizure in Spanish history took place this August. 9.5 tonnes of cocaine from Ecuador were hidden in banana crate containers.
Spanish authorities discovered the cargo in the port of Algeciras, in the south of the country. According to an official statement, the Spanish port of Vigo was also used by the same group of 30 criminal organizations. They were able to bring monthly 40 containers to the continent.
In addition to that, the 250 tonnes of the product discovered by the European authorities in 2022, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Only 10% of the volume of cocaine in circulation would be intercepted. Total seizures are expected to increase by 25% in 2023, according to Belgian authorities.
The reaction of the authorities
European customs only have the right to inspect 2% of the thousands of containers passing through their ports, according to the standard.Last November, as seizures continue to rise, Stéphanie Cherbonnier, Director of the French Anti-Drug Office (OFAST), attested : “we feel like we’re emptying the ocean with a teaspoon”.
Despite all the difficulties faced, the European Union is getting organized to deal with the urgency of growing traffic. According to its Drugs Action Plan 2021 – 2025, huge steps are already being made internationally. These include disrupting and dismantling criminal organizations operating in the EU, stepping up detection of cocaine trafficking, and strengthening the fight in cooperation with South American countries. On a national scale, countries are facing the issue as well. On February 11, 2023, the Douai Special Assize Court in France convicted six men, following the seizure of a ton and a half of cocaine in the port of Le Havre. Further north on the continent, the ports of Hamburg, Rotterdam and Antwerp began cooperating in early July to tighten International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS) regulations.
In recent weeks, Belgian customs and police have intercepted a total of more than 23 tons of cocaine at the port of Antwerp, with an estimated street value of more than 2 billion euros, thanks to the deployment of more personnel and an increased number of container scanners. Several thousand kilos of cocaine were also seized in the Netherlands as a result of cooperation between Dutch and Belgian services. Investigations also led the Belgian Federal Police, in cooperation with the French police, to arrest a major drug trafficker from Marseille in Brussels on October 24, who had been on the run in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In addition to implementing new procedures, the authorities face another challenge. As with the drug trafficking, the violence and corruption of South American cartels is being imported to European docks.
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October 30, 2023Drug Trafficking / NewsSituated as a critical transit point for drug trafficking from South America to Europe, The Gambia has grappled with the pervasive issue of maritime drug smuggling for several years. A combination of its extensive coastline and limited resources has made it an attractive location for transnational criminal groups. Despite historical challenges, recent efforts by the government have displayed a resolute commitment to combatting this issue. This article delves into the challenges faced by The Gambia in curbing maritime drug trafficking and highlights the significant progress made through strategic partnerships and policy implementations.
Challenges in Maritime Drug Trafficking
The Gambia’s vulnerability to drug trafficking has been compounded by several factors, including a vast coastline and limited resources for maritime policing. A tumultuous political history, marked by inadequate law enforcement and corruption, has further facilitated criminal activities, with reports implicating former leaders and institutions in drug-related crimes. The lack of adequate infrastructure and insufficient manpower has also contributed to the country’s struggle in effectively curbing drug trafficking via its ports and waterways. The cumulative impact of these challenges has rendered The Gambia susceptible to exploitation by international drug cartels, exacerbating the issue of maritime drug smuggling.
Progress and Collaborative Initiatives
In recent years, The Gambia has demonstrated a proactive approach in addressing maritime drug trafficking. Notable improvements include the establishment of the National Drug Enforcement Agency and subsequent amendments to the National Drug Control Council Act, enhancing the country’s enforcement capabilities. Collaborative efforts with regional and international partners, as exemplified by the SEACOP agreement, underscore the government’s commitment to combatting drug trafficking. The focus on intelligence-driven approaches and the provision of advanced equipment and training by SEACOP further highlight The Gambia’s dedication to bolstering its maritime security infrastructure.
The Way Forward: Strengthening Collaborative Efforts and Regional Partnerships
While significant strides have been made, further actions are crucial to consolidate The Gambia’s efforts in combating maritime drug trafficking. Prioritizing information sharing, intelligence gathering, and joint operations between various security agencies, including the police, navy, and customs, will be instrumental in strengthening enforcement measures. Additionally, fostering close collaboration with neighbouring countries and active participation in regional maritime security strategies, such as the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, will be pivotal in curbing the illicit activities that transcend national boundaries. By emphasizing collaborative efforts and regional partnerships, The Gambia can fortify its maritime security and significantly reduce the influx of drug smuggling activities through its borders and waters.
Conclusion
The Gambia’s battle against maritime drug trafficking represents a complex and multifaceted challenge that necessitates a comprehensive and collaborative approach. Despite historical setbacks, the government’s recent initiatives and partnerships reflect a promising trajectory toward curbing drug-related crimes and securing its maritime domain. By strengthening its enforcement capacities, fostering regional cooperation, and actively engaging in international agreements, The Gambia can significantly enhance its ability to combat the pervasive threat of maritime drug trafficking, ensuring a safer and more secure maritime environment for the region and beyond.
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February 25, 2022Drug Trafficking / NewsFor many decades, the Caribbean Sea has been the primary maritime route for smuggling illicit drugs into the USA. With the USA being the world’s largest market for illegal drugs, the Caribbean’s access to the long Florida coastlines makes it an ideal smuggling route for producers across the Caribbean, Central and South America.
Which Drugs Are Smuggled Through The Caribbean Sea ?
The principal drug to be smuggled across the Caribbean continues to be cocaine. The leading destination, as indicated above, is the USA, mainly from the top three producers of Bolivia, Peru and Columbia. The primary routes are via Jamaica, where large criminal gangs regulate the flow of cocaine, and the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, state institutions in these two countries simply don’t have the resources to curtail drug passage through their ports effectively.
It is estimated that around 1000MT of cocaine cross the Caribbean each year. However, it is difficult to accurately put a figure on this as drug enforcement agencies believe that only about 6% of traffic is ever detected, and routes are constantly being changed to avoid detection.
Another drug commonly trafficked across the Caribbean is cannabis. The primary producer for this is Jamaica. However, with the drug being decriminalized in many states of the USA, this trade is declining as legal farms in the USA have begun to cut into demand from overseas.
Other drugs shipped using the Caribbean Sea maritime route include fentanyl, heroin and other opioids. However, these are relatively minor problems as the cocaine market takes up over 90% of drugs shipped through the Caribbean.
Which Agencies are Seizing Drugs in the Caribbean Sea?
As stated earlier, maritime routes are constantly being altered to avoid law enforcement detection, making it exceptionally difficult to police. In addition, the small island nations in the Caribbean have few resources to combat international crime, so it is mainly left to the bigger players in the region.
The Mexican authorities work with Interpol to control drug trafficking. However, this is primarily land-based, although Mexico’s small navy occasionally liaises with US authorities on specific operations.
US authorities do the bulk of maritime drug policing in the Caribbean. To accomplish this, the Joint Interagency Task Force South, headquartered in Key West, Florida, brings together a range of governmental organizations under the direction of the Coast Guard. This task force includes the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Patrol, FBI and CIA.
The task force works with agencies from over 20 other nations across the Caribbean, Latin America and even Europe. It uses coast guard and navy ships, submarines and small boats to patrol the Caribbean Sea and conduct intelligence-led ship seizures. One of the most active partners remains the French Navy, leading operation in its Economic Exclusive Zone, which recently realized several record drug seizures with the warship Germinal.
How Are Drugs Moved Across The Caribbean Sea ?
For many decades, the main transportation methods used ultra-highspeed small boats that could travel mostly undetected in the busy Caribbean maritime routes. However, in recent years the volume of drugs moved has increased, and smugglers have adopted other modes of transportation. Larger ships are now being used to carry drugs and even some of the largest container ships. They also use semi-submersibles; one was recently memorably captured carrying ten tons of cocaine and was placed on the lawn outside Southern Command’s headquarters in Miami as a trophy.
Summing Up
The drug trade across maritime routes in the Caribbean Sea has shown no signs of falling off over recent decades. Rather, it is larger than ever. Massive amounts of cocaine continue to cross from Latin America, and it seems that the War on Drugs is no closer to victory than it was at its beginning. Although vast amounts of cash and effort are used in efforts aimed at reducing supply and policing smuggling routes, it seems that addressing the demand end of the chain is the only way to end this illegal and destructive trade.
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December 21, 2021Drug Trafficking / NewsPiracy in the Gulf of Guinea is the focus of media attention. However, this area is also home to many other threats with equally high human and economic costs. Illegal fishing, drug trafficking, pollution, illegal immigration… there is no shortage of issues that weaken the region, but they do not all receive the same media attention.
The symposium of the chiefs of staff of the navies of the Gulf of Guinea, organized jointly by France and Congo, is particularly exemplary of a media prism that “benefits” piracy. Indeed, this symposium, whose theme was “The operationalization of the Yaoundé architecture: ways and means”, covered the entire spectrum of maritime security. However, the majority of articles on this event only consider it through the prism of piracy, whether it be Radio France internationale (Gulf of Guinea: the chiefs of staff of the navies debate maritime piracy), France-Info-AFP (The Gulf of Guinea, the area most exposed to maritime piracy and kidnappings in the world) or Mediapart (Africa: the Gulf of Guinea is increasingly exposed to maritime piracy).
Yet the other challenges facing the Gulf of Guinea and the Yaoundé architecture, which attempts to coordinate its maritime security, are equally important.
Thus, drug trafficking has taken on a worrying scale in recent years. Indeed, drug seizures are multiplying, as illustrated by the recent seizure made by the Senegalese navy with the assistance of the French national navy in October 2021 or the record seizure made by the landing helicopter deck Dixmude last March. These seizures support the UNODC’s analysis that Western Africa is the main transit area to Europe.
However, it is also moving from a transit area to a consumption zone. The UNODC estimates that the number of illegal drug or opioid users has tripled in recent decades. This explosion in consumption has obvious health consequences in countries whose hospital organization is often already fragile.
Moreover, the profits generated by this trafficking fuel crime and corruption, further weakening local institutions. Even if the consequences are not as serious everywhere as in Guinea-Bissau, which is struggling to move away from its “narco-state” status, corruption remains a scourge largely fueled by various forms of trafficking, including drug trafficking.
Finally, this traffic also supports criminal organizations whose influence extends as far as Europe, an influence that has already justified an international operation in 2019 which does not seem to have been sufficient to reduce their presence in France or – above all – in Italy.
For example, drug trafficking in the Gulf of Guinea poses challenges that are on a par with piracy and whose multiple impacts are felt both locally and in Europe. Maritime security in the Gulf therefore requires a global approach without focusing on any particular threat.
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June 17, 2021Drug Trafficking / NewsSunday the 6th of June, 2021, the boarding team of the French multi-purpose frigate (FREMM) Languedoc (D653) seized more than 400kg of narcotics on a cargo ship.
On June 6th, 2021, during a surveillance flight, the French frigate’s helicopter deployed to secure the Strait of Hormuz identified a potential narcotics smuggler.After initiating the boarding procedures, the boarding team of the frigate Languedoc discovered several canvas bags containing numerous suspicious packages in one of the holds.A chemical test confirmed that the shipment was narcotics. The illicit cargo seized by the French Navy had a total weight of 409 kg and an estimated street value of over $4.3 million dollars.This operation was conducted under the aegis of the Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) which is based on a multinational coalition of which France is a member.
CTF 150 is coordinated from Bahrain and conducts Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the Gulfs of Aden and Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
Finally, Drug-related seizures have prevented millions of dollars from falling into the hands of terrorist organisations and other groups that would have used the money to harm others.
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May 17, 2021Drug Trafficking / NewsDrugs, broken labour laws or expired contracts: purgatory seems endless for the crew of the Indonesian-flagged container ship Meratus Jayakarta.
It started on March 19 2021, with the seizure of 2.04 kilos of heroin (worth 30 million Rupees) by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) while sailing off Mauritius’ coast.
In addition to DNA samples taken from the two drug packages and the crew (22 Indonesian seamen), interrogations were carried out in order to discover the author who hidden the drugs in the ship’s air vents. Furthermore, due to the COVI-19 pandemic, the ship remained in quarantaine during the investigation.
Interrogation of the 22 sailors revealed other offenses that the authorities did not suspect.Serious breaches of international maritime law were noted. Thus, legally, the maximum boarding time is set at 11 months and can only be exceeded with the prior consent of the seafarer concerned.
Here, 13 sailors had been on board for over a year and 2 sailors had been on board for over two years. The employment contracts having expired; these sailors demanded a quick return to their homes with their families.This legal problem seals the container ship at the dock for an indefinite period despite the end of the judicial investigation.
Summoned by the South Indian Ocean Sea Directorate (DMSOI), the ship-owner of the Meratus Jayakarta agreed to relieve almost all of the crew during the vessel’s next stopover in Reunion island three weeks later.
Finally, the ship went back at sea on April 26 2021. The seamen concerned signed an amendment covering the period at sea until the stopover in Port des Galets (Reunion Island) scheduled for May 18, 2021.
Hopefully, they will be able to go back home after all these misfortunes.
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April 28, 2021Drug Trafficking / NewsNarco-Submarine
Because of huge profits generated by drug trafficking, traffickers have financial means to invest in advanced technology, such as submersibles. On March 12th 2021, the Spanish Police seized the first “Narco-Submarine” made in Europe.
For several years, Colombian cartels used “Narco-submarine” as a common way to transport drugs out of their country.
These submarines have different design,discretion and cargo capacities: sometimes they are just small boats right above the surface, and so escape to naval radars, but they also can be more elaborate with watertight compartments and ballast. Traffickers can use them to transport drug, but also to smuggle a wide range of goods.
Let’s get back to some key dates about “Narco-submarine” in Europe.
On August 14th 2006, a “Narco-submarine” was found drifting empty off near Vigo, Galicia. This is the first time that this kind of boat was seen in Europe, presuming it was used to offload drugs from an offshore vessel to the coast.
On November 23th 2019, an international police operation off the coast of Galicia revealed the existence of a cocaine transport network. During the operation, a homemade semi-submersible from Latin America was found. It was loaded with 3 tons of cocaine.
On March 12th 2021, a Spanish Police operation, coordinated by Europol, led to the seizure of a “Narco-submarine” made in Europa. The boat was meant to be used for drug trafficking in the coastal city of Malaga but was barely finished and not yet launched. According to the investigators, the boat should join a mother ship offshore to transfer drug cargo. Furthermore, the Spanish Police arrested 52 people and found a sophisticated laboratory able to produce 750 kg of drugs per month.
This operation show an evolution of the drug market in Europe and a dramatically growth of demand.
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April 20, 2021Drug Trafficking / NewsDrug seizure in Indian ocean.
French frigate FS Nivose, deployed into the combined Task Force 150 (a global coalition to fight against terrorism), seized once again drug this month.
The 14th of April,the frigate found drug on a fishing boat sailing off Somalian coast. This the seventh time this month.
The french boarding team, while investigating the boat, discovered 9 packets containing 300 kgs of heroin.
In all, 1233 kgs of heroin, 1333 kgs of methamphetamine and 1247 kgs of cannabis that have been seized by the French frigate. The 3,8 tons of illegal product represent hundred of million of euros.
Last Month, the French Amphibious Ready Group, called Jeanne d’Arc deployment, seized ,7 tons of drug in Indian Ocean.
These success hit badly criminal and terrorism organization, which main source of funding in the area is drug trafficking.
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April 6, 2021Drug Trafficking / Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / Smuggling Of Illicit GoodsThe smuggling of illicit goods, in particular fish the Totoaba that is as lucrative and much less dangerous in terms of penal sanction than the traffic of cocaine. In 2018, according to an article published in The Guardian, the Mexico City police found 416 swim bladders in the suitcases of a Chinese tourist. The man was arrested and later released after paying a $600 fine.
The Totoaba is a protected endemic species. While scientists believe it to be a cultural fantasy, Chinese medicine believes it to have various medicinal and cosmetic properties, allegedly due to the protein contained in the fish’s swim bladder.
According to a study made by ADM Capital Foundation, a philanthropic group, three quarters of sales of products from endangered wildlife are destined for the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
Because of this Chinese market, the Totoaba is on the verge of extinction, with only a few specimens left in the waters of the Gulf of California. It is this scarcity that is driving up prices, to the point of calling it the cocaine of the seas as sales prices soar from $20,000 to $80,000 per kg.
In its downfall, the Totoaba is bringing with it the disappearance of the smallest harbour porpoise, also known as the little cow of the Pacific Vaquitas. In fact, this could be seen as collateral damage, taking into account the entrapment in the illegal fishing nets used by Totoaba fishermen in the Sea of Cortes.
Factfile on the Totoaba and Vaquitas
The international community and important personalities such as Leonardo Dicaprio are standing up to try to save what can still be saved, even if today the hope of avoiding the extinction of these two species seems very complicated.
In July 2020, the release of the film “Sea of Shadows” directed by Richard Ladkani, highlights the war waged by environmental activists alongside the Mexican Navy against the Mexican cartels and the Chinese mafia.
Finally, If this decline continues, it is likely to be extinguished in 2021.
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March 25, 2021Drug Trafficking / NewsThe French navy has seized six tons of cocaine on a Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo ship traveling from South America to West Africa. This seizure is the largest one this year in the area.
« Najlan », the 105-meter long cargo, was under close surveillance since leaving South America a few days ago.This arrest was made possible with the international cooperation of the French navy, the anti-drug agency, the dutch police, the Brazilian authorities and the European Police Office (EUROPOL).
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Human trafficking
June 12, 2023Human-Trafficking / NewsThe Swimmers follows the story of the Mardini Sisters. They lived in Syria and were trained by their father to become Olympics’ swimmers. Everything was going well until the war broke out. Sara, the eldest, played by actress Manal Issa, convinced her parents to let her go to Europe with her younger sister Yusra, interpreted by Nathalie Issa.
The beginning of their journey
Their journey allows the viewer somehow to understand why migrant would choose to cross the sea despite the dangers. The Mardini Sisters have followed the same path as more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees. Like them, they hoped to reach the Greek islands across from Turkey.
The sisters, short of money, decided to cross the Aegean Sea with a group of refugees. They were placed on a overcrowded raft. Important detail: many of the actors portraying migrants have been migrants themselves. So filming the crossing scene was loaded with meaning. Some took their children to shoot the scene with them. Meant for 7 people, they were 18 migrants on board. In the movie, we see migrants with life-jackets. It is not always the case.
Material : the real hazard
According to the UNHCR, in 2016, 5,096 people disappeared or died in the Mediterranean Sea. Given these figures, the absence of life jackets may raise questions.Their absence can be explained by several reasons.
Not everyone can afford one. According to InfoMigrants, a lifejacket can cost from 50 to 400 euros. Even if they do buy one, it may be defective.
Traffickers can confiscate it because it takes up space. To make trips profitable, they need to fill the raft. Moreover, the bright orange of the jackets can attract the attention of coastguards.
However, crossing conditions are complicated enough to require the use of a life jacket as is shown in the film.
The overcrowding and poor quality of the boat put the crossing in danger. After an engine problem and an unusable emergency phone, they were left at sea.
Intrepid or desperate, the sisters throw themselves into the water. Excellent swimmers, they pulled the raft. What was supposed to be a 45 minute boat ride become a feat of more than 3 hours of swimming. They reached the island of Lesbos, in Greece, exhausted.
Finally, they could resume their travel to Germany. Viewers could share their concerns : sadness of leaving their native country behind, anxiety of being separated from their family, fear of not succeeding or being sent back.
Once they arrived at destination, they completed administrative paperwork and became asylum seekers.
An asylum seeker is a person who has left his/her country and is seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another country, but who hasn’t yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to receive a decision on their asylum claim.
When the dream comes true
The sisters, determined to become Olympic swimmers, joined a a local Berlin swimming club. The youngest, Yusra, tried out for the German Olympic swimming team, but she didn’t make the cut. Resolving not to give up on her dream of being an Olympic athlete, she qualified for the refugee team.
According to the Refugee Convention of 1951, a refugee is a person who had fled their own country. They did it because of the risk of serious violations and persecution. The risks were so great that they felt they had no choice.
At the end, Yusra competed in the Olympic Games of Rio in 2016 and once again in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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November 2, 2021Human-Trafficking / Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / Weapons TraffickingEastern Mediterranean flashpoint
Eastern Mediterranean is a crossroads between continents. The complexity of the region and tensions between countries make the area a dangerous flashpoint. All kind of destabilization and maritime issues monitored seem to be linked to one actor, the president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Where is Eastern Mediterranean?
Eastern Mediterranean is a meeting point between Southeast Europe, Western Asia and Northeast Africa. Sometimes considered as the cradle of humanity, it is now composed of several countries: Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Libya.
The region has been a crossroads for cultural, economic and political exchanges over millennia. Nevertheless, the geopolitical situation made this maritime region a flashpoint based on maritime issues and the disrespect of international law, agreement and convention.
A transit route for migrants and refugees
The civil war in Syria, started in 2011, has been a major change for countries relationships. The flow of refugees, crossing Turkey to Greece through the Aegean Sea led to a European Union (EU)-Turkey joint action plan in 2015. The agreement was that every person arriving irregularly to the Greek Islands would be returned to Turkey. In exchange, EU would take one Syrian refugee from Turkey for every Syrian returned from Greece. However, it became for the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan a way to conduct a hybrid warfare against EU. Turkish government threated several times the Member States to “open the gates” to migrants into Europe in case of disagreement (such as what is now observed in Belarus).
With the return of Talibans in Afghanistan, it is expected to have an increase of refugees trying to cross the sea through the Aegan route but also from Syria or Lebanon to Cyprus. The last route is getting more and more used, especially because of the strong economic and social crisis hitting Lebanon after the dramatic explosion in the port in Beirut in 2020.
Oil and gas dispute
In the early 1970s, exploration discovered oil and gas fields in south of Cyprus. But the invasion of the island by Turkey in 1974 froze the possibility of exploitation.
Then, two large natural gas fields were discovered in the region: Leviathan in 2010 in Israel Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) and Zohr in 2015 in Egypt EEZ. In 2018, tensions increased between Cyprus and Turkey when the Turkish foreign minister announced the intention to carry out gas exploration in Cyprus EEZ. Turkey sent several times exploration ship, such as RV Oruc reis, escorted by frigates creating huge concerns for EU, which Cyprus is a member States. In reaction, the European Council decided to suspend several negotiations.
Egypt, which had an agreement with Cyprus to exploit some of its gas fields, reduced also its relations with Turkey.
Arms trafficking from Turkey
The last factor of destabilization in Easter Mediterranean is the arm trafficking from Turkey to Libya.
Libya faced a civil war since 2011 and the United Nations Security Council voted the Resolution 1973 to impose an arms embargo over the country. To enforce this resolution, mainly ineffective, the European Union launch in March 2020 the operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, using aerial, satellite and maritime assets.
In that framework, the EU linked the merchant vessel Cirkin, now re-named Guzel, to transport military material to Libya between May and June 2020. According to the press agency Reuters, the ship was escorted by three Turkish vessels, preventing all cargo inspection. In September 2020, EU imposed sanctions on the Turkish shipping company Avrasya Shipping accused of breaking the U.N. embargo on Libya. The president Erdogan never recognised to conduct this kind of operation.
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August 20, 2021Human-Trafficking / Newsafghan refugees
Because of the Taliban’s power seizure in Afghanistan, EU expects a humanitarian crisis and a large-scale migratory movement towards Europe. In that case, Afghan refugees will probably use on the three Mediterranean routes to find safety and peace, even with all dangers they can encountered.
People crossing the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea has been a migratory crossroads for thousands of years, linking people and civilization together.
Nevertheless, the civil war in Syria and the insecurity in Sahel dramatically increased the number of people trying to reach Europe by any means. During their journey, refugees and migrants, two different terms, are victims of human smugglers who push them to cross the sea on small inflatable boats. Many of them died when boat capsizes or because of rough sea and weather conditions. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a peak of people crossing the Mediterranean sea happened in October 2015 with 221 721 . In July 2021, 11 449 people were monitored.
Afghani refugees expected to cross the Mediterranean Sea
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, FRONTEX, reported that 747 Afghans crossed Eastern Mediterranean since January 2021.
Because of the Taliban’s rapid seizure of power in Afghanistan, the European Union expect to see more and more Afghan refugees crossing its borders. Joseph Borrel Fontelles, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, declared that EU “has to ensure that the new political situation created in Afghanistan by the return of the Taliban does not lead to a large-scale migratory movement towards Europe”.
Mr Borrel Fontelles added that EU “will have to get in touch with authorities in Kabul, the Taliban, in order to engage in a dialogue as soon as necessary to prevent a humanitarian and a potential migratory disaster, but also a humanitarian crisis”.
Which maritime routes?
There are three main routes to cross the Mediterranean sea: Western, Central and Eastern.
Western route is located between Marocco and Spain, which seems too far to reach for Afghan refugees.
The Central Route, which linked Tunisia and Libya to Italy, is the shortest and the usual route used by refugees and migrants, especially for people from Sahel and Sub-Africa. Nevertheless, it is also the most dangerous. Migrants need to cross Libya, a failed country destroyed by over 10 years of civil war, where armed group and smugglers use them frequently as slaves or fighters. The sailing conditions are also usually bad with rough sea between Sicily and African coast.
Then, the last option remains the Eastern route. It goes from Turkey to Greece and will be probably used by Afghans. It is likely that the European Union will discuss with Turkey once again in order to find an agreement in case of a large-scale migratory movement.
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August 10, 2021Human-Trafficking / NewsMozambique insurgency
Mozambique insurgency is getting struggled by a coalition of Rwandan and Mozambican troops. The port of Mocimboa da Praia was the last rebel’s stronghold and was retaken in April 8, by government forces. Nevertheless, the conflict caused a dramatic humanitarian crisis and the presence of terrorists with amphibious capacity in the region remains a threat for the shipping industry.
ISIS in Mozambique
From mid-2018, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) launch an insurgency and became active in the province of Cabo Delgado, North East of Mozambique. ISIS used to settle a local jihadist fundamentalist group called AL Shabaab.
The terrorists launched several attack and committed mass beheadings. They seized in August 2020 the town of Mocimboa da Praia, one of the most important ports on the northern coast, attacking by land and sea.
A threat to shipping
The insurgents have shown a real capability to conduct amphibious attacks, causing a real issue for navigation along Mozambique coasts.
Cabo Delgado is the north gate to the Mozambique Channel. It is more than 30 % of the world’s tanker traffic transiting through this area. There is a true risk to see the region becoming a safe place for piracy, a good opportunity for terrorists get funds.
Furthermore, the area is also known to be one of Africa’s biggest gas fields. The attacks from the Mozambique insurgency forced Total, a French company, to resume its project of LNG offshore planned closed to the town of Palma. A big loss for the local government and the company.
Mozambique insurgency caused a humanitarian crisis
Since the beginning of the conflict, over 2 800 people died and more than 800 000 tried to escape from the region by any means, including boats and ships.
The non-governmental organization (NGO) Human Rights Watch reported several testimonial of dramatic condition on board of these boats. One of them is from Hadja,22, who was seven months pregnant during her journey: “ the boat owner charged 3.000 meticals (US$48) for each person. We spent 12 days at sea, moving from island to island, before reaching Pemba. On the sixth day, I started to feel a lot of pain and bleeding. The woman in the boat helped me deliver my baby, who was very weak and small. He died.”
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Illegal Exploitation of Illegal Ressources
July 7, 2023Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsChinese trawlers are omnipresents off the West African coast. Numerous fishing vessels have been spotted plundering West African waters. Having exhausted the resources of its oceans, the Chinese fleet is now in the Atlantic Ocean. According to one study, in 60 years, more than 50% of the fishery resources in West African waters have been emptied by the Chinese fleet.
West African waters under Chinese pressure
West Africa is one of the world’s largest producers of fishmeal. A lot of these factories are located in Gambia. It includes Golden Lead, JXYG and Nessim, owned by Chinese companies.
Take the “Golden Lead” factory, for example. This factory, part of the “Belt and Road” initiative, was installed in September 2016. Golden Lead was the first plant of this kind in Gambia. Chinese authorities promise that this factory will bring jobs. Thus, in exchange of their installation, they committed to help developing market and build new asphalt road. But the reality is slightly different.
The factory used valuable fish, such as the bonga, to make fishmeal. Around a quarter of the world’s fish catch is processed into fishmeal. Then, to produce one kilo of fishmeal, over 5 kg of small pelagic fish are needed. One factory in Gambia consumes 7,500 tonnes of fish a year. It represents 40% of Gambia’s entire fish catch for a given year.
Moreover, this fishmeal is used to feed farmed fish. These fishes are then sold to people in Asia and Africa, with a higher price than the initial cost of the bonga.
Deterioration of life in coastal communities
In addition to other issues, fishmeal manufacturing process causes chemical pollution. Arsenic has been found in Gambian waters, leading to environmental destruction.
On May 22, 2017, the Bolong Fenyo lagoon was filled with dead fish and had taken on a dark red hue. The pollution incident in this wildlife reserve occurred almost a year after the opening of the Golden Lead.
The following month, the National Environment Agency filed a complaint against Golden Lead in a court of first instance, alleging that the factory’s wastewater was the cause of the damage. But the firm paid an out-of-court settlement of 25 000$. This put the brakes on any attempt to legislate or supervise production.
The plant installation did not live up to expectations. The site has not brought as many jobs to local communities as promised.
Golden Lead works with Senegalese fishermen and their motorboats. Local Gambian fishermen can’t compete. The factory buys in bulk, paying $5 a basket. That’s three times less than what it’s worth on local markets.
Contrary to what was promised, the installation of the factory has not improved the living conditions of local communities. Instead, the local people have had to adapt, and have lost out on quality of life.
The Chinese fleet, a false solution
Following their decreased of life quality, fishing communities are forced to take drastic measures to survive. Some choose to emigrate across the Mediterranean. Others fishermen enlist aboard Chinese fleet vessels.
Desperate, they are a trained workforce ready to work for low wages in harsh conditions. According to Greenpeace, each fisherman receives 173 dollars at the end of each month. As one survey reports, the boats are overcrowded. Accordingly, crew members sleep in small rooms, surrounded by filth.
The majority of industrial trawlers operating in Gambia’s waters are Chinese-owned. They are operating under a “flag of convenience”. Although the vessels do not belong to the Chinese fleet, the revenues generated will be for China.
These vessels have fishing licenses. Some are probably obtained scrupulously, playing on relationships with the authorities. But there is another side to the phenomenon. West Africa is a victim of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by 12 000 vessels of the Chinese fleet.
Vessels must receive a subsidy from the authorities to buy fuel and fishing licenses. According to estimates, fuel for the fleet will cost a total of 280 million dollars a year. A trifle for the Chinese government, an astronomical sum for an ordinary fisherman.
A vicious circle for the local communities on West African waters
To conclude, whatever solution is chosen, it will lead to a vicious circle.
Local fishermen who can no longer make a living from artisanal fishing will embark on Chinese vessels. These Chinese vessels will pay them low wages and over-fish in their waters.
At last, all this to supply fishmeal factories with astronomical quantities of fish they consume. The disappearance of small-scale fishing in favor of industrial fishing will lead to the depletion of resources at an accelerated rate. In the past, bonga was abundant and sold at low prices. Today, the over-consumption of this species by fishmeal factories led to a rare and expensive resource. Consequently, many people can no longer afford this vital source of protein. Thus, society will be impoverished, and famine and deprivation will set in.
This will lead to the disappearance of the last artisanal fishermen and the collapse of the local economy based on small-scale fishing.
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September 14, 2022Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsThe Confiance class or Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane (PAG)
The fight against IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing) is one the main task of the French Armed forces in Guiana (FAG).
Coveted fishy waters
French Guiana coastline spreads over 234 mi (378 kilometres), offering the territory a 47,006 sq mi (121,746 km2) Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). This area, abounding with fish and relatively abandoned by the local fishers, is surrounded by two less economically developed areas (Suriname and the State of Amapá, Brazil), where fishing activity is far more important. This situation creates a strong pressure on its resources, massively coveted by traditional, small-scale fishing vessels coming from neighbouring countries.
On the coast, mostly in the territorial waters (TTW), the high value of the weakfish swim bladder on the Asian market strengthens the profitability of IUU fishing. Offshore, the red snapper, unexploited by French fishermen, is caught by angling by forty-five Venezuelan trollers, benefiting from licences granted by the European Union. Among those are meddling illegals, along with crabbers from Guyana, using fish traps.
The French Forces in Guiana, a key role against IUU
In response to this constant pressure, monitoring waters under French sovereignty and jurisdiction is paramount. The French Forces in Guiana (FAG) naturally rely on satellite and air assets for this purpose. Regularly, the maritime surveillance aircraft Falcon-50M is deployed from mainland, in order to cover the entire EEZ. These flights are complemented by those performed by aircraft of the French Air and Space Force in Guiana, CASA CN-235 and helicopters.
Intelligence gathered by those observations provides guidance for the patrols achieved relentlessly by maritime assets sailing across French waters. French Navy’s Antilles-Guyane patrol ships (PAG) focus on the offshore and eastern fishing area, while inshore patrol vessels of the Gendarmerie Maritime mainly patrol along the coast.
The FAG maritime component, supported by the air assets, realises more than 100 boardings on IUU vessels each year; a unique level of activity in French overseas departments. The very nature of each of those actions widely differs depending on the target. Crews of the biggest Brazilian ships regularly strongly oppose the boarding, by throwing heavy objects such as gas bottles, wooden planks, fireworks. The FAG respond to this violence with professionalism and firmness. Naval riflemen and commandos (French special forces) are often used against this kind of opposition. In addition to those specific means, the regular boarding teams of the maritime assets perform the majority of the boardings against compliant crews.
In order to enhance the impact of those actions, the FAG maintain a close dialogue with the administrations in charge, ashore, of the legal finish: Gendarmerie Maritime, Police, and Prosecutors. The aim is to assert a firm response to illegal activities, in order to deter crews from offending again. The first step is the seizure of the catch and the fishing gear. If the offence is repeated or if the crew has resorted to violence, the ship itself can be seized and destroyed. Violent crewmembers are brought to justice and usually condemned to unconditional prison sentences.
However, if the FAG are the main contributor, the repressive strand of the fight against IUU fishing in French Guiana is not the only response to the issue. The low exploitation of the fishery resources by the French fishermen, due to the weak development of this professional sector, is one of the roots of the problem of IUU fishing. The French Guianese fleet is composed by only a hundred of licenced vessels and around 400 professional fishermen, compared to 1200 in Suriname and tens of thousands in Brazilian northern States. Moreover, among those 400 fishermen, 90% are foreigners, as the young Guianese people are not interested in joining the profession. Nature abhors a vacuum, and the local, legal fishing activity has to be structured in order to regain a field left apart.
In addition, strengthening an international cooperation with Guyana, Suriname and Brazil is paramount in order to enable a more effective struggle against their national vessels fishing illegally in French waters. Besides, improvement of the information exchange with those countries can help them to increase the knowledge of their fishing fleets in order to better control and prevent them to come to French waters.
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August 18, 2022Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsThe sand rush, after water the sand is the most exploited natural resource in the world. This over-exploitation may lead to major environmental, economic and social consequences. An April 2022 UN report thus called for urgent actions to avoid a “sand crisis”
What is sand exploitation?
The global demand for sand has tripled over the last two decades, now reaching 50 billion tons a year. It is expected to keep growing as sand is a key ingredient for concrete, roads, electronics and glass. The demand is also increasing due to growing urbanization and construction, especially in China (60% of the consumption) where artificial islands and buildings are absorbing huge amounts of concrete, therefore of sand.
Sand is mostly extracted from lakes, riverbeds and coastlines, where sharper grains and silica sand can be found. The methods of extraction depend on the location of the sand: backhoes, bare hands or shovels are used along rivers, meanwhile suction pumps and dredging boats are employed along coastlines and underwater.
Desert sand is unfortunately useless for construction as the grains are too small and smooth for binding in concrete. Meanwhile, the exploitation of marine sand is growing due to the depletion of land-based resources. However, the sea sand needs to be desalinated: the amount of fresh water required for this operation is huge and increases the environmental impact.
Major environmental consequences
These days, sand is consumed faster than it can be replaced, as natural processes take hundreds of thousands of years. The consequences of over-exploitation can already be seen in satellite images, showing coastlines and riverbanks erosion. They can be various and depend on the location and the methods of extraction: river channels may widen or narrow, sediment flows may increase or disappear and changes can happen suddenly or very slowly.
The most kown impact is coastal erosion. Current studies estimate that between 75 and 90% of the world’s beaches have shrunk. 25 Indonesian islands have already disappeared due to massive sand extraction. In the Mekong River, the digging of the delta (roughly 2 centimeters) has caused the salinization of fertile lands. The banks of the Mekong have become unstable and should they collapse, more than 500 000 Vietnamese would have to migrate.
But sand mining is also responsible for the destruction of biodiversity, changes in the chemical composition of waters or the sedimentation flows. Even worse, the effects of sand exploitation would probably increase the effects of global warming such as the rise of sea level.
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July 5, 2022Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsNo less than 25 million tons of fish are believed to be lost each year due to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing activity (IUU fishing) over the world. For some enforcement officials, IUU fishing has even become “the world’s top maritime security threat”. The Pacific Ocean, extending from India to the west coast of the American continent, is in its main area concerned by the fishery ressource pillage, as are African waters.
Chinese Fishing Fleet
Asian countries are the main actors involved in such plundering of the fisheries, for both economic and food reasons. Like the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), the Chinese fishing fleet is experiencing an unprecedented expansion. Although it seems impossible today to determine the precise number of vessels it includes, many experts do not hesitate to describe them as an “armada”. The main consequences of this detrimental situation are the depletion of local fish stocks and major economic losses for regional systems. In addition to these environmental and economic dangers, the plundering of fisheries resources can occasionally contribute to creating food tensions, as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has already pointed out on several occasions.
A Hybrid Fleet
The Chinese fishing fleet also appears as an efficient tool of geopolitical influence. Indeed, deep-sea fisheries obviously have another purpose: the tensions that arise from them reveal their highly strategic dimension. The Chinese fishing armada that is sailing all over the planet represents a civil-military force. As real paramilitary actors in the pay of the Chinese government– which finances them very largely –, they contribute to the territorial expansion of China.
Fighting against IUU fishing on a global scale seems to be impossible. As far as the Pacific Ocean is concerned, the challenge is obvious because of its vastness and the lack of appropriate assets to control fisheries. Nevertheless, the fight against the plundering of fish resources must not be seen as a losing battle.
Initiatives to limt IUU
Facing this issue, some countries of the Pacific have already begun to conduct joint operations in order to oppose them. For example, France, Australia, New Zealand and other smaller countries in the area have organized themselves through occasional exercises and joint missions. This cooperation, which entails deployments of military vessels, has proved its worth and effectiveness, and must be maintained and even reinforced.
Indeed, it appears that even though “blue boats” and other rogue vessels are respecting the exclusive economic zones, they are voluntarily stationed at their rightful limit. On the “eastern” part of the Pacific, Chile, Argentina, Peru and France are uniting efforts to respond to this same threat.
In that respect, smaller patrol boat type units are real assets and allow for a timely response to Asian fishing vessels’ looting activities. In addition, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and geostationary satellites are effective means of elongation and enhance the coverage of such a vast ocean as the Pacific.
Legal Framework
From a regulatory point of view, the states did not wait to be confronted with the “fait accompli” of over-fishing to design effective tools. Firstly, the Montego Bay Convention, defines in a general way the maritime spaces and the conditions of their exploitation. Enclaves make it possible to envisage areas useful for the reproduction of species, as well as areas less exposed to all types of pollution. For instance, two maritime areas on either side of French Polynesia are subject to special regulations in order to limit the plundering of fish and to protect a certain number of threatened marine species.
Secondly, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has enacted a number of devices (AIS, VMS…) to identify fishing vessels that violate the rules in so-called protected waters.
While countries may rely on Information Fusion Centres (IFC) to fight IUU fishing, other initiatives, such as the “Global Fishing Watch” platform have been developed, in which even insurers have stakes. In the same way, NGOs or embarked government personnel can be relays to enforce directly or indirectly the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).
Another means which has recently emerged and is not sufficiently considered yet is the use of civil actors. Indeed, companies can appear as influential as States nowadays. This is why large retailers, together with producer chains, are now trying to combat bad fishing practices through a body called the “Seafood Task Force”.
Finally, still in connection with the civilian world, partnerships are increasingly being developed with private airlines, which contribute to intelligence gathering during their flights, especially when aerial surveillance means are deployed in operations elsewhere or are under maintenance.
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April 27, 2022Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsSea map South China
The territorial claims of the countries bordering the South China Sea have led to a military escalation. In addition to navies strengthening, military bases are being established on various islands in the Spratly and Paracel archipelagos, raising fears of maritime security deterioration in the area.
South China Sea, what is happening ?
While incidents are multiplying in the South China Sea, involving the increasingly active Chinese fishing fleets, commercial trade vessels, but also military ships and maritime militias patrolling the area, maritime security is at the heart of the international community’s concerns (In 2018, the Vietnam National Border Committee counted 42 fishing incidents with China, involving 44 boats and 280 Chinese fishermen).
Maritime security “consists of taking into account navigation-related risks as well as security issues that is ensuring protection against malicious acts aimed at ships”.
With Sino-American tensions in the background, the South China Sea is a contested area. Beijing has claimed sovereignty over the “nine-dash line” since 1947, asserting the enclosed space is historical heritage. However, the islands within this zone are also claimed by other countries: Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam for the Spratlys, and only Vietnam for the Paracels.
The competing territorial claims over the South China Sea © The Maritime Executive
The July 12th 2016 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague (PCA) emphasizes that Beijing has no historical rights in the South China Sea and that “China has violated the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its exclusive economic zone.”
Since 2014, Beijing has increased the number of its warships to defend its interests. In 2020, it became the world’s largest military fleet in terms of combat force units. In parallel, China has undertaken the reclamation and militarization of some islets, building airstrips, hangars, logistics hubs, radar stations, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile batteries in low-lying areas.
The old and new Fiery Cross Reef (Spratly Archipelago) as of April 17, 2015. (Photo CSIS AMTI. AFP)
Faced with this increasing arsenal in the area, bordering countries remain helpless. They have neither the military capabilities nor the financial means to deal with a direct conflict with Beijing, which is skilfully using its influence to promote its interests. The relationship between China and the ASEAN countries (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is thus tending to be strengthened in economic matters, particularly so that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement (RCEP) can come into force as soon as possible. The “New Silk Roads” are also an opportunity for Beijing to create dependence among the countries receiving Chinese capital and to impose its model in this part of the world.
How to preserve the freedom of navigation ?
This manoeuvre of intimidation towards the littoral countries is however denounced by the international community. The reclamation and militarization of the islets are considered as an obstacle to the freedom of navigation in this zone. Yet this freedom is a constituent element of the Indo-Pacific strategies of Western nations, which regularly assert their freedom of navigation’s rights in these disputed areas, from the Taiwan Strait in the north to the Spratly archipelago in the south. In February 2021, two U.S. naval air groups patrolled the South China Sea. As for France, it sent a nuclear submarine, accompanied by a logistics ship,to patrol the area, in order to “enhance knowledge and reaffirm that international law is the only rule that applies, regardless of the sea we sail in,” French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly said on Twitter.
The Western manoeuvres proved that maritime security has not been breached for the moment, but remains threatened. Indeed, neighbouring countries cannot counter China’s hegemonic expansion by themselves. The regular presence of Western navies seems necessary to avoid a definitive hindrance of the zone by Beijing, as long as the evolution of its legal status allows it.
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February 17, 2022Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / Miscellaneous / NewsArctic routes
By mid-century, the chances are high for Transpolar Passage to open across the Arctic Ocean through the North Pole, mainly due to global warming effects. And most nations have buried their collective heads in the sand for this coming reality except China. So, you may forget about requiring nuclear icebreakers. Polar Code, UNCLOS, and insurance companies may still mandate ice-resistant, polar-class ships during summer seasons within the next few decades. But it may also be possible to sail in your regular vessel across the Earth’s top.
Climate change opens Arctic new sea routes
The Earth’s Arctic is in the face of rapid climate change. The thinning and shrinking of summer sea ice in the Arctic is happening quicker than previous scientists’ projections and estimations. And global warming has been the main propeller. According to recent studies, the Arctic will be ice-free for most of the summer between 2020 and 2050.
And an Arctic free from ice has significant economic and strategic implications when it comes to global shipping. If you own a vessel, you will potentially be able to traverse the Arctic Ocean. These new Trans-Arctic shipping routes could mean short distances between Northern China and Northern Europe by approximately 4,000 nautical miles. They could also reduce the shipping times by up to 14 days.
Treaties that respect and protect the Arctic, thanks to UNCLOS rules
Countries like the USA, Canada, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia developed independent policies that govern the entire or parts of the Arctic. And the European Union, China, and South Korea were also not been left behind. The Arctic Ocean policy priorities might differ, but each Arctic nation seems to show concerns about resource development, defense and sovereignty, environmental and wildlife protection, and shipping routes.
The primary treaties and agreements that govern all or parts of the Arctic region include;
The 1920 Svalbard Treaty between 14 counties is in charge of the economic and political status of Svalbard.The 1988 Arctic Cooperation Agreement between Canada and the United States commands bilateral cooperation concerning the Northwest Passage. Unfortunately, this treaty doesn’t solve Canada and USA’s disagreements and conflicts about the passage’s legal status.The 2011 Arctic Search and Rescue Agreement that the Arctic Council member states concluded organizes rescue and search operations in the Arctic region.The Barents Sea Border Agreement specifies the demarcation line between Russia and Norway in the Barents Sea.
Conflict of interests due to natural resources and boundaries in this neutral continent
The possibility of new conflicts outburst and an intensification of the existing ones in the Arctic are starting to be worrying, most of which are boundaries and natural resources conflicts. For decades now, we have witnessed interstate disputes like the USA versus Canada’s conflict in the Beaufort Sea over the border delimitation.
Despite UNCLOS rules, other lingering international conflicts of interest in the Arctic include;
The Russian Federation versus the USA in the Bering Sea conflict.The Denmark/Greenland versus Canada in the Davis Straight conflict.Russia versus Norway in the Barents Sea conflict.Norway versus Russia and other states in the status of the Svalbard question.
The Arctic Ocean’s natural resources are the animal and mineral natural resources that offer or can offer economic benefit or utility to humans. The Arctic region features significant amounts of boreal forests, minerals, fresh water, and marine life, including different fish species. Russia and USA have already discovered billions of oil and natural gas in the Arctic Ocean, which is expected to be sold to Europe, Japan, China, and many other nations.
Minerals like bauxite, nickel, copper, diamond, iron ore, and phosphate are also plentiful natural resources in the Arctic. And Russia is among the nations showing interest. Greenland holds approximately 10 percent of the globe’s freshwater reserves. Due to the low population density and mountainous areas, hydropower is also among the anticipated Arctic’s natural resources.
Arctic’s environmental and ecological risks and effects
Climate change will likely force numerous sub-Arctic fish species to extend into Arctic regions. And we are likely to see more fishing activities. But the most significant threat from increased Arctic Ocean shipping activities appears to be oil release into the Arctic’s marine life and environment. And there is also the risk of emissions that deposit soot onto the ice cap, thus darkening it and accelerating warming. The effect of this warming would mean continuing shrinkage of Arctic summer sea ice. The environmental toxins in the Arctic’s ecosystem and rise in water temperatures can significantly increase the rate of polar species extinctions.
Final Word
Today, the Arctic Ocean and the surrounding Arctic regions are equal to other global parts. The UNCLOS offers a satisfactory framework for non-violent conflict resolutions. UNCLOS continues to state that coastal states possess sovereign rights to natural resources in the seabed and water within a two-hundred-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.
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February 10, 2022Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / PiracyChannel of Mozambique map
Groups on the “Swahili Coast” started the Mozambique Channel insurgency in 2017. The revolution now includes not less than 800 separate attacks across Mozambique, especially Northern Mozambique. The attacks have resulted in at least 2600 fatalities while other 600,000 individuals are now displaced.
The importance of this strategic region for maritime security and traffic
By mid 19th century, the Mozambique Channel had for decades played a central role in the trade between the Western world, East Asia, and also within the Indian Ocean. Yet an international naval response was necessary to prevent illegal traffic and safeguard channel trade, a similar scenario we see today.
The Mozambique Channel has been a significant route for shipping in Eastern Africa. The Channel receives every major river in Madagascar. It also features the ports of Toliary and Mahajanga on its coast. The ports of Beira, Mozambique, and Maputo and the Zambezi River’s mouth are also along the opposite shore of the Mozambique Channel.
The current maritime security situation
The ongoing rebellion in northern Mozambique has led to multiple maritime security concerns in the Mozambique Channel, a primary transit course for the marine traffic in the Indian Ocean’s arm. For instance, March 2021 was a period that saw a sour struggle for the port of Palma, reinforcing concerns about maritime security between Madagascar and the Mozambique coast. Today, the Mozambique Channel is already experiencing limited local maritime-security capacity.
Piracy, illegal fishing, and other reasons for insecurities in the Mozambique Channel
Several factors contribute to the Mozambique Channel insecurities, like the significant energy development projects of offshore gas fields near the Cabo Delgado Province’s coast. In August 2020, the militants’ capture of the port of Mocimboa da Praia led to an escalation of the insurgency in Mozambique.
This insecurity led to the disruption of the enormous gas projects due to the weak maritime security along the Channel. This has also opened prospects for terror groups to fund and expand their operations, leaving essential coastal lines susceptible to naval threats.
Since 2017, drug trafficking along the Mozambique Channel has been another threat in the region while drug traffickers were using the Channel as a trade route to smuggle heroin to Mozambique from Afghanistan.
Additionally, the East African coast faces many challenges concerning illegal fishing and piracy that have thrived in the region for decades now. Piracy concerns led Mozambique to allow other countries, like the South African Navy, to offer security assistance.
The international engagement in the area
So far, the Mozambican armed forces seem to be overwhelmed as far as restoring order in the country is concerned, despite receiving reinforcements from several security contractors before. Instead, the insurgency appears to steadily grow in ambition and proficiency, creating a growing appreciation of the maritime aspects of the security situation. The results have been detrimental as the latest developments have led Total, the French energy company, to freeze work on its Mozambique high-cost liquefied natural gas venture.
When it comes to international responses, Portugal has committed itself to station 60 soldiers to train local Special Forces. On the other side, France has areas off the East African coast, the Mayotte and Reunion, and several other Indian Ocean territories.
The European Union (EU) has not been left behind as it keeps focusing its counter-piracy naval function on the Somalian coast with the Atalanta operation. But it now routinely consists of less than two naval assets, a situation that, together with the overall EU reluctance to more deeply involve themselves in the Mozambique state of affairs, has led to low likelihoods of extending the naval operation south to the Mozambique Channel.
The United States of America have also involved itself in the Mozambique Channel’s regional maritime capacity-building attempts. Recently, the U.S announced a mission to offer the Mozambique marines military training to enhance the local armed forces’ ability to battle the insurgency.
And after a technical mission dispatch, reports claim that the South African Development Community nations are thinking of stationing around 3000 troops to neutralize the insurgency. But implementing such a plan may not be that easy.
The notion of an emerging maritime security Hotspot
Today, the Mozambique Channel waters are becoming a primary new security hotspot throughout the Indian Ocean. Islamist groups have insurrected in Northern Mozambique, leading to an increased disruption in the Channel. And the Mozambique government seems to be powerless in suppressing the insurgence altogether.
The idea of this emerging maritime security hotspot has called for European partners and the Quad nations to help contain the situation before stepping of other factors into the vacuum. The Mozambique insurgency is currently threatening security throughout the Mozambique Channel, the 1000-nm long watercourse separating East Africa and Madagascar. Approximately 30% of the global tanker traffic passes here, and the region hosts some of the largest gas reserves.
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November 19, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / Newsmaritime drone
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU) activities are a major economic loss for many countries unable to protect their maritime area. Furthermore, they have a strong impact on the sustainability of marine resources. But how to protect millions of kilometers without dozens of patrol boat? It appears that using maritime drone is one of the best opportunities.
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing activities
Fishes are one of the major natural resources for food in a world of growing population. The appetence from Asian countries for sea-food developed illegal fishing activities in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) belonging to countries which don’t have the capacity to control their area. According to the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), IUU fishing activities represent 11 to 26 million tons of fish per year and loss of US$ 10 to 23 billion. Despite a binding FAO Agreement, these illegal activities remain a challenge for many countries.
Use of maritime drones against IUU
Using drone is a flexible solution to fight illegal fishing activities. Drones can be deployed from different location: shore, RHIBS, patrol boat, ships or airport. Depending on models, their autonomy and sensors (such as high resolution cameras) offer a wide range of opportunities for a quite affordable price and for limited human resources. Drones can stay for hours at sea, covering a long range of EEZ or Territorial Waters. They can monitor, record and follow IUU fishing activities to enable local authorities to catch and prosecute illegal fishers.
Several countries have already understood the opportunity. In march 2021, the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) announced the acquisition of two drones to conduct fisheries surveillance near shore. Air Force pilots were trained to operate drones, involving cooperation between Seychelles Coast Guard and Seychelles Air Force. The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) is another user since 2018.This agency, in charge to develop a safe and sustainable European Union maritime sector, extended its contract with the French company CLS and the Portuguese company Tekever for the supply of drones capable to cover 1 300 kilometers with an autonomy of 12 hours.
Different types of drones
Drone is a huge market estimated to 29 million of units by the end of 2021. However, four different types can be identified: multi-rotor, fixed-wing, single rotor helicopter and fixed wing hybrid.
The most common (and the cheapest) is the multi-rotor, a small drone with a compact body. Multiple propellers allow vertically take-off and precise control but consume a lot of power. Autonomy remains limited.
Fixed wing look like conventional planes. They can operate on long range but required most of the time pilot ability. Some are equipped with solar panels which allow them to remain longer in mission by providing power.
Single-rotor helicopter is basically an unmanned helicopter. With a decent autonomy and a vertical take-off, they are the most complex and expensive solution.
Finally, fix-wing hybrid model is the newest type of drone, a mix between multi-rotor (used for vertical take-off) and fixed wing (used while flying). It seems to be the best model to suit with the environment of maritime operation.
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November 8, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsLaw of the sea UNCLOS
The United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) will celebrate in 2022 its forty’s anniversary. Qualified as “package deal”, it is the most “comprehensive document ever adopted by the international community”. The convention strengthened the purpose of customary international laws by codifying its provisions and by creating new ones.
International Law Regulation
The Statute of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) considers as a source of law “international customs, as an evidence of general practice accepted as law”. Two conditions must be met in order to establish a legally binding rule of customary international law. First, it must be a general and consistent practice adopted by States. The second condition, “opinio juris”, requires that the custom should be considered “as State practice amounting to a legal obligation”. A rule considered as customary will therefore be binding to all States unless they persistently objected to its application.
Initially the sea was ruled by a “laissez faire” regime subjected to European powers’s trade imperatives and disputes. The “basic rules of the law of the sea were designated by customary law”, but the increasing use of the oceans for navigation and fishing purposes led to the first maritime legal concept . In the 20th century, the International Court of Justice has qualified international law of the sea’s provisions as customary international law. Consequently, these rules became binding to the international community. In 1958, the four Geneva Conventions of the law of the sea have set the first codified legal framework applicable to the ocean. Again, the ICJ ruled that some of the Conventions’ provisions should be addressed as customary, such as the baseline limitation or the principle of sovereign immunity of warship.
In the Continental Shelf Case (Libya v. Malta), the ICJ defined the “three role multilateral treaties can assume in relation to custom: recording function, defining function and a developing function”. UNCLOS, which was adopted in 1982, fulfilled such purpose. Qualified as a reflection of customary international law , the Convention codified and crystalized provisions already considered as customs by the ICJ. However, it also incorporated new subjects, such as environmental issues and disputes settlement, which could generate new customary international law. In the North Sea Continental Shelf case (1969), the ICJ stated the three conditions under which treaty provisions could be addressed as customary
Law of the Sea ratification
The extensive ratification UNCLOS combined by the customary statute of its provisions contribute to standardization of the law of the sea around the world. For example, despite not being part of UNCLOS, the United-States comply with its customary provisions and is an advocate for its rightful application through research and scholars.
In the 21st century, customary international law is not obsolete as it enables State to share a common set of binding rules and to prevent legal vacuum.
In nowadays, the notion of fishing or navigation customary rights is oftenly used by States in order to support coastal States sovereignty or sovereign rights over a maritime area. However, an established customary right in international law of the sea, is not without consequences and should be understood and used cautiously.
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November 2, 2021Human-Trafficking / Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / Weapons TraffickingEastern Mediterranean flashpoint
Eastern Mediterranean is a crossroads between continents. The complexity of the region and tensions between countries make the area a dangerous flashpoint. All kind of destabilization and maritime issues monitored seem to be linked to one actor, the president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Where is Eastern Mediterranean?
Eastern Mediterranean is a meeting point between Southeast Europe, Western Asia and Northeast Africa. Sometimes considered as the cradle of humanity, it is now composed of several countries: Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Libya.
The region has been a crossroads for cultural, economic and political exchanges over millennia. Nevertheless, the geopolitical situation made this maritime region a flashpoint based on maritime issues and the disrespect of international law, agreement and convention.
A transit route for migrants and refugees
The civil war in Syria, started in 2011, has been a major change for countries relationships. The flow of refugees, crossing Turkey to Greece through the Aegean Sea led to a European Union (EU)-Turkey joint action plan in 2015. The agreement was that every person arriving irregularly to the Greek Islands would be returned to Turkey. In exchange, EU would take one Syrian refugee from Turkey for every Syrian returned from Greece. However, it became for the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan a way to conduct a hybrid warfare against EU. Turkish government threated several times the Member States to “open the gates” to migrants into Europe in case of disagreement (such as what is now observed in Belarus).
With the return of Talibans in Afghanistan, it is expected to have an increase of refugees trying to cross the sea through the Aegan route but also from Syria or Lebanon to Cyprus. The last route is getting more and more used, especially because of the strong economic and social crisis hitting Lebanon after the dramatic explosion in the port in Beirut in 2020.
Oil and gas dispute
In the early 1970s, exploration discovered oil and gas fields in south of Cyprus. But the invasion of the island by Turkey in 1974 froze the possibility of exploitation.
Then, two large natural gas fields were discovered in the region: Leviathan in 2010 in Israel Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) and Zohr in 2015 in Egypt EEZ. In 2018, tensions increased between Cyprus and Turkey when the Turkish foreign minister announced the intention to carry out gas exploration in Cyprus EEZ. Turkey sent several times exploration ship, such as RV Oruc reis, escorted by frigates creating huge concerns for EU, which Cyprus is a member States. In reaction, the European Council decided to suspend several negotiations.
Egypt, which had an agreement with Cyprus to exploit some of its gas fields, reduced also its relations with Turkey.
Arms trafficking from Turkey
The last factor of destabilization in Easter Mediterranean is the arm trafficking from Turkey to Libya.
Libya faced a civil war since 2011 and the United Nations Security Council voted the Resolution 1973 to impose an arms embargo over the country. To enforce this resolution, mainly ineffective, the European Union launch in March 2020 the operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, using aerial, satellite and maritime assets.
In that framework, the EU linked the merchant vessel Cirkin, now re-named Guzel, to transport military material to Libya between May and June 2020. According to the press agency Reuters, the ship was escorted by three Turkish vessels, preventing all cargo inspection. In September 2020, EU imposed sanctions on the Turkish shipping company Avrasya Shipping accused of breaking the U.N. embargo on Libya. The president Erdogan never recognised to conduct this kind of operation.
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October 8, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsIllegal fishing in pacific Ocean
Illegal fishing in pacific Ocean is a major challenge for South American countries. The decrease of natural resources and the difficulties to control the area call for an international cooperation in order to preserve a future sustainable for local population.
Nothing new for the region
The western coast of South America is one of the biggest fish reserve in the world. Galapagos islands, located 900 km west of continental Ecuador, are an archipelago of volcanic islands well known for their large number of endemic species. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which deserves to be protected. Unfortunately, the entire region ecosystem is threatened by the increasing seafood demand and foreign fishing fleet coming from asia.
But this trend is not new. An article from borgenmagazine reported that between July and August 2020 “a fleet of nearly 300 Chinese vessels logged more than 73,000 hours of fishing efforts just outside of Ecuador’s exclusive economic zone”.
South American initiative to stop the collapse in fish stocks
Facing that problem, Ecuador tried to prohibit the use of transhipment. This activity is a logistic process where fishing vessels meet refrigerated cargo to transfer seafood, fuel or supplies. It gives a serious advantage to the Chinese fleet to stay longer at sea. Ecuador is not the only concern. Chile and Peru are also monitoring those activities. According to brinknews, Chile’National Fishing and Aquaculture Service reported “illegal fishing causes $397 million in loses every year and has asserted that 70% of that country’s fishing stock has collapsed”.
It is why in 2016 and under the Food and Agriculture Organization from the United Nations, 8 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean signed the first global treaty against illegal fishing to bind them against this challenge.
What is next?
On 4 November 2020, four countries (Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia) issued a joint statement condemning illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. This statement developed information-sharing efforts and led countries to joint action against illegal fishers operating in their Economic Exclusive Zone. Reports were sent to the Permanent Commission to the South Pacific (CPPS), a maritime regulatory organization.
Countries called also for a global cooperation. As an example, the French frigate Prairial based in Papeete, French Polynesia, reported to Peru and Chile the presence of 6 Chinese fishing vessels closed to Easter Island while she was transiting for the maritime exercise Unitas in Peru.
Eventually, the challenge of illegal fishing in an area where only a few ships are sailing can be faced only through a global agreement between countries and an international cooperation.
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August 12, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsFarwa island
Farwa island is an idyllic area located on the extreme west of the Libyan’s Mediterranean coast. Unfortunately, this wildlife treasure in a civil war country is threatened by a destructive fishing method, lobbing grenades into the water, and a leak of heavy metal from a local industry. This situation is not the only one in the Mediterranean sea, where 8% of the fish species are endangered.
Two main causes: destructive fishing and pollution
Libya has been ravaged by civil war for a decade, and weapons became common to use, even for fishermen. Locals fish with grenades into the water, a method destroying everything in the blast zone. In this failed state, no the fishing industry is left unregulated and uncontrolled by a lack of law enforcement.
Turtles are also victims, caught in the drifting fishing nets. It is also hard for them to reproduce because of the people digging up on the beach for their eggs.
The second threat for Farwa is the Abu Kammash petrochemical factory, 2 kilometres south of the island. The industry leaked heavy metals for years and is now abandoned. A perfect situation for an environmental disaster.
Wildlife Conservation, a global problem for theWhere is Farwa Island?
Farwa is located 40 kilometres of the city port of Zuwara, on the extreme west of the Libyan’s Mediterranean coast. This post-card idyllic island is 13 kilometers long and inhabited, excepted by some occasional lucky tourists.
The landscape is composed of date palm tree on white sandy beaches along the deep blue of the Mediterranean waters.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Farwa island might be the “most important coastal and marine site in western Libya, in terms of its high marine and coastal biodiversity”. Many flamingos reside in its salt marshes and lagoon and it is common to see sea turtles in shallow waters.
Wildlife Conservation, a global problem for the Mediterranean Sea
As explained in a precedent article, the Mediterranean Sea used to be a wonderful ecosystem with more than 7% of global marine fish species, with a total of 519 different species.
Unfortunately, maritime pollution, over-stock fishing and a lack of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) led to a degradation of its ecosystem.
IUCN reported that 14 species are critically endangered, 13 species are endangered and 15 are vulnerable. Most of them are sharks, rays and sea turtles. Over 8% of Mediterranean fish species are concerned.
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July 28, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / Newsthreatened fish species
The Mediterranean Sea used to be a wonderful ecosystem with more than 7% of global marine fish species, with a total of 519 different species. Unfortunately, maritime pollution, over-stock fishing and a lack of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) led to a degradation of its ecosystem. Over 8% of Mediterranean fish species are concerned.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) is a membership Union composed of government and civil society. Established in 1984, the organization measures the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species.
IUCN publication about conservation status of the marine fishes of the Mediterranean Sea reported that 14 species are critically endangered:
Shark (shortfin mako shark, porbeagle shark, sand tiger shark);Ray (spinny butterfly ray, common skate, sandy skate, maltese skate, white skate);Sawfish (smalltooth sawfish, common sawfish)Angular roughshark;Angelshark (sawback angelshark, smoothback angelshark, common angelshark)Common Goby.
Moreover, 13 species are endangered and 15 are vulnerable. It is also important to take in consideration the 22 species near threatened.
Fishing industry and coastline population growth
Fishing industry remains the main issue to deal with conservation. Stocks are over-exploited due to the increase of the industry and technological progresses. The use of trawling, long lines and driftnets results to by-catch (capture of non-target species). This destruction of marine life represents over 40% of world’s total fish catch.
Increased of human population along the coastline has also a negative impact on ecosystem. Often associated with local population, it is a source of pressure on fish nursery and spawning areas, which are mostly located along the littoral.
Environmental conservation measures
The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) is a United Nations regional fisheries management organization established in 1949.
The GFCM made a decision in 2005 to prevent deep-water fishing operations below 1000m, reducing the potential pressure on vulnerable deep-water species.
The organization banned also driftnets in 1997, even if some are still used illegally.
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July 15, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / Newsgillnet fishing
In California, the Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation are greeting the state budget year. This budget will fund commercial fisherman involves in a transition from deadly gillnett a solution which preserves endangered sea turtles.
For over 100 million years, turtles have roamed our oceans, with the exception of the Arctic Ocean. Today, six of the seven species of marine turtles are classified as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. Marine turtles are locally protected or under restoration plans, but pollution, poaching and fishing gear, such as gillnet remain the main causes of the decline of the small population.
Nevertheless, protection of sea turtles made significant progresses in recent decades in many parts of the world. As an example, resorts and hotels in Florida and Hawaï took action by reducing beach lighting to avoid turtles to get disorientated.
In Mexico, the use of systems to allow turtles to escape from fishing nets saved Kemp’s ridley local population and loggerheads in the Atlantic. Some fishing fleets even employ observers to document turtle interactions.
Recently the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, in his 2021-2022 fiscal year budgets has allocated $1.3 million to take gillnet out of the water. The aim is to provide a substantial compensation ($110 000) for each fisherman returning gill nets.
Under state law, the Governor hopes that the entire fleet of California gill net will be phased out by 2024, and replaced by a type of fishing called “deep-set buoy gear,” much more selective. This technique is especially used to target sword fishes or tuna. It uses a hook-and-buoy, which hooks depth can be set in order to catch only the desire specie.
A study by the Secretariat of the Pacific Environment Programme (SPREP) shows that depth setting appears to be the most important factor to avoid by-catch, much more efficient that the type of the bait used. The number of turtle by-catches in shallow water is ten times greater than catches on longlines set in deep water: if turtles may still get caught in deep water, the main danger remains the shallowest hooks.
Nevertheless, this program to change fishing method is not unanimously supported by Californian fishermen: some believe that deep-sed buoy gear will not provide enough catches to be financially viable.
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June 16, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsOn January 19th,2021, the Government of Vanuatu reported the apprehension of two Chinese trawlers off the island of Hiu on suspicion of illegal activities. This is not an isolated act. In fact, lots of chinese fisherman threatening the maritime sovereignty of coastal states were reported, particularly in the Pacific Ocean.
Chinese fishermen cause concern near the Galapagos Islands
In 2019, NGOs and Galapagos inhabitants had already alerted the government about the presence of Chinese fishermen in the area.In the summer of 2020, more than 300 vessels have been identified in the vicinity of the Galapagos Nature Reserve.
Even if this is not theoretically forbidden, it raises a lot of concern. According to the former mayor of Quito Roque Sevilla, “the uncontrolled Chinese fishermen right on the edge of the protected area is ruining Ecuador’s efforts to protect Galapagos marine life.”
This threatens the environment and the sustainable use of the Pacific Ocean’s fisheries resources.
For Defence Minister Oswaldo Jarrin, the concern is that this Chinese fleet could penetrate or infiltrate the Ecuadorian EEZ, hence the importance of asserting Ecuadorian sovereignty over its maritime territory.
France, a key player in the Pacific
France, which has a special place as a Pacific nation, has made the protection of its maritime territory a priority.
Indeed, it is striving to maintain its position in the global competition for maritime sovereignty.
To defend its interests in the Pacific, France maintains permanent defence forces with the presence of 2900 military personnel, 7 ships and 16 aircrafts.
These forces ensure the protection and security of French territories and the control of EEZs. They participate in different activities like rescue operations and fight against trafficking.
But France must still be able to intervene everywhere in its EEZs and to control them. It must be sufficiently dissuasive to prevent possible territorial claims or illegal behaviour.
Chinese fishing is (almost) pervasive in the Pacific
The map of the Global Fishing website shared on Twitter in 2017 shows that the deterrence of illegal fishing in waters under French sovereignty works.
Picture Map Global Fishing: Movements and activities of the Chinese fishing fleets from May 2017 to October 2017
Of all the independent states in the South Pacific that are having their fish resources plundered by Chinese fishermen, only the waters of French Polynesia and New Caledonia are spared.
This is the challenge entrusted to the French Navy, whose mission is to control a territory of over 7 million km². Recognised as one of the most efficient navies in the world, it must counter the ambitions of new maritime players, including China. The Middle Kingdom has the largest fishing fleet in the world with 17,000 vessels, according to a study led by the London-based Overseas Development Institute (ODI)
French Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone
Within the Polynesian area, France has established partnerships with autonomous Pacific countries. The country offers its assistance in rescue missions and in the fight against pollution and illegal fishing, in particular by radar and satellite means.
However, if France one day struggles to exercise its sovereignty over its own territory, it is very likely that these countries, for their security and development, might later fall into the lap of other powers.
Indeed, beyond the fisheries resources, the wealth of maritime territories is not only on the surface. 10% of the planet’s ‘rare earth’ resources are found in the soil of the oceans. It should be remembered that these resources, which are sometimes found more than 5,000 metres underwater, are necessary for lots of modern industries.
Even though until now their exploitation has been too costly to be profitable, the scarcity of resources on the continents makes them increasingly interesting. Thus, the sale of exploration and exploitation permits is certainly the challenge of tomorrow.
For the moment, the weakness of the means committed to maintaining French sovereignty in the Pacific and more widely across the globe is compensated by organizational excellence.
In fact, France can rely on its Joint Maritime Centres. These centres pool all the resources present in the Pacific EEZs. They bring together the French Navy, the Air Force, the gendarmerie, the police and customs forces as well as maritime affairs and civil security resources.
Therefore, in order to face the major security challenges in the region, France wishes to contribute to the establishment of a regional security architecture.
Already active in several fora for multilateral dialogue in the Pacific, it has in particular initiated a process of rapprochement with the ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting (ADMM+). This is a forum for multinational cooperation between the defence ministries of ASEAN and partner countries whose mission is to ensure development and stability in the region.
It should be stated that this stability is necessary to defend, otherwise there will be a general weakening of the law of the sea and thus an increase in inter-state tensions.
By carrying out cooperative actions with 18 partners during the latest deployment of the Naval Air Group (NAG) in the framework of the Clémenceau 21 mission, France is bringing its experience to the countries of the region. It also applies its operational know-how, particularly in the field of maritime security. In this way, it contributes to the creation of an area of peace and security based on respect for international law throughout the Pacific.
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June 8, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsFishing in the EEZ
In 2020, no offences related to illegal fishing in the French Polynesia EEZ were reported. This can be seen in as a huge success in monitoring fisheries in this area.
Fisheries surveillance is a constant concern for France in the Pacific EEZ and represents a central issue in the State’s action at sea. These long-standing efforts have paid off, as no offenders have been reported for many years.
In 2020, France dedicated a total of 1,230 hours at sea (almost 50 days) , to monitoring fisheries in its Pacific EEZ and its surroundings.
While all of the resources deployed to face illegal fishing are still “lean” given the immensity of an EEZ as big as the size of Europe, these resources are nonetheless capable of asserting French sovereignty and dissuading illegal practices.
However, the offenders are most often active at the borders of EEZs, in international waters. This was denounced by four Sout15h American countries. In a joint statement in November 2020, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia expressed their “firm commitment to take measures to prevent, deter and jointly address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.”
While the statement 15does not explicitly mention the origin of the offending trawlers, previous incidents leave no room for doubt.
Last July, Ecuador expressed its “unease” with China after 260 Chinese vessels sailed along the coast of the Galapagos Islands, which is a marine reserve area. More dramatically, in 2016 Argentina sank a Chinese trawler that refused to comply. Although these incidents remain fortunately rare, the stakes are exacerbated by pure greed.
In a 2016 report, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) showed that 276,000 to 338,000 tonnes of tuna are illegally caught each year. This poaching is estimated to be worth nearly 664 million euros.
Finally, it should be remembered that the Pacific Ocean has 60% of the world’s tuna stock.
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June 1, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsThe end of the electric pulse fishing method, with one month to go and is living its last days.
This fishing method will soon be completely banned from European Union fishing vessels in all waters they frequent, including outside the EU.
Electrical fishing method is extremely controversial and has been criticised by some environmental groups as the Bloom NGO. The NGO has been at the forefront of the campaign against this practice.
Why is it so controversial?
The technique involves sending electrical impulses from a boat into the sediment to capture hidden fish. (such as sole, plaice or Common dab).
This method avoids ploughing the seabed. However, it is seen to be extremely destructive to marine fauna, particularly by destroying eggs and larvae.
Since 2007, each EU Member State can convert a maximum of 5% of its beam trawl fleet to electric fishing in the southern North Sea.
On July 25th, 2019, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU adopted new rules on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems.
Lots of destructive fishing gears or methods that use explosives, poison, soporific substances, electric current, percussion instruments, dredging devices and grabs to harvest red or other types of coral have been banned.
However, the use of electric pulse trawls will remain possible for a transitional period until 30 June 2021.
On August 14th, 2019, France had banned the use of electric trawls in the waters of the North Sea and other waters under French sovereignty. Anticipating thereby of the EU Council’s decision.
On October 4th, 2019, the Netherlands brought an action before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to annul the provisions of this regulation concerning fishing vessels using pulsed electric current.
On April 15th, this year, the CJEU rejected the Dutch appeal against the ban on fishing with vessels using pulsed electric current.
N°59/2021 : 15 April 2021 Judgment of the Court of Justice in case C-733/19 Netherlands v. Council and Parliament
The decision was a big victory for the environment and marine biodiversity
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April 29, 2021Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / NewsVenezualian fishing vessel
On February 11th, 2021, during a fish control operation in French Guyanese Territorial waters, the Venezuelan fishing boat “Cayo Norté” was caught in action of illegal fishing by the French Navy.
The operation was carried out in the French exclusive economic zone with a CASA aircraft, patrol boat “Antilles-Guyane” and the rest of operational group under French jurisdiction.“Cayo Norté” fishing boat was located 70 nautical miles from the coast of French Guyana carried on illegal fishing. Once boarded, she was rerouted to Kourou and a ton of snapper fish was seized as well as fishing gear.The ton of fish seized, was sold at the Regional Interest Market (RIM) of Cayenne auction.Since January 1st, 2021, nearly 20 tonnes of fish have been seized following fisheries control operations in French Guyana.
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April 6, 2021Drug Trafficking / Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / Smuggling Of Illicit GoodsThe smuggling of illicit goods, in particular fish the Totoaba that is as lucrative and much less dangerous in terms of penal sanction than the traffic of cocaine. In 2018, according to an article published in The Guardian, the Mexico City police found 416 swim bladders in the suitcases of a Chinese tourist. The man was arrested and later released after paying a $600 fine.
The Totoaba is a protected endemic species. While scientists believe it to be a cultural fantasy, Chinese medicine believes it to have various medicinal and cosmetic properties, allegedly due to the protein contained in the fish’s swim bladder.
According to a study made by ADM Capital Foundation, a philanthropic group, three quarters of sales of products from endangered wildlife are destined for the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
Because of this Chinese market, the Totoaba is on the verge of extinction, with only a few specimens left in the waters of the Gulf of California. It is this scarcity that is driving up prices, to the point of calling it the cocaine of the seas as sales prices soar from $20,000 to $80,000 per kg.
In its downfall, the Totoaba is bringing with it the disappearance of the smallest harbour porpoise, also known as the little cow of the Pacific Vaquitas. In fact, this could be seen as collateral damage, taking into account the entrapment in the illegal fishing nets used by Totoaba fishermen in the Sea of Cortes.
Factfile on the Totoaba and Vaquitas
The international community and important personalities such as Leonardo Dicaprio are standing up to try to save what can still be saved, even if today the hope of avoiding the extinction of these two species seems very complicated.
In July 2020, the release of the film “Sea of Shadows” directed by Richard Ladkani, highlights the war waged by environmental activists alongside the Mexican Navy against the Mexican cartels and the Chinese mafia.
Finally, If this decline continues, it is likely to be extinguished in 2021.
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Miscellaneous
October 31, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsIn the quest for sustainable and eco-friendly dietary options, the development of algae-based seafood substitutes has emerged as a revolutionary breakthrough. Spearheaded by the Seafood Algternative project, supported by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, this initiative represents a significant stride in the pursuit of more environmentally conscious and health-conscious food alternatives. With an innovative approach and a commitment to addressing pressing ecological concerns, the project aims to revolutionize the seafood market while ensuring a delightful culinary experience.
A Novel Culinary Approach to Sustainability
The inception of the Seafood Algternative project, led by Algama SAS, has garnered considerable attention for its groundbreaking endeavor to introduce a comprehensive line of seafood substitutes derived from non-animal compounds. As an extension of their success in the vegan food industry, Algama SAS has channeled their expertise and resources into the innovative integration of algae-based ingredients into the realm of seafood production. With an unwavering dedication to sustainability and natural food production, the project has identified a niche in the market and has gained notable traction within the industry.
The recent participation of the project team in international exhibitions and fairs has underscored the surging demand and interest in alternative food products. With the market landscape rapidly evolving, the concerted efforts of the project team signify a remarkable stride towards the structuring and development of a sustainable and promising market segment, driven by a commitment to environmental responsibility and consumer health.
Paving the Way for Sustainable Gastronomy and Environmental Conservation
In an era marked by heightened environmental consciousness, the imperative to seek viable alternatives to traditional seafood production has never been more pressing. The Seafood Algternative project, cognizant of the perils posed by practices such as overfishing and the burgeoning threat to marine life, has endeavored to address these ecological concerns by introducing plant-based alternatives crafted from algae. By championing the utilization of algae as a primary ingredient, the project aims to create a positive impact not only on human health but also on the preservation of oceanic ecosystems.
With an unwavering commitment to harnessing creativity, expertise, and technological advancements, the project founders seek to democratize access to sustainable and nutritionally rich seafood alternatives. By advocating for a shift in dietary habits and promoting the integration of algae-based ingredients, the project aims to usher in a new era of sustainable gastronomy, one that harmoniously balances the preservation of the planet and the well-being of its inhabitants.
Conclusion
The groundbreaking efforts of the Seafood Algternative project underscore the pivotal role of innovation in fostering sustainable food practices. By harnessing the potential of algae-based ingredients, the project not only contributes to the diversification of culinary offerings but also champions a holistic approach to environmental conservation. As the project moves forward to consolidate its industrial scalability and market presence, its vision for a more sustainable and planet-friendly culinary landscape remains a beacon of hope for a healthier and more ecologically conscious future.
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October 30, 2023MiscellaneousA year following the Nord Stream sabotage, the pipeline connecting Estonia to Finland has suffered damages once again, implicating a Chinese container ship in the crosshairs of investigators. The events of the early morning of October 8th, where the Balticconnector subsea gas pipeline experienced a significant pressure drop, have not only raised concerns but have also highlighted vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. This article delves into the recent sabotage, the potential implications, and the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Sabotage and Investigation: Unveiling the Suspects
As the investigation unfolds, it becomes increasingly evident that the damages caused to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and the accompanying telecommunication cables were not isolated occurrences. The Finnish government, in collaboration with Estonian and Swedish authorities, has been meticulously connecting the dots to identify the cause of the damages. The initial findings point to an external force causing the harm, leading to speculation about potential sabotage or a grave maritime error. The presence of a heavy anchor found near the damaged pipeline site has intensified suspicions and raised critical questions about the sequence of events that led to the damages.
In recent developments, the focus has shifted to the Newnew Polar Bear, a Chinese container ship navigating the region during the time of the incident. The ship’s movements align closely with the timeframe and location of the damages, prompting authorities to scrutinize her role in the unfolding events. However, challenges in communication and cooperation with the vessel’s crew have complicated the investigative process, requiring international cooperation and transparency to ascertain the truth behind the incident.
Infrastructural Vulnerabilities and Global Concerns
The sabotage of the Balticconnector pipeline has raised crucial concerns about the vulnerabilities of critical maritime infrastructure. With thousands of kilometers of vital cables and pipelines traversing the Baltic Sea and other essential maritime routes, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the susceptibility of these infrastructures to potential external threats. Amid growing geopolitical tensions and regional power plays, the need to bolster security measures and fortify the protection of these critical undersea assets has become increasingly paramount.
The fallout from the recent events highlights the imperative for enhanced collaboration between public and private entities, particularly in the realm of safeguarding critical infrastructure. The swift response from international bodies, including the NATO, in launching dedicated initiatives to protect strategic undersea infrastructures underscores the global significance of the issue. With concerted efforts, it is hoped that a robust framework for protecting such crucial maritime assets will be established, mitigating the risks posed by potential future incidents.
Conclusion
The recent sabotage of the Balticconnector gas pipeline and the subsequent damages to the accompanying telecommunication cables have sent shockwaves through the international maritime community. As investigations continue to unfold, the need for collaborative efforts among nations and stakeholders has become increasingly pronounced. The significance of securing critical maritime infrastructure, especially in the face of escalating geopolitical tensions, cannot be understated. It is imperative for global stakeholders to prioritize the development of comprehensive security protocols and measures to safeguard undersea assets, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of critical resources and communications across vital maritime routes. As the investigation progresses, a transparent and fair process is essential to establish accountability and prevent similar incidents in the future.
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October 27, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsIn an era characterized by technological advancements, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into various industries has sparked significant transformations, leading to increased efficiency, safety, and productivity. The article explores AI advances in maritime, highlighting Lynx Power Catamarans’ breakthrough in Cape Town, South Africa, redefining boat design. Lynx Power Catamarans recently completed the construction of a cutting-edge multi-role vessel (MRV) that incorporates Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize its operational capabilities. This MRV, designed in collaboration with KND Naval Design, is set to undertake a range of critical maritime missions, including security patrols, surveillance, firefighting, and search and rescue operations.
AI-Driven Navigation System: Revolutionizing Maritime Operations
One of the most prominent aspects of Lynx Power Catamarans’ MRV is its integration of an advanced AI-driven navigation system, a product of the collaboration with autonomous technology specialist Robosys Automation.This proprietary navigation system not only enables the vessel to operate as a fully autonomous unmanned platform but also facilitates independent navigation, collision avoidance, and dynamic route optimization in accordance with the stringent IMO degree four autonomy standards. With its adaptable nature, this system can be installed on existing vessels, elevating their operational capabilities to meet the demands of modern maritime challenges. Designed to undertake a spectrum of specialized maritime tasks, ranging from surveillance to patrolling, this 11-meter aluminum twin-hulled marvel operates adeptly even in challenging conditions, boasting a speed range of 30-35 knots.
Robosys Automation emphasized that the AI system, even in its basic configuration, can provide crucial collision avoidance decision aid (CADA) support in compliance with COLREGS (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea). This significant enhancement in safety measures empowers operators to mitigate potential risks effectively while simultaneously boosting overall productivity and operational efficiency. Furthermore, in the context of a fully-fledged unmanned surface vessel (USV), this AI system enables remote piloting, autonomous navigation, and precise control, incorporating obstacle, collision, and grounding avoidance mechanisms through AI-enabled vessel identification and perception systems. This marks a significant milestone in the realm of maritime technology, heralding a new era of safer and more efficient maritime operations.
Transformative impact with Artificial Intelligence and the future
Lynx Power Catamarans’ pioneering use of AI technology in its MRV not only signifies a transformative shift in maritime operations but also sets a precedent for the integration of AI-driven solutions in the broader maritime industry. The successful implementation of AI-driven navigation systems in vessels, particularly in enhancing safety protocols and optimizing operational efficiency, highlights the immense potential for further advancements in the maritime sector. As the technology continues to evolve, we can anticipate a proliferation of AI-integrated vessels, leading to safer and more efficient maritime activities worldwide.
Moreover, this groundbreaking achievement serves as a testament to the growing synergy between cutting-edge technology and traditional maritime practices. By embracing AI solutions, the maritime industry can ensure a more sustainable and secure future, effectively addressing the evolving challenges posed by an ever-changing global landscape. Lynx Power Catamarans’ AI-enabled MRV not only exemplifies the company’s commitment to innovation but also reinforces the significance of collaboration and technological integration in driving progress and sustainability within the maritime domain.
Conclusion
The successful integration of Artificial Intelligence technology in Lynx Power Catamarans’ MRV represents a significant milestone in the maritime industry, reflecting the potential of AI to revolutionize maritime operations. By harnessing the power of AI-driven navigation systems, the company has not only elevated the safety standards but has also paved the way for a more efficient and adaptive approach to maritime activities. As the industry continues to embrace technological innovations, the transformative impact of AI on maritime operations is expected to create a ripple effect, ushering in a new era of enhanced safety, productivity, and sustainability in the maritime world.
Source : Baird Maritime
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October 26, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsRussian maritime forces no longer possess the logistical means necessary to renew their fleet. Impacted by the Montreux Convention, Russia’s fleet seems to be running out of breath as it is forced out of the Black Sea.
On Saturday October 14th for the first time in years, the Russian submarine Krasnodar – previously in the Mediterranean Sea – crossed Gibraltar’s strait. The Russian Military Maritime Fleet (VMF) does not have any submersible left in the Mediterranean since mid-October. According to Belgian naval analyst Frederik Van Lokeren , on X, the VMF would currently have five units left, namely two supply ships, two corvettes (“Orehovo Zuyevo” and “Merkury”) and an electronic warfare vessel (“Kildin”).
The Montreux Convention explains Russian fleet’s impediment in the Mediterranean sea. Since 1936, the international agreements made in the Swiss city have commanded free movement in the straits of the Bosphorus, the Dardanelles and within the Black Sea. The Convention, counting more than fifty signatory states, follows a long-standing geopolitical and strategic conflict in the area. For Turkish geopolitical analyst Yörük Işık: “These straits are real strategic nodes of Eurasia”, as they form the unique maritime routes between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. These straits are closed to all warships since February 28th, 2022 as Ankara engaged in the Convention. It states that navigation must preserve the security of Turkey, the Black Sea and the coastal states. The closing of the Turkish straits keeps Russian ships from entering the Mediterranean.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has already violated this agreement, as merchant ships are used as naval auxiliaries to provide logistics for operations in Syria and Ukraine.
A possible weakening of the Russian fleet
The closing of the straits keeps the Russian navy away from its home harbors, forcing it to only rely onto its Syrian support point (Tartous harbour). This strategic point represents the only logistical support remaining for the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean.
The lack of strategic support in such a large perimeter exhausts material resources of Russian ships (most of which suffer from serious damages). This might explain why the Krasnodar was spotted in Gibraltar’s strait while being towed by the Sergey Balk navy tug.
Middle Sea’s waters are no longer home to any Russian submarines since then as the Krasnodar was not replaced. Everything seems to indicate a weakening of the Russian navy in the Mediterranean, which can not count on sufficient logistical support points for the renewal of its fleet.
The Krasnodar has been confirmed to have crossed Gibraltar’s Strait, as it was seen in the south of Marbella, Spain. It could be now heading towards the Baltic Sea.
For many analysts, the submersible’s trajectory suggests a possible return to the homeland. A return that appears to be anticipated by Russian navy’s inability to renew its equipment while at sea.
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October 25, 2023MiscellaneousIn a world increasingly shaped by connectivity and digitalization, the maritime industry finds itself vulnerable to the escalating threat of cyberattacks. The recent report “Shifting tides, rising ransoms and critical decisions” by Thetius, HFW, and CyberOwl underscores the pressing need for robust cybersecurity measures. With the average cost of cyberattacks soaring to $550,000 and ransom demands skyrocketing by over 350%, maritime organizations are facing an urgent call to fortify their defenses in the face of this burgeoning cyber threat landscape. Nick Chubb, founder of Thetius, warns, “The cost of cyber attacks is on the rise.”
Vulnerabilities in Maritime Cybersecurity
The proliferation of operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) networks on merchant ships has heightened the vulnerability of the maritime industry to cyber threats. These digital systems present an ideal environment for both generic and targeted risks, with potential consequences ranging from business interruption and financial exploitation to critical system damage. The operational disruption caused by cyber breaches, as demonstrated by the Ever Given incident in 2021, emphasizes the potential scale of chaos that can be triggered by a cyber breach. The maritime sector has become an alluring target for cybercriminals not only due to the substantial ransom payments but also because of the heightened sensitivity of charterers and port authorities to potential reputational damage.
Challenges and Solutions in Maritime Cybersecurity
While the maritime industry has made strides in cyber awareness, the report highlights persisting challenges. The sector is undergoing significant shifts in roles and responsibilities, facing emerging risks, and confronting pivotal investment decisions. Managing these challenges goes beyond mitigating quantifiable costs; it necessitates protecting the industry’s reputation from the aftermath of cyberattacks. Building strong relationships with third parties and ensuring adequate resources to secure vessel systems remain critical for successful cyberattack prevention. The report underlines the industry’s struggle with cyber insurance, leaving many companies exposed to significant financial losses due to insufficient coverage.
Path to Resilience: Cybersecurity Recommendations and Strategies
The report provides six crucial recommendations to bolster cybersecurity within the maritime industry. These include recognizing evolving roles and forming cross-functional teams, making informed investments in comprehensive security programs, accounting for additional cyber risks with advanced satellite communication systems, effective collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), a clear understanding of cyber insurance policies, and the inclusion of well-drafted cyber security clauses in contracts.
Recent cyber incidents in the maritime industry underscore the necessity of not only implementing protective measures but also developing robust response plans. Establishing internal threat assessment teams, implementing data protection and recovery strategies, and ensuring uninterrupted operations during and after cyberattacks are vital steps in enhancing cyber resilience. MarPoint offers comprehensive solutions that align with industry standards, providing tailored cybersecurity tools to protect the maritime industry against the evolving cyber threat landscape.
Conclusion
In the face of a dynamic cyber threat landscape, prioritizing cybersecurity has become paramount for the maritime industry. Proactive measures, comprehensive investments, and robust response plans are crucial to minimizing the impact of cyber incidents. MarPoint’s innovative solutions provide reliable and tailored cybersecurity measures to safeguard the industry’s assets, reputation, and bottom line, offering a beacon of hope for a resilient and secure maritime sector.
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October 23, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsOn 17 October, at a joint press conference in Gothenburg, the Swedish ministers for defence and civil protection, the head of the coastguard and the head of the navy announced that a telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia had been damaged. The incident occurred earlier this month and coincided with damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and the Elisa submarine telecommunications cable between Estonia and Finland.
Neither gas supplies nor communications were disrupted. However, the operators estimate that repairs will take months. The damage was caused outside Sweden’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. The combination of incidents could be a deliberate act of sabotage. This is a matter of concern for Europe and NATO in a tense international context of energy supply and the entry of Finland and Sweden into the Atlantic Alliance.
Although this case has attracted far less attention than the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, two ships present at the time of the incident have attracted the attention of Finnish investigators.
Two ships present at the time of the incident have attracted the attention of Finnish investigators. The Chinese container ship Newnew Polar Bear and the Russian nuclear-powered cargo ship Sevmorput. According to the AIS system, which tracks maritime traffic, these two ships were sighted at around the same time as the damage to the two communication cables and the gas pipeline.
But other ships, whose identities have not been revealed, are also under suspicion by the Finnish authorities. They did not mention the Russian research vessel “Sibiriakov”, which had apparently taken a close interest in the Baltic link a few days earlier.
Protecting cables and pipelines is extremely difficult. It requires permanent geographical coverage. What’s more, when damage occurs outside a country’s territorial waters – as has been the case in all recent incidents – the legal basis for investigations is difficult to establish.
The decommissioning of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022 sent shockwaves around the Baltic. Norway, which had become Europe’s leading gas supplier following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, deployed considerable naval and coastguard resources, as well as industry, with numerous underwater drones to inspect its 8,800 kilometers of pipelines.
Last February, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced the creation of a critical submarine infrastructure coordination cell at NATO Headquarters. It has decided to increase its surveillance resources in the Baltic Sea by deploying four minehunters, an Awacs surveillance aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft and drones.
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October 23, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsThe 16th Plenary Meeting of the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF) was held in Helsinki on 16-19 October.
The meeting concluded the Finnish Presidency of the Forum and focused on the impact of the development of autonomous systems at sea on coastguard activities.A report on the work of the Forum’s 7 working groups and a first document on the impact of climate change and the greening of maritime activities on coastguard operations and organizations were presented. Since the explosion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the issue of critical infrastructure protection has also become a priority.
At the end of the meeting, the chairmanship was handed over to the Swedish Coast Guard. The Swedish Coast Guard will continue to develop international cooperation within the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum until 2024.The theme chosen by the new Swedish presidency is the integration of sustainable development into coastguard operations.
The NACGF is a body that aims to facilitate cooperation in the field of coastguard activities. Established in 2007, it brings together the nineteen countries of the North Atlantic. Members of the Forum are coastguard authorities from the Baltic Sea Region, Western and Southern Europe and North America. Not all countries have a coastguard. For example, the French delegation was led by the Préfecture Maritime de l’Atlantique. Russia is a member but has not been invited since 2014
The European Union agencies EMSA, FRONTEX and EFCA, MAOC-N, Interpol and UNODC are associated with the work of the Forum. The French delegation was led by the Préfecture Maritime de l’Atlantique.
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August 16, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsThe Suez and Panama Canals, engineering marvels of the modern world, have long served as vital arteries of global trade and commerce. However, the adverse effects of climate change are casting a shadow over their efficiency and economic viability. The twin challenges of low water levels and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns are impacting these vital waterways, causing restrictions on daily transits and significant financial losses.
Low Water Levels: A Navigational Nightmare
One of the most pressing consequences of climate change affecting the Suez and Panama Canals is the dwindling water levels. Rising temperatures lead to evaporation, reducing the volume of water available to maintain adequate depth for vessels. In the Suez Canal, situated in a region prone to water scarcity, the impacts are particularly stark. Reduced water levels make it challenging for large vessels to navigate safely through the canal, increasing the risk of grounding and accidents.
Similarly, the Panama Canal faces the challenge of maintaining sufficient water levels to accommodate its lock-based system. As freshwater resources in the surrounding regions become scarcer due to changing precipitation patterns, ensuring a stable water supply becomes a critical concern. Lower water levels restrict the canal’s capacity to handle larger vessels, undermining its competitiveness as a global trade route.
Restrictions on Daily Transits: A Sluggish Global Trade
The combined effects of low water levels and unpredictable weather patterns have forced the Suez and Panama Canals to implement restrictions on daily transits, directly impacting global trade flows. In the Suez Canal, reduced water levels have led to narrower navigational channels, resulting in a decrease in the maximum allowable vessel draft. This restriction reduces the number of vessels that can pass through the canal each day, leading to delays in shipments and disruptions in supply chains. As a result, some estimates suggest that daily transits through the Suez Canal have been curtailed by as much as 20 percent, causing ripple effects throughout the global shipping industry.
In the case of the Panama Canal, water scarcity-driven restrictions affect the canal’s lock operations. The canal’s locks rely on freshwater to maintain the necessary buoyancy and functionality. Decreased water availability has compelled authorities to limit the number and size of vessels passing through, thereby reducing the overall throughput of the canal. These limitations have far-reaching consequences for industries dependent on just-in-time supply chains, potentially leading to delays, increased costs, and inefficiencies.
Financial Losses: Sinking Profits
The economic impacts of climate-induced disruptions on the Suez and Panama Canals are undeniable. The reduction in daily transits directly translates into financial losses for canal operators. The Suez Canal, for instance, generates billions of dollars in revenue each year from toll fees paid by shipping companies. A 20 percent reduction in daily transits equates to a substantial decrease in toll revenue, threatening the canal’s financial stability and its ability to invest in maintenance and upgrades.
The Panama Canal, too, faces economic strains due to lower throughput. The canal’s revenue largely stems from toll charges based on vessel size, type, and cargo. Decreased transits result in reduced toll collection, impacting the canal’s operational budget and potential expansion projects.
Conclusion
The impacts of climate change on the Suez and Panama Canals underscore the interconnectedness of global trade, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. The challenges posed by low water levels and restricted daily transits not only disrupt supply chains but also amplify the economic vulnerabilities of canal-dependent economies. Urgent action is required to mitigate these impacts, including innovative water management strategies, investments in canal infrastructure, and international cooperation to combat climate change
As the world grapples with the reality of a changing climate, it is imperative to recognize that the health and viability of these critical waterways are at stake. Addressing the challenges posed by climate change is not just about safeguarding the navigability of the Suez and Panama Canals; it’s about ensuring the resilience and adaptability of global trade systems in the face of an uncertain future.
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August 10, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsWhales are hunted for their meat, skin, blubber and oil. Whaling is regulated by the International Whaling Commission. Established in 1946, it is responsible for the conservation of whales. Today it also deals with bycatch and entanglement, ship strikes, marine noise and pollution. It also monitors the sustainability of whale watching.
There are three types of whaling: commercial, aboriginal subsistence and scientific. However, it is still legal in three countries.
Whale hunting, a long tradition
Japan, a member of the International Whaling Commission, is one of them. It hunts Antarctic whales every year for scientific research. But the International Court of Justice (IJC) ruled in 2014 that it was not doing so for research purposes. The ICJ ordered Japan to stop hunting under its permit.
The second is Norway. It is the number one whaling country for commercial reasons. It has twice withdrawn from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. Third time’s a charm, they finally accepted it with reservations. Whale hunting is a cultural tradition. It goes back to the Vikings in the 9th century. Today, Norway restricts hunting to the minke whale, which is not classified as an endangered species.
An end to whaling ?
The last is Iceland. The country left the International Whaling Commission in 1992 and has since resumed commercial whaling.
However, following a report on animal welfare, Icelandic Food Minister Svandis Svavarsdottir suspended the whaling season until 31 August. The report indicates that 41 % of the whales targeted do not die immediately. They suffer after being harpooned. It can take up to two hours for them to die. Moreover, explosives could be used. This allows the whale to be killed more quickly byallowing it to bleed to death.
The harpoon used to be hooked inside the whale. The whale would then pull the line to exhaustion, allowing the fishermen to kill it.
The end of fin whale hunting is being supported by tourism. In fact, whale-watching tourism is on the rise. Income from tourism is greater than that from the sale and export of meat.
The marine mammal also plays a key role in marine life. Their excrement stimulates the growth of plankton. This in turn can absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Plankton is also an important food source for small marine animals and fish. Ending whaling means preserving an entire marine ecosystem.
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August 3, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsIn 2018, around 6.9 million tonnes of plastic pollution was discarded by coastal countries in West Africa.
Most of these are single-use plastic containers for drinking water or sanitary purposes. In West Africa, the use of plastic products is increasing with urbanisation.
The cost of marine pollution in West Africa is estimated at between $10,000 and $30,000 per tonne of plastic in the ocean. Furthermore, Plastic can persist for centuries, making it a major stress factor in marine ecosystems.
Fishing, biodiversity, tourism and ecosystems are all affected. Plastic waste can affect fisheries by reducing fish yields and damaging fishing gear such as nets and boat propellers. Accordingly, it drives down market prices for products contaminated by plastic and associated chemicals.
Plastic pollution of beaches and offshore waters could also lead to a reduction in tourist activity. Biodiversity is declining and slowly dying out. Leatherback turtles, which nest on beaches, are among the victims. They die from ingesting plastic, which they mistake for jellyfish.
The initatives to fight agaisnt plastic pollution
That is why a number of initiatives have been launched in Gabon to put an end to plastic pollution. In Libreville, people have been fined for littering. Public awareness needs to be raised and people made more responsible.. That’s an important part of the fight against pollution. Everyone has to play their part.
For instance, the NGO Réseau gabonais pour l’environnement et le développement durable (RGEDD), in partnership with the Autorité nationale des parcs nationaux (ANPN) and with the support of elements of the French army in Gabon (EFG), cleaned up the Raponda Walker Arboretum.
Due to the difficulty to access the beach, The French Fennec helicopter was used to evacuate the 5 x 100 kg bags of rubbish.
Collecting waste is not enough. It has to be treated to improve waste collection and recycling. In Gabon, the Mindoubé landfill receives 700 tonnes of waste per day, or 80% of the country’s waste. As a result, the landfill has been saturated since 2014.
To tackle this problem, France and Gabon signed an agreement at the One Forest Summit in March 2023 to clean up the landfill. Thus, this operation will put an end to the safety risks, toxic fumes and air pollution. It will also help develop the local economy, create jobs and train young people in recycling.
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July 31, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsIn our articles, we often talk about AIS and VMS for ship tracking. But what exactly are these devices?
AIS, a safety device
AIS stands for Automatic Identification System. Its purpose is to transmit a ship’s position to others vessels. It is a safety requirement created in 2002. AIS is mandatory on all vessels over 15 meters.
IMO requires large ships to broadcast their position with AIS in order to avoid collisions. AIS transmits a range of information : position, vessel identity with MMSI, course and speed are all reported.
Ground stations and satellites receive this information. This data is then made available to the public. AIS uses a higher transmission frequency. However, In some cases, the AIS may have to be deactivated for safety reasons. For example, in areas at high risk of maritime piracy, ships deactivate their AIS. This reduces the risk of piracy.
VMS, a monitoring tool
VMS is the acronym for Vessel Monitoring System. It is one of the four worldwide positional data systems to exist. Positional data are used to study fishing effort and its effects on marine habitats.
It was created in 1997 by the European Union to monitor the position of fishing vessel. It is compulsory for fishing vessels over 12 meters in length.
However, under the impetus of the FAO, the VMS was not content with being a European standard. It has become an international system.
Unlike AIS, VMS cannot be tampered with. It is also more difficult to lose data, and is subject to strict confidentiality rules.
AIS and VMS, why choose ?
The combinaison of both could help prevent illegal activities into marine habitats.
Although not the first use, AIS help locate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
For instance, the globalfishingwatch website turns “big data into actionable information”. It does this by combining publicly available AIS with information obtained from vessel monitoring systems available through partnerships with governments. Thus, impacted areas can be better monitored, and action taken at sea.
Some fishermen prefer to remove it to escape surveillance. This delays rescue operations in the event of shipwrecks, fires or other incidents. Events whose severity could have been minimized if the AIS had been effective or the VMS present.
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July 10, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsAlthough most of our planet is covered in water, only three percent of it is freshwater, and only a third is available to man, the rest being frozen in glaciers or inaccessible deep underground. The ocean accounts for 95% of available water. But this is salt water. Desalinating this water could therefore be the solution to the problem of water scarcity…
Water resources are threatened by unpredictable weather conditions. Heat waves are more frequent as temperatures rise. Population growth is increasing the need for water, while resources are dwindling.
Desalination plant : a game changer
If the Earth is called the blue planet, it’s because of the ocean. The ocean accounts for 95% of available water. But this is salt water. Desalinating this water could therefore be the solution to the problem of water scarcity…
To achieve this, desalination plants are set up. Several techniques can be used.
The first is thermal distillation. This produces steam by boiling seawater. This operation leaves salt and minerals behind, but the steam is collected. It is then condensed by a cooling procedure to produce pure water.
For years, this was the main method, but a cheaper and easier-to-implement solution has now emerged.
This is membrane filtration, also known as reserve osmosis. Seawater is sprayed at high pressure through a membrane. This separates the water from its various minerals and salts.
Although this technique is less difficult, it requires a great deal of energy, and not just renewable energies.
Only wealthy countries where water is scarce use this technique.
Australia was the first country to adopt this process. The Millennium Drought, between 1997 and 2009, had serious consequences, and desalination plants were a great help.
Spain now ranks fourth in the world for desalination capacity, accounting for around 5% of the global total, behind Saudi Arabia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
However, many plants in the Middle East use older, fossil-fuel-powered thermal plants. As a result, desalination plants are currently responsible for the emission of 76 million tonnes of CO2 per year. As demand for desalination is set to grow, global desalination-related emissions could reach 400 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2050.
The issues raise
Saltwater extraction in desalination plants can harm fish and other marine life if not carried out with care.
Brine is the hyper-concentrated salty liquid that is removed from freshwater. For every 100 grams of brine, there are 70 grams of salt.
This can be harmful to fish and marine life if not treated with care. If it’s simply pumped directly into the sea, this dense substance sinks to the bottom of the ocean and suffocates marine life.
Brine is denser, sinking to the seabed and creating a stratification that asphyxiates bottom-dwelling species.
Brine can contain toxic metals such as mercury, cobalt, copper, iron, zinc and nickel, as well as pesticides and acids that cause irrevocable changes to the environment.
There are techniques for distributing it over a larger area in the sea, thus diluting its impact.
Brine can contain toxic metals such as mercury, cobalt, copper, iron, zinc and and nickel, as well as pesticides and acids that cause irrevocable changes to the environment.
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June 15, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsDuring the 20th century, 2 million dolphins lived in the Black Sea. They were threatened by fishing, pollution and bycatch but they remained numerous.
However, in 2020, the dolphin population has collapsed to 250 000 individuals. The population has been divided by 20 since the Russian invasion. Thousand of Black Sea Dolphins have been killed. By May 2022, 1500 dead dolphins had been reported on shore.
Moreover, only a small number of the dead cetaceans washes ashore. The remaining carcasses sink to the bottom of the water. All Black Sea coastal states, such as Ukraine and Turkey, have noticed dead dolphins on their beaches. Research has determined that the 2500 documented strandings are just the tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that between 37,500 and 48,000 animals died in the space of just three months of war.
How is the war in Ukraine affecting marine animals?
Radioactive and chemical pollution caused by missiles is threatening Black Sea wildlife . However the effects will probably not be visible until later. As always in times of war, there are several versions of events. According to Russian scientists, the morbillivirus is to blame. This virus is a common killer of the species.
But the images and dates converge on an explanation that focuses more on the consequences of conflict than disease.
Dolphins die from injuries caused by explosions. They suffer burns or decompression sickness after escaping the blast.
Dolphins also suffer of acoustic trauma. Sonar technologies affect a part of the dolphin’s brain called the melon. This organ plays a major role in communication and echolocation. Military sonars destroy the dolphins’ inner ear and blind them. As a result, they are unable to navigate and hunt. This leads to the disappearance of their very thin layer of blubber. Weakened, they die of starvation, hypothermia, or of disease due to a weakened immune system.
Their sonar communication system, is both a weak point and a much-appreciated tool. In fact, combined with their deep-diving capabilities, this makes dolphins effective underwater detectors. They are said to be more effective than any technological device.
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June 5, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsAre you familiar with artificial reefs ? Artificial reefs are structures intentionally placed on the seabed. They are built from natural or artificial materials. They are designed to protect, enhance or restore components of marine ecosystems. Reefs improve organic plant production and animal nutrition by providing shelter and protection from predators. The beginning of the food chain is thus protected.
What are artificial reefs made of ?
They mimic natural reef system. They are made of concrete, whose composition is close to coral. Concrete offers a number of advantages. The material is strong, heavy, readily available and, above all, affordable.
Its malleability means it can be shaped to suit a variety of habitats. Thus, holes and cavities can be included in structures to provide shelter. Over time, the concrete will be cover with algae and species of invertebrates, sponges and plankton.
What are the goals ?
We can identify three objectives for artificial reefs.
First of all, the economic goal. It aims to develop biodiversity and biomass. The increase in marine wealth will lead to its exploitation for fishing.
Secondly, environmental protection. The aim is to reduce the damage caused by trawling. In Morocco, reefs have been installed to combat illegal fishing. Above all, they prevent violations of maritime laws. They target the use of trawler nets in shallow waters.
Finally, the recreational reefs. These are installed to attract divers. Sometimes, shipwrecks are deliberately sunk to create artificial reefs.
A solution to reinforce, not replace
However, fraud has occurred. Some companies use them to evade taxes. As a result, the proposed solutions are mainly a means of getting rid of their waste. Some of the proposed solutions are even polluting. Whether tires, PVC or plastic, waste does not constitute an effective artificial reef.
Furthermore, this answer is only practical with quality water. It can only be applied if there is still hope of limiting the consequences of pollution and illegal fishing. It cannot create biodiversity, only enhance it.
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May 30, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsSea piracy has long been a global concern, posing a significant threat to maritime trade, security, and human lives. Over the years, naval powers and the international community have primarily focused on maritime strategies to combat piracy. However, it is essential to reverse this perspective and explore how addressing the land-based roots of piracy can contribute to a more comprehensive and effective solution. This article delves into the efforts made by maritime powers and the international community, analyzes the underlying land-based factors contributing to piracy in Somalia and Indonesia, and discusses long-term solutions that integrate both maritime and land approaches to eradicate piracy.
Addressing Sea Piracy – Maritime Powers and International Initiatives
Naval powers and international organizations have implemented various initiatives to combat sea piracy. Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) is one of the four Combined Maritime Force. Created in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions, it aims to suppress piracy outside the territorial waters of coastal States. They work in cooperation with the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR). The collaboration target other maritime issues such as smuggling of goods and illicit products, human trafficking and IUU fishing. They are other operations: the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) and the Malacca Strait Sea Patrol are both some prominent examples.
These initiatives have aimed to enhance maritime security, conduct patrols, and coordinate responses to piracy incidents. However, their focus has predominantly been on the maritime domain, which leaves room for exploring complementary land-based approaches.
The Land Roots of Somali and Indonesian Piracy
Understanding the land-based factors contributing to piracy is crucial for developing effective solutions.
Prior to 1991, piracy was not a major threat in the Horn of Africa. In Somalia, the drought push nomad communities to the littoral. They then relied on fisheries to survive. However, the Civil War pushed the government interest away from the sea. Fishermen were left on their own against foreign countries greed. Indeed, new players came to fish in the waters, depriving the locals of resources. Thus, declining fish stocks in the High Risk Areas (HRA) exacerbate socio-economic issues. Communities were forced to turn to piracy as a means of survival. The lack of infrastructure, isolated fishing villages and uninhabited islands are ideal for pirate hideouts.
Stabilizing the state, reconnecting pirate hideouts to administrative and political hubs, and addressing socio-economic challenges are crucial steps in combating piracy in Somalia.
Similarly, Indonesia faces its own set of challenges. Remote islands, weak governance, and limited law enforcement presence provide a conducive environment for piracy. The archipelagic nature of Indonesia poses difficulties in patrolling and securing vast maritime areas effectively. To combat piracy in Indonesia, efforts should focus on controlling criminal flows, improving infrastructure, connectivity, and strengthening governance in isolated regions.
Failed-states or, at least, fragile ones make propitious environment for maritime piracy to thrive. It creates an area without governmental monitoring and harsh living conditions. Hardskills are transferable to illegal activities. Small-scale fishermen have seafaring abilities and are familiar with the waters. Futhermore, the pay-check, between 2 and 5 times their former wages, is attractive.
Abandoned by the state authorities, joining pirates gang could be a solution to fight foreign industrial and illegal fishing in their waters while earning a living.
Long-Term Solutions : Integrating Land and Maritime Approaches
To eradicate piracy within the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) and particularly around chokepoints, a comprehensive approach that addresses both maritime and land factors is essential.
Long-term solutions should involve the enhancing of maritime security. States should continue to realize naval patrols. There is a need of a collaboration between international naval forces, coast guards, and local law enforcement agencies. They could deter and provide a rapid response to piracy incidents.
International cooperation have to go through sharing intelligence, information and best practices. Countries and regional organizations could then improve their practices and adopt a collective response against piracy. The establishment of an intelligence exchange group can facilitate timely information sharing and enhance coordination between stakeholders. Initiatives as the Djibouti Code of Conduct and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), can foster collaboration among states and contribute to effective anti-piracy efforts.
But, as our article demonstrates, land-based measures have to be strengthened. Governments must invest in infrastructure development, connectivity, and social welfare programs to address the socio-economic issues that fuel piracy. This includes improving education, healthcare, job opportunities, and sustainable livelihoods in affected coastal areas.
By helping to create a solid legal framework, improving law enforcement capabilities and strengthening governance structures, the long-term stability of affected countries will improve.
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May 5, 2023Miscellaneous / NewsThe North Sea is a strategic place, especially for its richness. The richness of its fishy waters, but also for the richness of its seabed with the submarine cables.
There are many submarine cables in the North Sea region and many Western countries depend on them. Incidents already happened. They have highlighted the fragility of the undersea infrastructures and the energy dependence has been emphasized.
Although damage to submarine cables are common, the hypothesis of sabotage often hangs over the incident. Several suspicious Russian civilian ships have been spotted in the North Sea and monitored by various European intelligence agencies.
To address the issue of energy dependence and foreign threats, European leaders, led by France and Germany, have come together to find an answer. National authorities have a responsibility to ensure that cable routes are sufficiently redundant and diverse to ensure overall resilience.
The hazards threatening the submarine cables in the North Sea
There are many submarine cables in the North Sea region and many Western countries depend on them. Cutting them would limit internet connectivity, especially across the Atlantic. The energy market could suffer significant damage if undersea power cables are sabotaged or damaged. One option might also be to harm communications or take down countries’ power systems to cause chaos.
Apart from the material risks, there are other threats looming over the submarine cables. Foreign countries could tapped its to record, copy and steal data. They could therefore be used for espionage purposes.
There are three ways to spy on undersea cables : by placing backdoors during the cable manufacturing process, targeting onshore landing stations and facilities connecting cables to terrestrial networks, or tapping cables at sea. The last option is more difficult but less traceable and one of the most effective.
Incidents on submarine cables have already occurred recently
An incident already happened in the South of Svalbard last year. On January 2022, the Svalbard Undersea Cable System was cut. It was a twin submarine fiberoptic communication cable connecting Longyearbyen with Andøya north of Harstad in northern Norway. The damage let the Faroe and Shetlands Islands without internet access. The incident happened a month after the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipeline.
The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline was a trigger for the Western public. The weakness of the undersea infrastructure has been highlighted and energy dependence has been emphasized. As the Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said “The offshore windmills, but also the cables and the pipes on the ground, are prone to sabotage or espionage,”. The Ukrainian War draws attention to the European dependence on Russian energy.
Although damage to submarine cables are common, the hypothesis of sabotage often hangs over the incident.
The Shadow War, the threat of Russian spy ships
Several Russian civilian ships have been spotted in the North Sea and monitored by various European intelligence agencies. They are disguised as research vessels or fishing trawlers. These ships are sailing on maritime routes near gas or oil fields, near wind farms and power plants, as well as in the vicinity of military training areas – including during NATO training exercises.
The Admiral Vladimirsky would be one of them. Officially dispatched for oceanographic research, the reality might be quite different as revealed by the documentary “The Shadow War” produced by public broadcasters from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway. The Admiral Vladimirsky is shown conducting a mapping of the seabed in the international waters of the North Sea. The ship is of particular concern for her interest and proximity to western wind farms.
Legally, nothing prohibits Russia from making these observations. The concern lies mainly in the use that could be made of the collected information.
Some see behind this mapping preparations for a possible war between NATO and Russia. Moscow would identify the vulnerabilities of energy infrastructures for sabotaging purposes.
The response to the challenges raised by submarine cables
To address this problem of energy dependence, European leaders, led by France and Germany, have come together to find an answer. Renewable energies, more specifically wind turbines, could meet the challenges of security and sustainability. Cleaner than fossil fuels and more difficult to sabotage than pipelines, wind turbines seem to be, indeed, the answer to European concerns. They covet to produce around 300GW between now and 2050.
Protecting Europe’s seabed infrastructure is a current concern. In the past, being underwater was a protection in itself. Today, with technological advances, the risks are greater. Threats can now be hybrid: physical or cyber and the stakes are high.
Cables are subject to cyberattacks that can cause malfunctions or hardware incidents. Furthermore, whether it is a ship’s anchor or intentional sabotage, the risks are numerous.
Europe relies above all on its ability to react in the event of sabotage. Rapid repair limits the consequences of a cable rupture and the paralysis of companies and the continent.
The resilience of the Old Continent, a must have
The acquisition of drones and underwater robots would allow to Europe to acquire strategic autonomy. Whether to act, protect or repair, having access to the seabed up to 6,000 meters deep is a goal. With more than 1.3 million kilometers, submarine cables invisible but essential elements of Western life.
Submarine cables, as telecommunication and energy infrastructures, are part of the vital systems on which Western society depends.
According to UNODC, more than $10,000 billion in financial transactions transit daily through undersea cables.
The creation of an international authority to protect the submarine cables
The International Cable Protection Committee was created in 1958 “to improve the security of undersea cables by providing a forum in which relevant technical, legal and environmental information can be exchanged.”
the ICPC is for now only an industry forum for cable owners and some governments. The more allied governments join the institution, the more legitimacy it gains.
Even if submarine cables are private property, governments still have the duty to monitor them. National authorities also have a responsibility to ensure that cable routes are sufficiently redundant and diverse. They must ensure overall resilience and avoid security breaches.
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November 17, 2022FLASH NEWS / MiscellaneousIran has released two Greek oil tankers seized earlier in May ending the diplomatic impasse between Athens and Tehran.
The Iranian foreign ministry said that an Iranian-flagged tanker seized in Greece had also left Greek waters. The parties have agreed to foster the cooperation necessary to improve maritime security
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July 25, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsThe problem of waste management is really a maritime one, insofar as the majority of objects observed at sea comes from the coast. There are reports of a “continent” in the Pacific Ocean made up of a mixture of various products (plastic bags, nets, cans…) and concentrated by the effect of sea currents. Sorting and recycling seems to be the only way to manage waste properly, but due to the lack of adequate infrastructures, states often have to export their waste by sea. A maritime trade has thus emerged, with specialized brokerage companies.
Legal Framework
The notion of waste is quite broad; indeed, one often thinks of plastic materials resulting from the use of disposable objects, but it can also be larger appliances (such as old household ones) or products containing residual hazardous materials (e.g. car batteries).
Legally, the export of waste is covered by the Basel Convention (1992) on « the control of international transports of waste and their disposal », which stemmed from the need to regulate the maritime transport of waste following a series of deliberate pollutions. Since 2002, hazardous waste such as hospital or radioactive waste must comply with IMDG regulations (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, published by the IMO). As such, there are specific follow-up and ad hoc management channels (towards recycling or final storage), in order to avoid their loss, damage or diversion for criminal purposes.
Observed practice and recent developments
The export of waste by sea (the cheapest way of transporting freight, to date) seems to have become the norm. A new industry was born out of such practice, given the immense quantities of waste produced each year by our societies.
In the wake of globalization, South-East Asian countries (China, Indonesia, Malaysia…) have become dumping grounds for the so-called “rich” states and brokerage companies have thus been able to take advantage of this opportunity. As such, China has recycled up to half (106Mt) of the world’s plastic waste, taking advantage of a poorly developed legislative framework. However, in 2018, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) decided to put an end to these imports, for the sake of compliance with global climate targets and, above all, a decline in the profitability of plastic recycling.
A victim of this side effect, Indonesia, became overwhelmed with containers and decided in November 2019 to return several containers of waste to France, claiming that they had been “illegally imported”. In the wake of this, the French Ministry of Ecology imposed the same year a fine of several hundred thousand euros to a company that had exported to Malaysia containers of waste that did not comply with international regulations because they were mixed together (domestic waste, plastics and hazardous waste, without proper identification).
What future for waste by sea?
With this new paradigm, the producer states have no solution while they are faced with an exponential production of waste. The shipping of waste continues however, particularly in France: indeed, the overseas territories (DROM/COM) need to export garbage towards the mainland, as they are not equipped with reprocessing facilities.
This specific issue and the notion of « territorial continuity » implies that the 1992 Convention does not apply to shipping companies involved in this task. Nevertheless, one can see that ship-owners are trying to minimize their reputational risk on this topic. Indeed CMA-CGM, the third largest global shipping company, announced during the « One Planet Summit » in February 2022 that it would stop transporting waste on board its ships by next summer. As for the decommissioned warships, the trend is to stop sending them abroad and instead work on domestic or European solutions. For example, France has recently sent her older ships to Belgium to undergo a green decommissioning process.
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July 18, 2022Miscellaneous / Newsmap of western african and Bay of Guinea region
The Gulf of Guinea extends over 3,500 mi (5,700 km) of coastline from Senegal to Angola. Far from the main shipping routes, this region is nevertheless economically oriented towards the sea because it is rich of two main resources: oil and fish.
A coveted fishing reource
Heterogeneous fleets of vessels sail on its waters on a daily basis: oil activity, traditional fishing and industrial fishing, legal or not. The Gulf of Guinea is all the more coveted because it is barely monitored, or even not monitored at all. As a consequence, 40% of the fish are caught illegally1 in the area, and the annual loss of income for the countries of the region amounts to more than 1.9 billion dollars (1.8 billion euros).
A double challenge
While artisanal fishing provides an important part of the food of the riparian countries, this uncontrolled industrial fishing could be an aggravating factor of insecurity in a region already affected by many problems: smuggling of petroleum products, a hub of drug trafficking between South America and Europe, a very large population facing the climate and food challenges.
Munro Anderson, a British expert on maritime security, explains: “Incidents related to illegal fishing have led to a dramatic fall in the livelihoods of local economies, which has made many young people susceptible to the lures of organized crime”. Thus, riparian countries are facing a double challenge: controlling the area in order to avoid the plundering of their waters and developing a local and complete fishery value chain, from catch to processing.
Identifying the problem
For many years, NGOs such as Greenpeace as well as some governments of riparian states have regularly denounced the problem of industrial overfishing in the region. After the Japanese and Eastern European trawlers in the 2000s, it is now the Chinese or Russian fleets whose illegal activities are regularly pointed out. While it is obvious that this illegal fishing is a scourge for local populations, regular fishing agreements can also be criticized in that they often deprive coastal populations of the economic benefits of the processing of the catch, which is often done outside Africa via refrigerated vessels.
The question of the employment of local seafarers is also tackled by the criticisms made on these agreements, again under the prism of the lack of local economic benefits. Finally, the COVID crisis has inflamed the debates around the issue of fishing. Where traditional fishing activity has been suspended, like most of the rest of the economy, industrial fishing has been maintained, fueling the resentment of local fishermen whose associations have been quick to denounce this apparent inequality of treatment.
Awareness and Prospects
To face these challenges, the riparian countries are beginning to organize themselves. Firstly, they have been working on improving the governance of the fight against illegal fishing, by creating in 2006 the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), which brings together the six riparian states from Liberia to Nigeria with the objective of preserving the fishing resource to optimize economic and social benefits.
Secondly, they are aiming at increasing the efficiency of surveillance and control at sea. One can also note that Ghana, Togo and Benin conducted their first joint fisheries police patrol in December 2021. These projects are all financially assisted by the European Union and actively supported by some member states such as France, which is permanently deploying a Navy Falcon 50 maritime surveillance aircraft, based in Dakar, in addition to vessels operating within the framework of Corymbe operation (since 1990).
Finally, while the local industry is not in a position to equip deep-sea fishing vessels, the allotment of fishing licenses to European ship owners would allow for the further development of a real local value chain around fishing, and thus contribute to reducing unemployment and insecurity (particularly food insecurity) in the region.
These contracts should therefore include local employment, local landings and a fine management of catch quotas in order not to penalize artisanal fishing, which should also remain one of the pillars of the local economy.
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July 13, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsWhile Finland and Sweden have expressed their wish to join NATO in the near future, the question arises of a possible evolution of the security situation in the High North and a rebalancing of the equilibrium of power, as the entry of these two states would formalize their alliance with the NATO states.
More broadly, the last few years have seen an increase in the military presence in the area and a growing interest in this space with multiple and growing opportunities. Indeed, global warming, which is two to three times more important in the Arctic than the average , will eventually allow the opening of future maritime routes, thus reducing the distances between Europe and Asia. The Arctic is also home to numerous energy resources – perhaps 13% of the world’s oil and 30% of the world’s gas – as well as significant fisheries resources, which are potentially increasing due to the warming of the waters further south.
An increased militarization of the High North…
Faced with these new opportunities, new competitions are emerging. To name but a few, France adopted a roadmap for the Arctic in 2016, in 2018, China published a strategy for this space, as did the British Ministry of Defence which published in March 2022 a strategic document entitled “The UK’s Defence Contribution in the High North” or the US Army with its Strategic Plan of 2021 “Regaining Arctic Dominance”. Beyond this communication aspect, the High North sees its three dimensions (sea, land, air) being increasingly militarized, starting with Russia.
The Russian militarization of the High North can be characterized in three ways. First, Russia has restored its presence in the area, which had been in decline since the fall of the USSR, by increasing its military spending. It has also modernized its capabilities deployed in the area. Finally, this militarization aims to “support the extension of transportation infrastructure beyond what was present during the Soviet period”(ref p. 4). Thus, six military bases have been built or rehabilitated, as have ten air bases in the High North.
A selection of Northern Fleet and civilian objects in the Barents Sea region
A selection of Russian military and civilian infrastructure throughout the Arctic
Regarding NATO, there is also a growing militarization of space, often justified as a response to Russian deployments. In Alaska, the port of Nome is receiving new funding to turn it into a deepwater port capable of handling larger ships. The U.S. Air Force has also deployed several dozen F-35 jets to Alaska, indicating that the state will host “more advanced fighters than any other location in the world.”.
The U.S. 2nd Fleet was also re-established in 2018 and a NATO command specifically dedicated to the Atlantic based in Norfolk was declared operational in September 2020. Some states are rehabilitating their infrastructure, such as Norway with the Tromsø base, which is able to accommodate NATO submarines. The HMS Ambush made a stopover there last April. Finally, a number of exercises are also organized in the area, such as the Trident Juncture exercise in 2018, which brought together 50,000 men, 65 ships and 250 aircraft, the Cold Response exercise, the 2022 edition of which ended recently, and the ICEX exercises for submarine deployment.
… which is also reflected by the deployment of specific capabilities
These deployments are also an opportunity for states to test or project new equipment and devices. In March 2021, the Russian Navy reported that three Russian submarines had surfaced for the first time by breaking through a 1.5-metre thick bank and that one of the three had fired torpedos under the ice. The new submarine Knyaz Oleg also did the same last May.
Another feat, that of the French Navy in the summer of 2018 with the ship Rhone, which became the first non-Russian vessel to pass through the Northeast Passage, after the German cruiser Komet in 1940, but without any assistance.
Special Forces are also often deployed in the area, like the Navy SEALs and the Green Berets who participated in the last ICEX in May. Let’s remember that the US Navy has a Naval Special Warfare Cold Weather Detachment in Kodiak, Alaska. There is also no doubt that if submarines are engaged in the Great North, combat swimmers are also involved. In 1990, a swimmer delivery vehicle (SDV) was spotted in Norwegian waters.
The French case, a rise in power: strategy, deployments and naval special operations
The French case is significant of this rise in power of certain nations. First, the French government invested in the doctrinal field with, as mentioned, a roadmap for the Arctic published in 2016. Many of its strategic documents, such as the ministerial strategy for the control of the seabed, also mention the High North. The 2017 French strategic review explains thus: “The Arctic, where the pace of global warming is double the global average, may one day become an area of confrontation.”.
This commitment is also reflected operationally and many French ships have sailed in the cold waters of the Arctic, such as the Rhone that was mentioned. Recently, the amphibious helicopter carrier Dixmude was certified for Arctic operations after participating, along with the multi-mission frigate Languedoc and a maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique 2, in Cold Response 2022. The patrol vessel Fulmar, stationed in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, a French territory bordering Canada, also regularly sails in the cold waters of Greenland as part of the ARGUS exercise.
France’s recent seabed control strategy calls for the consolidation of its underwater intervention capability, which would require the reinforcement of submarine forces in the area and the deployment of naval special forces. This would also respond to the deployments of France’s competitor nations. The document specifies that “the ability to penetrate complex and contested spaces ‘horizontally’ in order to conduct special underwater operations on, from and towards the seabed must be maintained at the highest level”. There is no doubt that projects under development, such as unmanned undersea vehicle and remotely operated vehicles or the third-generation SDV, could provide new capabilities in the future, potentially for use in cold waters.
To conclude, the High North is an area of interest for many nations, both coastal and more distant geographically. This interest induces a growing militarization, with exercises, deployments and new capabilities adapted to this area that should continue.
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July 11, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsThe Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea
The international maritime canals are « choke points » of strategic interest as they regulate the world economy. They contribute to the affirmation of maritime transport as the main vector of imports and exports throughout the world. To remain competitive and attractive, the channels keep being expanded. They also have a “neutrality status”, which means that everyone is free to use them regardless of the international situation. However, several factors are limiting these increasingly costly expansions.
Strategic “Choke Points” and regulators of the world economy
Built during the 19th century, the international maritime canals (Suez, Panama and Kiel) greatly facilitate the economic exchanges by reducing travel times. The Suez Canal allows a saving of 3500 nautical miles on a trip from Shanghai to Rotterdam, compared to the route via the Cape of Good Hope. The canals also limit certain risks such as capricious weather (Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope) or potential collisions (density of ships in the Danish straits) as they are very well secured. The flow of goods transiting through these maritime nodes has thus exploded with globalization.
If the maritime canals facilitate commercial exchanges for the benefit of the majority of people, they entail enormous geopolitical stakes. Whoever controls the canals not only controls a part of the world economy but may also project their fleet far from their bases1. With globalization, the major challenge is to ensure one’s own supplies and potentially constrain those of one’s adversaries2.
Today, the states bordering the canals are required, as it is the case for international straits, to allow “freedom of passage for all states”3. This reduces the strategic importance of owning or controlling the canals. Nevertheless, in an uncertain international environment where international law and treaties are regularly challenged, it is possible that this principle of neutrality will become at least temporarily outdated.
Vital and profitable expansions
In order to cope with the exponential growth of commercial traffic, coupled with the increase in the size of ships, the “owner” states, bordering the canals, have been forced to widen the facilities. The main goal of such enlargement was to meet the needs as much as possible and to preserve the strategic interest of these “choke points”.
The Suez Canal is a model of adaptation: initially built with a depth of eight meters and a width of twenty-two meters, it has been regularly enlarged. In 2014, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, announced extensive work to adapt the Suez Canal to the new characteristics of maritime traffic. The work, which took only one year instead of the three originally planned, consisted in widening part of the original canal, and digging a parallel lane in the Eastern section to allow two-way traffic. It resulted in a significant reduction in waiting time and an increase in daily capacity.
The Panama Canal, on the other hand, was quickly overtaken by the trend towards naval gigantism. The canal authority invested $1 billion in 1998 to widen the trench. In 2002, an invitation to tenders was initiated, in order to build new locks and increase the size of the ships received. The works started in 2007 ($5.2 billion) and were completed in 2016. It allowed for a significant increase (22%) in transit tonnage in 2017.
Perspectives
Successive enlargements have made it possible to sustain the economic benefits and strategic interest of the canals. However, several factors pose a limit to these successive enlargements.
Container ships are now 400 meters long and 60 meters wide. It is likely that in the near future such gigantism will reach its peak because, on the one hand, the construction and navigability of such giants is becoming increasingly complex and, on the other hand, ports may no longer be able to absorb such large cargos in a reasonable time.
Moreover, the grounding of the 23,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container ship “Ever Given” across the Suez Canal on March 23, 2021, is an illustration of the limits of naval gigantism and the vulnerability of sea-lanes4. Following the incident, the Suez Canal Authority decided to double the track from 72 to 82 kilometers, when the doubling of the entire canal was deemed too costly.
Indeed, the financial and environmental costs are increasing considerably with each expansion. When the canals were built more than a hundred years ago, there was obviously no massive opposition based on environmental criteria. However, the damage caused was considerable and permanent, whether in the desert Egyptian isthmus or in the lush Panamanian isthmus. This environmental aspect can no longer be neglected, as it is another factor of vulnerability. The Panama Canal is facing problems of water supply, essential for the locks operations. Water from the Gatun and Madden lakes is becoming scarce due to evaporation, drought and the increase in the number of ships. Each ship passage releases 166 million liters of water into the ocean, which must be replenished.
Strategic “choke points” as they are, the maritime canals will be coping with globalization, traffic increase and shipbuilding gigantism, up to a certain limit…
1 The Suez Canal was originally built and controlled by the French and British governments to connect the Eastern empires to Europe more quickly. It was also for their own national interests that the Americans took over the construction of the Panama Canal in order to ensure its management until 1999.
2 This was notably the case for Egypt, which, after the nationalization of the canal in 1957, refused Israel the right to pass through the Suez Canal.
3 Convention of Constantinople of 1888 for the Suez Canal, Treaty of Versailles of 1919 for the Kiel Canal, and a bilateral treaty of 1977 for the Panama Canal.
4 The blockage of the canal for six days directly affected the global economy and could dampen the ardor of ship-owners. Lloyd’s List Intelligence estimated the cost of the canal blockage at $9.6 billion.
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June 29, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsTrans-border cooperation in mitigating illicit maritime activities remains necessary due to the transnational nature of maritime insecurity. High incidents of sea banditry, piracy, and associated crimes within the maritime domain contributed to the under-utilization of the resource-landed Gulf of Guinea region. Read on to understand how the implementation of the Yaounde Code of Conduct has enhanced stronger transboundary and inter-regional cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea.
Background of The Maritime Insecurities in The Gulf of Guinea
The International Maritime Bureau’s 2020 report shows that 135 seafarers were kidnapped, and 84 attacks on ships were recorded in the GoG. The same report showed the region experienced a 50% increase in ransom kidnapping between 2018 and 2019. GoG remains the most dangerous maritime zone, accounting for 95% of kidnapping globally.
The pervasive incidence of insecurity, particularly the growing nature and intensity of armed robbery at sea, piracy, and other maritime criminalities in this resource-laden maritime domain, is underpinned by the following:
High Poverty Level in the Region
Most security challenges confronting Africa have originated from increasing poverty levels. It is pertinent to emphasize that attaining security in the Gulf of Guinea depends on the people’s financial stability.
The underdeveloped and undiversified economy in the coastal states, signatories of the Yaounde Code of Conduct, is evident. The latter has resulted in an overreliance on economic activities such as fishing and small-scale farming. Most people in these states work for survival instead of growth. The youthful population in this region is left with few employment opportunities. They become a fertile recruiting ground for criminal networks and insurgent groups responsible for the rising spate of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the GoG. These groups offer them financial incentives, protection, and basic needs.
The Prevalence of Bad Governance in States Signatories to The Yaounde Code of Conduct
The escalation of piracy and armed robbery at sea can be entrenched in poor governance in the region. Most Yaounde Code of Conduct signatories parade low human development indices, despite the vast oil endowment in the area. The implication of poor governance is evident in the signatory states’ weak enforcement capacity of counter-piracy and armed robbery against ship operations. Besides, unprecedented diversion of resources from procurement of sophisticated hardware to curb the robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea is evident.
Adoption of the Yaounde Code of Conduct
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) had been following the illicit maritime activities in the GoG for years. However, the intervention began when Benin President, Thomas Boni Yayi, pleaded with the United Nations (UN) for assistance to combat transnational crimes in the region. ECOWAS, ECCAS, and GGC member-states adopted The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions 2018 and 2039 to strengthen domestic and international laws to address safety and security threats at sea.
Consequent to adopting UNSC resolutions, member states convened in the Gulf of Guinea in March 2013. They drafted a regional strategy that attracted twenty-five countries from the Gulf of Guinea at the Cotonou Conference for the June 24 and 25, 2013 summit in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Here, they drafted a document known as the Yaounde Code of Conduct to repress the following:
Illicit Maritime Activity in West and Central Africa.Armed Robbery against Ships.Piracy.
Progress in the implementation of the Yaounde Code of Conduct
Despite the economic fragility of the coastal states who are Signatories to the Yaounde Code of Conduct, its adoption has progressed. The EU is actively committed to funding capacity development needed to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. It uses the European Development Fund (EDF) and Instrument contributing to Security and Peace (IcSP) to facilitate programs and projects focused on training, capacity building, information sharing, and legal framework.
Yaounde Architecture for Maritime Safety and Security (YAMS) leaders confirm that the YAMS system meant to improve information sharing, coordinate action, and strengthen laws is functioning. However, the CRESMAO center has not moved to its headquarters and is yet to be staffed.
The spirit of international cooperation and building best practices remains evident in the GOG-MCF/SHADE. Nigeria and ICC Yaoundé intend to form a framework that focuses on bringing together regional and international stakeholders to focus on armed robbery and counter-piracy.
The Way Forward for Yaounde Code of Conduct
Unfortunately, the Yaounde Code of Conduct architecture, YAMS, is intricate and requires significant effort and commitment from GoG countries to make it a reality. Countries must coordinate their information-sharing systems within different operation zones to effectively eradicate illicit activities in the Gulf of Guinea.
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June 20, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsThe shipping industry is the backbone of the global economy, carrying over 80% of all trade. Although, as an industry, it is more carbon efficient than road or air shipping, shipping is still responsible for a considerable amount of greenhouse gas emissions. If added to the list of nations by emissions, shipping would be the world’s sixth-biggest polluter. Furthermore, the Third IMO GHG Study of 2014 predicted that this could rise by 250% by 2050 if no changes are made. So, what is causing this pollution from shipping, and what can be done to address it and provide more sustainable vessels?
Sources of Pollution from Shipping
There are several ways in which shipping produces pollutants, so we’ll break them down here into a few categories.
Red Codee Alarm and Climate Change
In his reference to the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “it is clear to all who want to listen that the planet is facing a climate crisis.” He elaborated that this is “a code red for humanity. The alarm bells are deafening and the evidence is irrefutable”. By extension, the climate crisis creates an ocean crisis, directly increasing the risks for marine biodiversity.
Sulfur Dioxide
Most ships are powered by heavy fuel oil, the most polluting form of fuel oil. According to Peter Boyd, chief operating officer of Carbon War Room, “One ship emits the equivalent of 50m cars’ worth of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, and just 15 ships emit the equivalent SO2 emissions of every car in the world.” Sulfur dioxide is a cause of respiratory illness in humans and causes acid rain, which kills trees and leaches vital minerals from the soil.
Carbon Dioxide
A vast amount of CO2 is produced by burning fuel oil for shipping. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and a significant contributor to the ongoing climate crisis. The annual CO2 emissions from shipping are currently estimated to be around 940 million tons, at least 2.5% of total global CO2 emissions.
Fuel Sillage
We may occasionally hear of major oil spills from tankers, which have individually devastating environmental impacts. However, there are also thousands of minor spills annually, and not just from fuel tankers. Some occur in ports during the fuelling process or when loading tankers; other incidents occur during collisions or when ships become beached. These seemingly minor incidents are cumulative, leading to a great deal of environmental damage and harm to marine life.
Making Shipping More Sustainable
The shipping industry as a whole is aware of sustainability issues, and there are initiatives in place now seeking to address them. For example, the International Maritime Organization has set a target to cut CO2 emissions by 50% by 2050.
Another factor that had been hampering efforts to reduce the impact of shipping on climate change was that most nations don’t include international shipping on the carbon budget. However, this too is beginning to change, and the UK became the first country to have CO2 from international shipping in its CO2 budget in 2021. In addition, many innovative solutions for sustainable vessels are also being planned by independent businesses.
Cleaner Fuels
Cleaner distillate fuels are a way to reduce the sulfur dioxide emissions from shipping. However, these fuels are at least $300 per tonne more expensive than the fuels currently used, so this would have a dramatic financial impact on shipping companies that make the switch. So it would seem that, without international cooperation regulating fuel usage, this option is unlikely to be taken up at present. Fuel-use reduction would seem to be a more workable option in the short to medium term.
Biocide-Free Paint
Most ships have reduced fuel efficiency due to a build-up of marine organisms on the hull. This can be improved by a coat of paint that inhibits the growth of these organisms, an option that is beginning to be taken seriously. For example, AIDA Cruises’ 38,531gt cruise vessel, AIDAcara, received an application of this paint in 2019 when drydocked in Marseilles, France. The paint manufacturer, Nippon Paint Europe, estimates that it can reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%, providing more sustainable vessels.
Conclusions
The climate crisis is being taken more seriously than ever, and the shipping industry is working hard to produce ever more sustainable vessels. However, there is still a lot of work to be done, and we can expect to see an increasing number of innovative solutions in the coming years.
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June 13, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsMaritime transport is commonly presented as the cleanest mode of transport. However, the reality is less obvious. In order to boost the ecological transition of this sector, the IMO has set binding targets. A revolution is therefore underway to have cleaner modes of propulsion.
A necessary ecological transition
It is true that maritime transport is much more efficient in terms of CO2 emissions than road transport. However, its environmental footprint is much larger if we look at the sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions induced by the consumption of heavy fuel oil.
The IMO has taken the measure of the on-going ecological transition. It has therefore committed to reducing the total volume of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from shipping. The goal is to reach half of 2008 GHG emissions level by 2050.
To comply with these new standards, ship-owners have no choice but to make investments. There areseveral options:
turning to low-sulfur marine fuel oil: cheaper than conventional heavy fuel oil, its carbon footprint remains high;installing smoke scrubbers: such devices are capable of capturing up to 90% of sulfur emissions;change to alternative propulsion modes.
The need for investment
During the life of a vessel, shipowners are faced with regulatory changes and the variability of energy costs. Therefore, spending on research and development for alternative propulsion systems must be considered as an investment.
The maritime transport sector underwent a first change with the multiplication of electrically propelled ships, known as “all-electric ships“. It is true that electric propulsion is more efficient than conventional propulsion. However, the gains obtained are low compared to the IMO objectives.
Other technologies, currently in service or under development, can generate fuel-consumption reductions, meaning GHG emissions reductions:
sailing propulsion: several carriers have opted for hyper-efficient cargo sailing ships, some of them are able to carry several hundred TEU;wind energy is also used via towing kites, or Flettner rotors, using the Magnus effect to supplement the propulsion of ships, thus reducing the load on propulsion engines and therefore their consumption;wind energy combined with solar energy. The EnergySail technology developed by Eco Marine Power, for example, uses rigid sails equipped with solar panels;wave energy: installed at the back of the ship, an articulated hydrofoil is driven by the waves. The movement generates useful energy for the ship, which leads to a reduction in fuel consumption (such technology has been developed by Blue Fins and Ifremer).
Towards a revolution
The use of other fuels, as substitutes to heavy fuel oil, is another option for the future:
The combustion of liquefied natural gas reduces SOx emissions by 100%, NOx by 80% and CO2 by 20% compared to heavy fuel oil. Although the conversion of ships from heavy fuel oil to LNG has been mastered, it still involves a fossil fuel that doesn’t eliminate most of the GHGs;Several challenges still need to be overcome to use hydrogen. First of all, for the same amount of energy, liquid hydrogen takes up to four times more volume than heavy fuel oil. However, this difficulty is partially offset by the increased efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells, compared to diesel engines, and by the smaller size of the propulsion system. The current power of hydrogen fuel cells only allows them to be used on small ships. Finally, and most importantly, this type of propulsion only makes sense environmentally if it uses “green hydrogen“, the production cost of which is absolutely not competitive today.
Although it offers great promise in terms of GHG emissions, the hydrogen sector is not mature yet. However, while the OECD estimates that international freight volumes will increase more than fourfold between now and 2050, it now seems to be the most credible solution for achieving the objectives set by the IMO.
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May 25, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsPlastic pollution in the Arctic coast.
Since the COP26 climate change summit held in November 2021, the media focus has increasingly been on climate change and environmental degradation. However, one largely ignored aspect is that particular areas are more affected than others. One of these areas is the Arctic region.
Effects of Climate Change on the Arctic
As the planet warms, melting snow and ice makes the Arctic region darker, meaning that it absorbs more solar radiation. Because of this, the Arctic region is warming at three times the global average rate. This, combined with the loss of permanent ice, has significant implications for animal and plant life in the region. For example, polar bears are an endangered species that rely on seals as their primary prey, who in turn rely on floating sea ice to raise their young. With the loss of their main prey, starving polar bears roam further south and come into conflict with humans.
Climate change is the biggest threat to biodiversity in the Arctic. However, other factors related to human activity have a significant effect, plastic pollution being one of the most damaging.
Sources of Plastic Pollution in the Arctic
With the lack of significant human habitation in the Arctic, you would expect relatively low levels of plastic pollution. However, plastic pollution is widely reported across the entire region. One reason for this is that, although the Arctic contains just 1% of the global ocean volume, it receives over 10% of global river discharge. Ocean currents also play their part, bringing flows of plastic pollution from across North America and Europe.
There are also significant local sources of plastic pollution. For example, large amounts of plastic in the Arctic come from discarded fishing equipment. As well as this, there is significant cruise tourism leading to large quantities of bottles, plastic bags, containers and fabrics being found around Arctic coastal areas.
Effects of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife
The most visible effects of the buildup of plastic across the Arctic region are on the larger wildlife. For example, abandoned nets entangle marine mammals and fish; they have even been observed causing distress to reindeer when washed up on the coast. These larger pieces of plastic debris can also pose a risk to shipping, becoming tangled in propellers or clogging engine intakes.
However, the problems don’t end there. The plastics degrade into smaller particles that animals of every size then ingest. As a result, fulmars, cod and belugas have all been found with high levels of plastics in their digestive tracts. In addition, pieces of plastic can act as floating rafts for invasive species. For example, non-native barnacles have been found on plastic debris in the Norwegian coastal town of Svalbard.
As the plastics break down further, they persist within the food web. As well as harming wildlife, this can cause human health issues. For example, certain plastics have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, hormonal issues and fertility problems.
Reducing the Impact of Arctic Plastic Pollution
If left unchecked, the impacts of Arctic plastic pollution will have a considerable effect. For example, around 2.5 million tonnes of fish are caught in this region annually. The loss of this would have an incalculable impact on global food security.
Fortunately, efforts are underway globally to reduce plastic pollution. As well as recycling initiatives, many nations are passing legislation to eliminate single-use plastics like drinking straws, carrier bags and plastic cutlery. Some efforts are also being undertaken to reduce plastic packaging for food. For example, most major fast-food retailers now package their products in paper and cardboard.
However, a tremendous amount of plastic is already out there in the ocean, and measures are needed to clean this up. Non-profit organizations such as The Ocean Cleanup are working on methods to intercept plastic in rivers before it enters the ocean. They also plan to break up the floating “garbage islands” that have appeared on several oceans. Their slightly ambitious goal is to remove 90% of the plastic from the world’s oceans.
Both reduction and cleanup are strategies that we will need in the years ahead to keep the Arctic, and indeed all of the world’s oceans, clear of plastic pollution. But, as yet, efforts in either direction seem to be inadequate to the scale of the problem. If we are to avoid catastrophic impacts, these efforts need to be scaled up dramatically.
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May 16, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsAfrica’s blue economy
Climate change, overfishing, and exhaustive ocean practices in several economic sectors threaten marine biodiversity. Africa’s Blue Economy: The Red Code Alarm explains Africa’s blue economy strategy and its actions to secure a sustainable future for Africa’s seas.
Africa’s blue economy can be a crucial contributor to the regional and global economy and has the potential to grow further. However, the sector faces several challenges in achieving sustainable growth. This article provides an overview of the blue economy and its key drivers, some of the challenges it is facing, and suggestions for new sustainable strategies that could be implemented to improve the development of this sector.
A Contextual Summary of the African Maritime Environment
Coastal and marine resources are central to providing food, energy, and jobs to millions of people; however, Africa’s maritime industry faces many challenges, including climate change and illegal fishing practices. Climate change affects the availability of marine resources and makes it harder for vessels to navigate. At the same time, illegal fishing has caused the depletion of many stocks and the degradation of critical marine habitats. These problems are putting Africa’s maritime industry at risk, and there’s a need for concerted actions to address them.
Red Code Alarm and Climate Change
In his reference to the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “it is clear to all who want to listen that the planet is facing a climate crisis.” He elaborated that this is “a code red for humanity. The alarm bells are deafening and the evidence is irrefutable”. By extension, the climate crisis creates an ocean crisis, directly increasing the risks for marine biodiversity.
The Consequences of Illegal Fishing Practices
There are many harmful consequences of illegal fishing practices, including depletion of fish stocks, loss of habitat, pollution, and the displacement of marine life. Illegal fishing also contributes to global warming, as fishing vessels generate large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
Africa’s Blue Economy Strategy Explained
In the African context, the Blue Economy includes oceans, seas, coasts, lakes, rivers, and subsurface water. It encompasses both aquatic and marine spaces. Fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, transportation, shipbuilding, energy, bioprospecting underwater mining, and other related operations are just a few of the sectors that it supports. The key obstacles that a Blue Economy strategy might help overcome include increasing knowledge and raising awareness of climate change, environmental stewardship, and promoting environment-friendly business practices.
What Does the Blue Economy Hope To Achieve?
The Blue Economy provides an opportunity for strengthened partnerships that can assist coastal communities to become an inclusive part of economic development. It can lead to the expansion of progress and peace and foster a climate of prosperity across the African continent.
What Can We Expect From Africa’s Blue Economy ?
Cultural and other societal elements have an impact on our lived experience of the economy. Therefore, the successful transition to a blue economy for Africa, could imply the following actions:
Agenda setting, awareness, and sensitizationCoordination in formulating the Blue Economy policyBuilding national ownership of the Blue Economy policy formulation processSector identification and prioritizationDesigning the Blue Economy policyPolicy ImplementationMonitoring and Evaluation
Africa’s maritime industry faces several challenges that have a direct bearing on its ability to thrive and grow. From the effects of climate change to the rampant illegal fishing practices, there is always something standing in the way of progress.
However, through collective efforts and concerted action, Africa’s maritime industry can overcome these challenges and usher in a new era of prosperity for all.
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May 4, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsFrance’s EEZ, 10,2 million km² (3,94 million sq mi), is the second largest maritime area in the world after the United States. 97% of the French EEZ is related to its overseas departments and communities, the metropolitan EEZ representing only 370,000 km² (143,000 sq mi.). In order to monitor this immense overseas EEZ, a significant number of patrol vessels is necessary. While the French Navy is technologically credible, it is hindered by a modest number of naval platforms.
Maritime Surveillance
Currently, the French Navy has four Overseas Support and Assistance Ships (BSAOM), three Antilles-Guyana Patrol Boats (PAG) and six Surveillance Frigates (FS) dedicated to the surveillance of overseas marine territories.
It means only 13 vessels are monitoring an area of 9,8 million km² (3,8 million sq mi.), each vessel being responsible for an area the size of Chile. It is true that six Overseas Patrol Vessels (POM) are to be delivered between 2022 and 2025, but by the end of the decade, the six Surveillance Frigates built in the early 1990s will probably be decommissioned.
Based on this observation, the recent report by the Senate Delegation for overseas recommends coupling the delivery of the POMs with the commissioning of surface drones to monitor the EEZ.
Drones Opportunities
The use of drones to complement conventional forces would indeed allow a significant increase in capabilities…but they still need to be developed. The French Defense Industry is in the early stages of surface drones development. During the 2021 Naval Innovation Days, the company Naval Group presented a submarine drone but no autonomous surface system.
Surface drones could provide a permanent and in-depth surveillance network. They could be used either as a complement to conventional forces to reinforce an existing surveillance system and possibly create a saturation effect, or as a substitute for conventional forces for DDD (Dull, Dirty, Dangerous) missions. Indeed, this 3D rule illustrates the comparative advantage of the drone compared to a manned system: it will be able to carry out repetitive and tedious tasks over time (dull), in an unpleasant or painful environment (dirty), even hostile (dangerous).
The Israelis claim to be the first to have implemented an armed surface drone. Since then, the Americans and Chinese have made progress and caught up.
China and USA Moving Forward
A US DoD report presented to Congress in February 2022 proposed to develop a fleet made up of one third large ships (aircraft carriers, frigates), one third smaller ships and one third medium/large unmanned surface vehicles (MUSV/LUSV). The MUSVs (Sea Hunter type) would be used mainly to carry sensors (radar, sonar, electronic warfare, etc.) and weapons designed to combat swarms of enemy drones. The LUSVs (Overlord program) would provide additional mass and, in particular, sufficient weapons. They would be used in long-term operations, and specifically focused on high-intensity naval combat.
As for China, it seems to be developing mainly small USVs, intended for export (JARI – 12m or Marine Lizard – 15m) and presented at the main arms shows. Some open sources also exposed larger models, which seem to be developed specifically for the PLA Navy. Beijing barely communicates on those. Indeed, China needs increased maritime surveillance capabilities in the “nine-dash line” area, particularly around the disputed islands in the South China Sea.
The Future of Maritime Surveillance
Finally, if surface drones can be used to reinforce the surveillance network, to combat illegal activities (IUU, smuggling….) on the world’s seas.They could also strengthen the offensive and defensive capabilities of a naval task force: extension of the radar detection range, multi-static anti-submarine warfare, coordinated anti-aircraft network to counter a saturating attack, etc.
Although these tools are not fully mature yet, and their lethal effectiveness in armed operations remains to be demonstrated, they have solid assets to reinforce the surveillance of maritime spaces. European countries must rapidly strengthen their R&D in surface drones, in order to maintain their strategic autonomy.
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April 11, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsAlthough France has the second biggest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world (3.9 million sq mi), it does not have a Coast Guard to protect it. Like in many other domains, France has instead developed a specific concept to coordinate the action of the many administrations acting in the maritime domain: “l’Action de l’État en Mer”) or “the State Action at Sea” (SAS).
What is the State Action at Sea?
SAS describes a comprehensive approach of all government-led maritime operations, with the exception of the defense missions. It covers over 45 missions, organized in 10 categories, which address an exhaustive panel of issues: from sovereignty and protection of national interests, to combatting illegal activities, ensuring the safety of people and goods, or protecting the environment.
When EEZ were created in 1976, France had to tailor an organization in order to protect French interests at sea. Instead of creating a specific Coast Guard corps, France chose to rely on a unique maritime authority, and the versatility of assets belonging to the different administrations operating at sea.
Governance and organization
In mainland France, the Maritime Prefects, three Navy vice-admirals, have the delegation of the Prime Minister’s authority for SAS within their respective maritime domain. In the Overseas Territories, a government’s delegate for SAS acts on behalf of the Prime Minister, with the support of the local maritime commander (a Navy officer).
The General Secretary for the Sea organizes and coordinates this structure, under the authority of the Prime Minister. He chairs the Director Comity of the Coast Guard Function, which ensures the coordination and sharing of all the maritime assets of the different administrations operating at sea and along the coastline. There are eight of these: the French Navy, including the Maritime Gendarmerie, the Customs, the Maritime Affairs, the Gendarmerie, the Directorate-General of the Overseas, the Border Police and Civilian Protection.
What are the missions?
One of the main concerns of the French government’s policy for SAS is combatting illegal migration in the Channel, in the Mediterranean and around Mayotte (due to Comorian migrants). It is a complicated task, between law enforcement and safety of life at sea. Additionally, the BREXIT has raised tensions with the UK in the Channel on that matter.
Drug enforcement, especially in the West Indies and in the Mediterranean sea, is also an important topic. Although the seizures were massive in the late years, they remain relatively minor compared to the estimated global volume of the traffic.
Illegal fishing is another issue withing SAS framework. As an example, Fisheries Protection off the French Guiana faces an endemic illegal activity by Brazilian fishermen, with a high level of violence.
Current and future challenges
On a larger scale, the pillaging of Argentinian’s and Equatorian’s fishery resources by Chinese fishing armada raises the question of the protection of the vast French EEZ. While only the French Navy is able to operate in the high sea, its current downsizing due to previous budget cuts and delayed renewal programs, rises as a serious concern.
AIS tracks around French Polynesia EEZ (red line)
Former and current Chiefs of Staff of the French Navy have launched an ambitious program to equip all warships with UAVs in order to increase the capacity of control of maritime assets by ten times. However, these new means are not expected before several years.
Moreover, the necessary protection of the maritime environment is likely to collide with increasing industrial activities (offshore wind turbines, mineral exploitation…) in an already engorged space, due to maritime traffic, fishery and military activities. This will challenge the limited number of French assets available for SAS tasks, while tensions keep rising on sovereignty issues and delimitation of disputed maritime areas.
Perspectives for the State Action at Sea
In a report published in 2019, the French National Court of Audits noted the lack of coordination between the different entities involved in the SAS. After the resignation of Catherine Chabaud, Delegate for the Sea and the Littoral, a Ministry of the Sea was finally created in July 2020. However, without any authority over the other ministries involved in the maritime domain (such as the Economics or Transportation), it is likely to remain an empty shell.
In its plan for 2030, the French government underlined the tremendous prospects offered by France’s EEZ, which could increase even more in the coming years with the extension of the Continental shelf. Shall this new positioning of France as a major maritime nation of the 21st century become a reality, massive investments in the SAS, both in action and coordination capacities, will be needed.
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April 7, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsUnderwater cables are a major challenge. Cutting off a country’s communications does not seem very difficult considering the various incidents already recorded. But protecting such vital infrastructures is very difficult and costly. Seabed Warfare, this is the kind of threat Western countries will need to deal with in a very near future.
Seabed warfare
In recent years, many events have fueled the idea that an insidious submarine war could start soon. Indeed, the increase in the number of incidents on submarine infrastructures as well as the presentation of sea-bed-intervention submarines and Underwater Unarmed Vehicles (UUVs) are strong arguments accrediting this thesis.
In November 2021 and January 2022, two Norwegian agencies reported incidents on underwater cables. In the first case, a scientific cable was torn off and displaced. The segments have not been fully retrieved yet. In the second case, a communication cable was cut, altering the resilience level of the telecommunication service which it supported.
A report by the International Cable Protection Committee states that out of 2,500 events registered between 1959 and 2006, 66% of cable damage was caused by human activity (anchoring and fishing), 13% by natural events and 21% remains of unknown origin (based on data from Tyco Telecommunications (US) Inc.).
These different examples highlight the great vulnerability of submarine cables, whether they are used for data transport, power supply or scientific purposes, and the difficulty in establishing responsibilities. Today, roughly 99% of the world’s data traffic travels through submarine cables.
The most powerful countries already in the game
Moreover, these cables are vulnerable to sabotaging, or spying .The United States created a new means of action during the Spanish-American War of 1898, by cutting several maritime telecommunication cables, isolating Spain from its areas of operation, and thus gaining an important strategic advantage. In the sixties, the United States resumed spying on the submarine cables communications, and it seems that these operations are still going on today.
Other major nations are involved in this business: Russia and China’s deep-sea capacities and activities leave little doubt as to their objectives. Whether it is the Russian Losharik submarine or the Chinese HSU-001, these two countries are demonstrating their will to carry out actions in the deep sea, to assert their interests or hinder their rivals.
Since 2015 at least, NATO and the United States have shown concern about the activities (potentially cable mapping) carried out by the Russian ship Yandra as well as the Russian submarine fleet. NATO seems to fear that these units could foreshadow destabilizing actions, to undermine the interests of NATO and its partners. However, protecting 1.3 million kilometers of cables represents an unprecedented challenge for nations.
To prepare for this future type of action, several Western countries have taken actions. In 2016, the US Navy published an updated version of Undersea Warfare S&T Strategic, detailing scientific and technical objectives to align R&D with the needs in the field. In the United Kingdom, the First Sea Lord announced in his 2020 New Year’s speech that two Ocean Surveillance ships would be built “to help with data collection and protect critical national infrastructure and undersea cables.”
In February 2022, the French Minister of Defence presented her country’s Seabed warfare strategy. The French plan is quite interesting, giving insights on the different strategic competitors in the field, the ambitions of Paris as well as a roadmap to achieve these objectives. Though it is long-term global plan, it does not detail the means that will be implemented to prevent and counter acts of sabotage or espionage.
In a nutshell, cutting off a country’s communications does not seem very difficult considering the various incidents already recorded. On the other hand, protecting such vital infrastructures as underwater cables is very difficult and costly. In a post-covid context, which has weakened many countries, one may wonder whether the various Western strategies will be funded up to their ambitions. One thing is certain however: to do nothing to protect underwater cables is not an option!
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March 31, 2022Miscellaneous / NewsShould the ocean, which is such an incredible treasure, be made a sanctuary? This is the dilemma that led France to organize the One Ocean Summit, from February 9 to 11, 2022 in Brest. While the issue of seabed mining was central, it should not overshadow other issues such as plastic pollution, overfishing, and damage caused to the biodiversity.
What is the One Ocean Summit?
The One Planet movement (a branch of the One Ocean Summit) was created to keep the “fight against climate disruption” and the “protection of nature” at the highest political level. Launched in December 2017 as a joint initiative of France, the UN and the World Bank, I was based on a clear observation: preserving the planet requires more concrete commitments and a joint effort of all actors, public and private. The movement is therefore part of an international dynamic.
Who participated in the Brest meeting?
In addition to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, 41 nations from all continents were represented. Amongst them: China, France, the United States, Tunisia, Colombia, and so on…
Alongside political decision-makers, business leaders and civil society actors participated in this global event.
French President Emmanuel Macron poses with heads of state during the One Ocean Summit in Brest on February 11, 2022. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
What was the outcome?
Thirteen commitments were taken by the end of the summit, structured around four main themes:
1. Protecting the biodiversity and resources of our oceans.
2. Joining forces with the ocean in the face of climate change.
3. Putting an end to plastic pollution of the oceans.
4. Placing the ocean at the heart of the international political agenda.
The most symbolic commitments are the following:
– An international agreement against plastic pollution: a dozen countries, including the United States and the entire European Union support the launch of negotiations under the aegis of the UN. In addition, India and France have committed to eliminating pollution from single-use plastics.
– The mapping of 80% of the seabed by 2030, under the aegis of UNESCO.
– a commitment to fight illegal fishing: 14 countries will strengthen the fight against illegal fishing, especially by mobilizing their State Navy for surveillance missions such as those conducted by France in its EEZ.
France also took national engagements, such as the extension of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands or the diminution, within 10 years, of all littoral that pose a risk of plastic waste discharge at sea.
What are the challenges for France?
Since the success of the COP21 in Paris, back in 2015, France has led the fight for environmental preservation. Today, the success of the One Ocean Summit also resonates in the context of its Presidency of the UE.
France’s credibility and legitimacy on the subject of the oceans protection stems from two factors: Paris has the second largest EEZ in the world, and has developed a specific doctrine to take care of it, the State Action at Sea, mostly based on the French Navy’s assets.
At the end of the summit, France and Costa Rica committed to organizing the next One Ocean Summit in 2024.
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Piracy
October 27, 2023News / PiracyThe International Maritime Bureau (IMB), in collaboration with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), has released its latest quarterly report on piracy. This latest report covers the first nine months of the year. It highlights a 10% increase in incidents of piracy and armed robbery.
85 vessels were boarded, 9 were the subject of attempted attacks, 3 were hijacked and 2 were fired upon. The perpetrators managed to board 89% of the targeted vessels, with most incidents occurring at night. Although reported violence against crew members was at one of its lowest levels in thirty years, the risk remains real. 69 people were taken hostage, 14 kidnapped, 8 threatened, 3 injured and 1 assaulted.
While 33 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait, compared with 31 for the same period in 2023, the situation in the Gulf of Guinea deteriorated sharply. Twenty-one incidents were reported, compared with 14 for the same period in 2022. 54 people were taken hostage, 14 were kidnapped, and 2 were injured.
Gulf of Guinea
On July 22, 2023, a fishing vessel with 23 crew members on board was hijacked by 13 armed pirates approximately 18 nautical miles off Freetown, Sierra Leone. The IMB commends the efforts of the Liberian Coast Guard in locating the hijacked fishing vessel off Monrovia. After an exchange of gunfire, the Coast Guard secured the vessel. All crew members have been accounted for. Two pirates were apprehended. The 14 crew members kidnapped, the three vessels hijacked, and the two vessels fired upon in 2023 all occurred in this region.
IBM is concerned about the sometimes late or inadequate reporting of these incidents, it commends the authorities concerned for investigating almost all reported incidents. It urges regional cooperation and coastal authorities to redouble their efforts to protect seafarers, shipping and regional and international trade.
Positive actions taken by navies, including preventive and disruptive anti-piracy tactics, have helped to improve the situation.
As the global community grapples with increasingly complex geopolitical challenges and rapidly-evolving criminal activity. The IMB/ICC Piracy Report proves to be a crucial resource for evaluating the present condition of maritime security. Additionally, it offers guidance to stakeholders who aim to implement competent risk reduction strategies.
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November 16, 2022News / PiracyOver the last three decades, the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) has developed into a maritime crime hotspot. Crude oil theft and piracy became commonplace, with highly-organized criminal networks selling stolen crude oil to clients across the world. The backdrop to this is decades of ethnic conflict and successive Nigerian governments finding it difficult to impose law and order across the Niger Delta. In the center of this conflict sits the Ijaw people, an ethnic group of around 4 million people with a proud maritime heritage.
Background: the Maritime Heritage of the Ijaw in the GoG
When Westerners first arrived in the GoG, the Ijaw people were among the first people they contacted. They had long been a maritime people, fishing and exploring all around the Niger Delta for possibly as long as 7,000 years. This made them ideal as go-betweens with people of the interior. By the early and mid-twentieth century, before Nigerian independence, the Ijaws had developed substantial corporations with fleets of merchant vessels and war canoes, escaping much of the heavy-handedness of the colonial powers.
Black Gold In the Niger Delta
With the coming of independence and the discovery of huge reserves of oil and gas in the Niger Delta, things changed for the Ijaw. Neglect by the Nigerian government and the presence of powerful corporations sent much of the Ijaw population into poverty, although many still remained in maritime careers, their skills becoming highly sought-after. Others trained in the petroleum industry. Perhaps inevitably, these conditions led to increasing inter-ethnic tensions, which, by the end of the 20th century, had developed into open conflict.
Developing Conflict and the Ijaw Professional Diaspora
By the early 1990s, the Ijaw and other minority groups in the Niger Delta had come to resent what they saw as their exploitation by oil companies granted licenses by a distant and uncaring central government. In 1998 the Ijaw Youth Council issued a declaration to oil companies, demanding they cease their activities and withdraw from Ijaw territory. This led to direct armed conflict with the oil companies as Ijaw activists and militias turned off pipelines and conducted sabotage against oil installations. This conflict remains mostly unresolved to this day and continues to impoverish the Ijaw as their most skilled people have left the country in large numbers, taking their maritime and petrochemical knowledge to nations across the Western world.
Hope for the Future?
In recent years, the Ijaw have mostly mellowed their positions, becoming advocates of peaceful resistance and brokering peaceful relations with other ethnic groups with whom they previously had disputes. In fact, they threw their weight behind the current governor of Delta State in the latest elections, a man of Itsekiri extraction, although an Ijaw candidate could easily have won the contest.
This position comes from a desire that candidacy should not be based on ethnicity. Unfortunately, this has led to disagreement with the leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who appear to be selecting candidates based on rotating between candidates from different ethnic groups. On this basis, Ijaw leaders rejected the results of the primaries for the 2023 gubernatorial election.
Although this remains contentious, armed conflict doesn’t seem to be on the cards, and violence, in general, is at much lower levels than in previous years. The Niger Delta seems to be becoming more stable, and encouragingly, no piracy has been reported in the GoG for two consecutive quarters.
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February 10, 2022Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / PiracyChannel of Mozambique map
Groups on the “Swahili Coast” started the Mozambique Channel insurgency in 2017. The revolution now includes not less than 800 separate attacks across Mozambique, especially Northern Mozambique. The attacks have resulted in at least 2600 fatalities while other 600,000 individuals are now displaced.
The importance of this strategic region for maritime security and traffic
By mid 19th century, the Mozambique Channel had for decades played a central role in the trade between the Western world, East Asia, and also within the Indian Ocean. Yet an international naval response was necessary to prevent illegal traffic and safeguard channel trade, a similar scenario we see today.
The Mozambique Channel has been a significant route for shipping in Eastern Africa. The Channel receives every major river in Madagascar. It also features the ports of Toliary and Mahajanga on its coast. The ports of Beira, Mozambique, and Maputo and the Zambezi River’s mouth are also along the opposite shore of the Mozambique Channel.
The current maritime security situation
The ongoing rebellion in northern Mozambique has led to multiple maritime security concerns in the Mozambique Channel, a primary transit course for the marine traffic in the Indian Ocean’s arm. For instance, March 2021 was a period that saw a sour struggle for the port of Palma, reinforcing concerns about maritime security between Madagascar and the Mozambique coast. Today, the Mozambique Channel is already experiencing limited local maritime-security capacity.
Piracy, illegal fishing, and other reasons for insecurities in the Mozambique Channel
Several factors contribute to the Mozambique Channel insecurities, like the significant energy development projects of offshore gas fields near the Cabo Delgado Province’s coast. In August 2020, the militants’ capture of the port of Mocimboa da Praia led to an escalation of the insurgency in Mozambique.
This insecurity led to the disruption of the enormous gas projects due to the weak maritime security along the Channel. This has also opened prospects for terror groups to fund and expand their operations, leaving essential coastal lines susceptible to naval threats.
Since 2017, drug trafficking along the Mozambique Channel has been another threat in the region while drug traffickers were using the Channel as a trade route to smuggle heroin to Mozambique from Afghanistan.
Additionally, the East African coast faces many challenges concerning illegal fishing and piracy that have thrived in the region for decades now. Piracy concerns led Mozambique to allow other countries, like the South African Navy, to offer security assistance.
The international engagement in the area
So far, the Mozambican armed forces seem to be overwhelmed as far as restoring order in the country is concerned, despite receiving reinforcements from several security contractors before. Instead, the insurgency appears to steadily grow in ambition and proficiency, creating a growing appreciation of the maritime aspects of the security situation. The results have been detrimental as the latest developments have led Total, the French energy company, to freeze work on its Mozambique high-cost liquefied natural gas venture.
When it comes to international responses, Portugal has committed itself to station 60 soldiers to train local Special Forces. On the other side, France has areas off the East African coast, the Mayotte and Reunion, and several other Indian Ocean territories.
The European Union (EU) has not been left behind as it keeps focusing its counter-piracy naval function on the Somalian coast with the Atalanta operation. But it now routinely consists of less than two naval assets, a situation that, together with the overall EU reluctance to more deeply involve themselves in the Mozambique state of affairs, has led to low likelihoods of extending the naval operation south to the Mozambique Channel.
The United States of America have also involved itself in the Mozambique Channel’s regional maritime capacity-building attempts. Recently, the U.S announced a mission to offer the Mozambique marines military training to enhance the local armed forces’ ability to battle the insurgency.
And after a technical mission dispatch, reports claim that the South African Development Community nations are thinking of stationing around 3000 troops to neutralize the insurgency. But implementing such a plan may not be that easy.
The notion of an emerging maritime security Hotspot
Today, the Mozambique Channel waters are becoming a primary new security hotspot throughout the Indian Ocean. Islamist groups have insurrected in Northern Mozambique, leading to an increased disruption in the Channel. And the Mozambique government seems to be powerless in suppressing the insurgence altogether.
The idea of this emerging maritime security hotspot has called for European partners and the Quad nations to help contain the situation before stepping of other factors into the vacuum. The Mozambique insurgency is currently threatening security throughout the Mozambique Channel, the 1000-nm long watercourse separating East Africa and Madagascar. Approximately 30% of the global tanker traffic passes here, and the region hosts some of the largest gas reserves.
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February 9, 2022News / Piracy / Weapons TraffickingEU Flag
The Mediterranean Sea has always been a strategic maritime trade and transportation region. However, the numerous islands and peninsulas in the area have made it convenient for smugglers to operate. But, the rise of terrorist groups in North Africa has only compounded the problem.
The European Union has developed a maritime security strategy that focuses on cooperation between member states and NATO to combat these threats. This strategy is implemented through various naval exercises and operations, such as Irini and Sea Guardian. The on-going deployment of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and the Task Force 473, composed of several European ships and sailors, is a new step for a coordinate European action in the Mediterranean Region.
Thus, with tensions high in the region, all actors must work together to maintain security in the Mediterranean Sea. Read on to learn more about the maritime security strategy.
Maritime Issues Regarding Security in the Mediterranean Region
The Mediterranean Sea is a strategic region for maritime transportation, with significant volumes of oil and gas passing through its waters. Therefore, the security of this area is essential to ensure the free flow of traffic and trade. However, several issues are affecting maritime security in the Mediterranean that require attention:
Maritime terrorism can take multiple forms: criminal activity at sea (e.g., drug trafficking or human smuggling) or terrorist attacks on commercial vessels such as ferries and cruise ships. Drug and weapon smuggling is also a security concern for many countries as illegal substances can finance criminal organizations involved with terrorist activities.
The second issue refers to pirate attacks that have been recorded off the Libyan coast following the 2011 revolution. There are also concerns about boats being used by terrorists to transit across national borders undetected – this could pose significant risks if they plan an attack inside another country’s waters.
European Union Maritime Security Strategy
The European Union has developed a maritime security strategy to protect its interests in the Mediterranean Sea. Currently, the French-led Task Force 473 deployed in Mediterranean Sea is the result of EU Members defense partnership, which will strengthen interoperability and coordination between military assets in region. One of the strategy’s main goals is to improve cooperation between EU member states and NATO allies. Besides, the approach focuses on drug and weapon smuggling, piracy, and maritime terrorism.
The following are the strategies that have been put in place to achieve this goal:
The Irini operation– was a naval operation conducted by the European Union to disrupt illegal arms trafficking in the Mediterranean Sea. The procedure was launched in March 2020, as a successor of Sophia Operation started in 2015, and is still on-going.
The main goal of the Irini operation is to stop weapons from being smuggled to terrorist groups in Libya. The process managed to seize over 6000 firearms.
Below are some benefits of the Irini operation to maritime security:
The procedure showed that the European Union could conduct complex naval operationsIt improved cooperation between EU member states and NATO alliesIt disrupted illegal arms trafficking in the Mediterranean Sea
Naval exercises– are a vital part of improving maritime security. They allow navies from different countries to train together and learn their procedures. This makes it easier for them to cooperate during real-world operations.
The following are some examples of naval exercises that have been conducted recently:
A multinational naval exercise called Poseidon 2018 was held in May of this year. The exercise involved ships and aircraft from 19 countries, including Italy, France, Greece, and Turkey.
In June of the same year, the United States and France held a joint naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea. The exercise involved the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
In addition, the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) conducted an anti-piracy exercise off the coast of Somalia in September of this year. The exercise involved ships from 23 countries, including Spain, Italy, and Portugal.
The cooperation between EU and NATO
The collaboration between EU and NATO is crucial for ensuring maritime security in the Mediterranean Sea. NATO provides valuable resources and expertise, while the European Union offers several significant benefits, such as unity and cohesion.
As an example, many European Union members, acting also as NATO allies, participate to Sea Guardian, a maritime security operation aimed at protecting vessels from piracy and terrorism threats in the Mediterranean Sea. The Sea Guardian operation was launched in October 2017 and involved sailors from several NATO members such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Greece or Spain.
This week, three carrier strike groups from USA (USS Harry S. truman), France (FS Charles De Gaulle) and Italy (ITS Cavour) conducted joint activities to improve interoperability at the highest level.
Overall, the European Union has put several strategies to improve maritime security for the Mediterranean Sea. However, more needs to be done to ensure that naval security remains a priority in the region.
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January 10, 2022Piracy / ReportFor more than five years now, the MICA Center collects and relays useful information to all actors in the field ofmaritime industry. Its purpose is to process maritime security data worldwide.
Below you can read the last MICA Center ‘s report 2021, on piracy and maritime crime worldwide.
BILAN_MICA_CENTER_2021_ENTélécharger
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December 27, 2021News / PiracyLibya map
From 2016, the rise of maritime robbery cases observed off the coast of Libya, more precisely in the province of Derna is disturbing the freedom of navigation in Mediterranean sea.
A brief history about Freedom of navigation
Yore, freedom of navigation was a dream, then a concept, born in the 17th century. Once the Eighty Years’ War has ended, Spain claimed a new concept of “freedom of the high seas” over the strong Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. From this negotiation was born a slogan which was registered in a bilateral trade treaty: “free ship, free goods”. This principle attracted a lot, and it was even admitted that the use of force was legitimate to apply this new concept (English Treaty of Westminster in 1674).
Nowadays, it is not a concept anymore. It is a law. International laws can sometimes be complex, but this one seems to be a consensus that cannot be criticized. On freedom of navigation depends the stability of international trade. It is now inscribed in the article 87 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) : “The high seas are open to all States, whether coastal or land-locked”, and the convention quotes “freedom of navigation” as the first of several rights for all states on the high seas.
The rising threat of maritime crime in Libya
However, there are plenty of examples where militias, clans or tribes of coastal nations seek to disturb this rule of law. In the Mediterranean, for 10 years, everyone has been following the Libyan conflict with interest since the fall of Gaddafi, but few would have imagined that the civil war and the economic crisis would generate a new zone of insecurity at sea, threatening ships.
And yet, since 2016, a danger zone has been promulgated off the city of Derna (Cyrenaic region) by Libya in an area declared as NAVAREA 225/16. More precisely, this NAVAREA seems to have been promulgated unilaterally by the “LNA Sousse Marine Combat Company”, a militia affiliated with the Eastern camp of the “Tobruk” government. This no sail zone has been officially edited to warn mariners of the dangerous nature of this maritime zone. It courteously asks merchant ships to repeat, repeatedly, every day at noon information, in particular the route, the destination, the cargo transported and the name of the owner. In 5 years, dozens of cases of robbery, diversion, and ransom demands have been reported in the area, mostly within 20Nq of the coast.
Pirates are moving further and further from the Derna coast
But since January 2021, it seems that the modus operandi of the militia has evolved. The brigands are pushing the hunt up to 25 to 30 nautical miles from the coast, thus dangerously brushing the very busy navigation rail that runs from the Strait of Messina to the Suez Canal. A European warship has recently observed a flagrant deli of attempted diversion of a merchant vessel. Called on VHF by the militia, and threatened to be bombed or come under fire from warring fighter aircraft planes, the ship first complied and turned south, ready to run into the lion’s den. Nevertheless, the ship understood the deception on time, and cancelled her maneuver.
In the past 3 months, 6 ships have been robbed in by the militia, losing precious time and money. Recently, it was a German merchant ship that bore the brunt of this robbery. She had to pay a ransom of roughly 50 000 $ to be allowed to resume her journey, much to the relied of a traumatized crew.
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December 7, 2021News / PiracyGrand African Nemo
Gulf of Guinea was for years the most dangerous maritime area. However, years of cooperation building, training and partnerships raised operational level of local navies. The French-led maritime exercise Grand African NEMO 2021 revealed the improvement of African Navies.
Gulf of Guinea
Gulf of Guinea (GoG) is the most attractive African Maritime Area. Full of natural resources, such as fish or gas, this region of 2 350 00 km2 is a crossroad for 13 countries. Over 1 500 vessels are sailing in this area every day.
For decades, it has been one of the most dangerous areas for sailors and problems were numerous: piracy, robbery, kidnapping, human smuggling, and drug traffic. Countries were losing their natural sea resources, unable to control their territorial waters. But this year, when piracy attacks increased everywhere in the world, it remaineds stable in the GoG. How is that possible? Thanks to a common regional strategy and strong partnerships.
African Navies in action
October 22, Senegalese Navy seized 2 026 kg of cocaine. A few days after, a common patrol between Gambian and Senegalese navies arrested 3 fishing vessels in illegal fishing activities. What made this maritime operation successful? Coordination and competencies.
A few years ago, three cooperation centers were created: ICC (Interregional Coordination Center) in Yaoundé, CRESMAC (Regional Maritime Security Center for Central Africa) in Pointe-Noire and CRESMAO (Regional Maritime Security Center for West Africa) in Abidjan. The GoG is also divided in 5 areas (A, D, E, F and G), controlled by two Multinational Maritime Coordination Center.
Overall, capacities of African Navies deeply increased during past years. It was especially observed during Grand African NEMO 2021, a French-led maritime exercise started on 2 November with 29 nations.
One of the French instructors noticed that: “it is my third participation to Grand African Nemo and I had never seen such operational level and possibility of cooperation. I am proud to see results after years of mutual training and efforts from all sides, and see better days ahead for the region if we all keep it in that way”.
This feeling is apparently shared by an Ivorian officer who declared to be “proud to participate and to be an actor of this this large-scale exercise. It is not easy to coordinate 40 vessels at sea, but we are in the right direction and we need to continue closed cooperation”.
France, the historical partner for GoG navies
Since 1990 and the begin of the operation Corymbe, the French navy has been keeping deployed at least one warship in the GoG.
The cooperation with local navies and common patrols helped to prevent piracy and smuggling. As a lead-nation amongst the European Navies, its expertise is used by African nations to develop their capabilities to protect their maritime area and their sea resources from foreign attacks.
Moreover, the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT – GoG) is hosted by the MICA Center in Brest, France, and monitor piracy in the region sharing information with regional centers.
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September 21, 2021News / PiracyThis study has been realized by the Global Maritime Crime Programme of UNODC.This study is funded by the Government of Denmark through the Danish Maritime Security Program for the Niger Delta basin 2019-2021.
UNODC_GMCP_Pirates_of_the_Niger_Delta_between_brown_and_blue_watersTélécharger
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August 25, 2021Miscellaneous / News / PiracyThe Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness Center (MICA Center) is the French Center of Excellence for Maritime Security.
Founded in 2016, it published the second edition of its annual review on piracy and robbery.
In a world affected by the Covi-19 pandemic, the past year falls within the average of the previous five years, with 375 acts of piracy and robbery reported.
MICA-Center-Annual-review-2020Télécharger
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July 13, 2021News / PiracyNigeria on the offensive in GoG
Nigeria, the continent’s leading economic power, decided to take anti piracy action in the Gulf of Guinea, one of the world’s most dangerous waters.
It is only a month since Nigeria armed itself heavily to conduct anti piracy action. It is an investment of $200 million on which the country would like to get paid back, by asking to be taken off the red list of countries with the most dangerous maritime waters.
Strong pressure from shipowners and insurance companies
Since the beginning of 2021, several shipowners and insurance companies have been lobbying on the international scene to call for a change of heart to curb what has become the epicentre of global piracy. With a record increase of 20% in 2020, pirates have moved away from cargo theft to the more profitable business of kidnapping crews for ransom. These methods are alarming to powerless shipowners, especially as 80% of these acts of piracy are carried out with weapons. 130 crew members have been kidnapped in the Gulf of Guinea compared to 135 worldwide.On 17 May, 234 companies and shipowners called for an international coalition to secure the 5,700 km of the coastline (from Senegal to Angola) and its 20,000 ships in transit each year. The objective? The assistance of foreign (i.e. non-regional) navies to really apply international law and anti-piracy laws.
New anti-piracy weaponry
To deal with this, Nigeria has equipped itself with no less than 16 fast interception vessels and three helicopters, deployed in its Exclusive economic Zone. In addition, on land, there is a special trained force of 600 men, 16 armoured vehicles for coastal patrols, two special mission ships, two aircraft for surveillance, and four drones.According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), the area is the most dangerous in the world, accounting for 95% of the world’s maritime kidnappings.As reported by ECOFIN Agency, the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, declares the anti-piracy forces deployment “became evident within the framework of the Gulf of Guinea maritime collaboration recently established by Nigeria and the Yaoundé Interregional Coordination Centre through the facilitation of the joint industry-state task force to combat maritime security in the region”.
Efforts still uncertain
However, despite its efforts, Nigeria did not succeed in convincing insurers on 18 June to remove itself from the red list of countries with the riskiest maritime waters. The expected removal of this list, which allows insurers to charge higher insurance premiums to cover ships transiting through Nigerian waters, “will not happen for the time being,” replied the Lloyd’s Market Association, which groups insurance companies.It will probably take several years before any significant results are achieved to convince the international scene and probably rely on the support of the American and French navies, in particular, for some time to come.
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June 30, 2021News / PiracyCaptain Philips movie
On October 11th, 2013, a movie called Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks as Captain Richard Phillips, premiered worldwide. The movie received glowing reviews, and claims to be based on actual events. But what has actually happened?
In April 2009, the Maersk Alabama cargo ship (now MV Tygra) was attacked and captured by four Somali pirates less than 300 nautical miles off the Coast of Somalia. The whole crew were taken hostage and the pirates took the captain Richard Phillips, off the ship into a lifeboat. On orders from former President Obama, the U.S. Navy, and specifically Navy marksmen, fatally shot all but one of the pirates and rescued Captain Phillips. The story made national and international news.
But does Captain Phillips tell the whole story? And does the movie narrate it accurately?
In fact, approximately half of the crewmembers, represented by Brian Beckcom, are claiming that the shipping company, Maersk Lines Limited, willfully allowed the Maersk Alabama to sail directly into pirate-infested waters despite receiving multiple warnings to avoid the area. And the lawsuit further claims that the Alabama didn’t have adequate anti-pirate security measures. That lawsuit settled before it went to trial in Mobile, Alabama, on December 2nd, 2013.
“The real heroes are the men and women of the U.S. Navy who rescued the shipping company from its poor decisions and the brave crewmembers who actually fought back against the pirates once they boarded the ship – despite the crewmembers being unarmed while facing pirates carrying automatic weapons,” says Brian Beckcom.
According to the lawsuit, Maersk essentially “outsourced” the security of the Alabama to the U.S. military, rather than providing basic anti-piracy prevention measures such as armed guards. Since the April 2009 attack, the Maersk Alabama has been approached by pirates on at least two other occasions.Hhowever, the pirates were quickly repelled by private armed contractors who now accompany Maersk vessels that travel in pirate-infested waters.
Why was the Maersk Alabama hijacked in the first place?
Although Captain Phillips is credited with saving the lives of his crew in the movie, the lawsuit filed by nine crewmembers sought to show that the real story was different from the movie. Captain Phillips’ crew who were on board the Maersk Alabama when it was hijacked say that their lives were put in jeopardy because of the decisions made by Phillips. They claim that:Captain Phillips risked lives when he ignored multiple warnings of pirate attacks in nearby waters. Instead of taking a safer route, he chose to sail the Maersk Alabama into pirate-infested waters.
Captain Phillips claimed that he was not scared of pirates and ignored pleas from the crew to avoid the area, notorious for pirate attacks.Captain Phillips sailed the ship approximately 300 nautical miles closer to the coast of Somalia than was deemed safe by NATO, multiple military anti-piracy groups and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Nine of the crewmembers claim that the Captain and the shipping company acted irresponsibly by putting them in harm’s way to begin with. This is a far cry from the depiction of heroism in the movie that shows Captain Phillips offering himself as a hostage if the pirates let his crew go. Had Captain Phillips heeded all warnings, his crew would not have had to endure the emotional and physical trauma of the Maersk Alabama hijacking.
How much of the story did Hollywood get wrong?
While Hollywood’s version of events received critical acclaim, the version of events depicted in the movie “Captain Phillips” is highly inaccurate. These inaccuracies have caused the court of public opinion to cast judgment on what actually happened based on what they saw portrayed in the movie. The following are six misconceptions from the movie:
First of all, the lawsuit filed by the crewmembers is not a publicity stunt tied to the release of the film. The lawsuit was filed in 2009, nearly three years prior to the conception of “Captain Phillips.” The defendants deliberately chose to not settle the lawsuit quickly, likely knowing the release of the film could benefit their case.
Secondly, the real Captain Phillips is not the hero portrayed so well by Tom Hanks in the movie. The facts surrounding the event, as told by crewmembers and witnesses, along with the communications between the Captain and Maersk, reveal that Captain Phillips knowingly placed the lives of his crew in danger by sailing into dangerous waters in an effort to save time and money.
Thirdly, the crew was not “lazy.”It was composed by experienced seamen who were not provided with adequate security or means for defending themselves against pirate attacks, despite their employer sending them – unarmed – into some of the most dangerous waters in the world. The crew fought back valiantly against pirates who were armed with automatic weapons, using primitive tools, such as pieces of pipe.
Fourthly, the Maersk Alabama pirate attack was not the result of an unlucky or unpredictable event. Captain Phillips and Maersk received multiple daily reports of pirate attacks in the area and warnings to stay more than 600 miles from the coast. Instead, Captain Phillips chose to sail as close to 250 miles from shore, and the ship was within three hundred miles off shore when the ship was attacked. There had been attempted attacks on vessels in the same area as the Maersk Alabama the week before the April 2009 hijacking. Also, there have been several attempted attacks on the Maersk Alabama since 2009 in the same region, all of which clearly show how dangerous the area was.
Fifthly, the “heroic” actions by Captain Phillips described in the movie resulted in the need for a rescue by the U.S. Navy. This rescue would never have taken place if Captain Phillips had heeded the warnings he received and sailed in safer waters.
Sixthly, since the attack, Maersk Lines Limited didn’t settle the lawsuit brought by nine of the crewmembers but paid them a confidential amount in 2014, in order to not go to trial.
Maersk, Captain Phillips and their lawyers fought to keep the facts about what really happened aboard Maersk Alabama confidential. “The investigative work regarding the trial has brought to light many facts which reveal the inaccuracies of the Phillips and Hollywood versions of events. Although we cannot speak to what really happened, we can say that the company was playing Russian roulette with its employees,” said Brian Beckcom.
He added too that.
“When we filed our lawsuit in 2009, one of our central claims was that the shipping company, knowing exactly where they were sending their crew, should have provided the crew with adequate security for when they traveled through some of the most dangerous waters in the world. Among other things, we claim in our lawsuit that the ship should have had armed guards. The shipping company and others in the industry claimed at that time that arming commercial ships would make piracy events more dangerous, not less”.
Has anything been done to make things safer for crews on ships navigating pirate-infested waters since 2009 ?
In addition to amping up the security on vessels traveling in pirate-infested waters, countries have formed coalitions of vessels that patrolled the Indian Ocean, deterring and preventing pirate attacks. By 2013, the rate of successful pirate attacks in the Indian Ocean had dropped to zero and and over 1,000 pirates had been captured prosecuted by authorities in over 21 countries. The lead pirate from the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, Muse, had been captured alive by the U.S. Navy and was sentenced to 33 years in jail in the United States for his crimes.
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April 23, 2021News / PiracyPiracy in GoG
Italian navy takes seriously piracy threat in the Gulf of Guinea.
On april 2021, the Italian frigate docked at the port of Tema, Ghana, in order to conduct a training program for 187 Ghanaian soldiers. Night exercise and patrol surveillance were conducted. The aim of these serials is to support Ghanaian counter-piracy efforts to deal in an area where incidents dramatically increase. Ghana actively participates in regional efforts to ensure maritime security with the Obangame Express 2021 (OE21) exercise, organized by the U.S Naval Forces Africa.The OE21 exercise, with more than 200 participants from 33 countries, was designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise to enhance the collective capabilities of participating nations to counter sea-based illicit activity. Piracy along Ghanaian coast is a threat especially for the region around Takoradi, the third largest city in Ghana with more than 445 000 inhabitants, and one major passage for ships transiting through the Gulf of Guinea.The last event took place on march 11th 2021, when four pirates tried to board on an anchored drill ship. The alert team called local port authorities which sent a patrol team. Thanks to this reaction and readiness, no one was injured and nothing was stolen.
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April 21, 2021News / PiracyMDAT-GoGVoluntary Reporting Area (VRA)
While the world’s attention was diverted by COVID-19, piracy and armed attacks against ship crews remain a serious problem, requiring a concerted response from the international community at the highest level.
According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), 135 maritime kidnappings were recorded in 2020 – and 130 of them took place in the Gulf of Guinea. This maritime zone is more dangerous than the Somali coast and the European Union (EU) wants to do something about it.
The merchant vessel « Mozart » was one of these ships attacked by pirates, while she was sailing 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) off the coast of Nigeria in January 2021.
Several medias published reports of the dramatic scene which happened onboard. During the attack, the ship’s crew reached the safe room (Citadel) fearing for their lives while the pirates boarded. After six hours they succeeded to open the gate to the so-called Citadel. They killed one crew member and kidnapped 15. The crew-members have since been released, but it is still unclear whether a ransom was paid or not.
“We are seeing that pirates operate with greater impunity,” IMB director Michael Howlett told to the German newspaper Deutsch Welle (DW). “They spend more time on ships. In one case, they were on a ship for more than 24 hours, without any dispute.”
Previously, many of these attacks were primarily motivated by the intent to steal goods. However, more and more seafarers are regularly kidnapped and taken to Nigeria where they are held for ransom in horrible conditions. Different types of vessels are targeted, including container and bulk carriers, as well as tankers and offshore support vessels.
The Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GOG) has been created by French Navy and Royal Navy to establish and monitor a Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) system where all merchant vessels are encouraged to declare position information when they are operating in this area.
In January, EU heads of state and government took another step forward with collaborative initiative among military vessels sailing in the Gulf of Guinea in order to communicate patrol responsibilities and exchange information on pirate activities.
Nevertheless, Kamal-Deen Ali executive director of the Center for Maritime Law and Security in Africa in Accra does not think this is a long-term solution. He asks for more trainee program to African neighbour states in order to develop efficient local navy officers and material such as radar systems.
The Ghanaian executive director reported that most of the pirates came from the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria, a very poor region where the drill of vast oil reserves contaminated local land and water.
Because the two most important economic sectors of the region- fishing and agriculture – were destroyed, many people looked for other sources of incomes, which helped criminal gangs to recruit new pirates.
Admiral Kamal-Deen Ali concluded that if it doesn’t change, attacks could increase despite the EU’s best efforts.
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April 15, 2021News / PiracyMiddle-East map background with United Kingdom flag/Source MTC
How Iran fooled the British: The Iranian tanker, arrested in July 2019 in Gibraltar for violating sanctions against Syria and Iran, landed safe sound back in Iran landed safe and sound back in Iran.
The British Foreign Office qualified as “Deeply troubling” the satellite images taken in September 2019, showing the tanker “Adrian Darya-1” flying the Iranian flag, now renamed as Grace 1, anchored off Tartus’s port in Syria.
London raised its voices days later, accusing Iran of “breaking its assurances and calling the delivery of oil to the murderous el-Assad regime”. In a press release, the British Ministry qualified this act as an “unacceptable violation of international standards”.
The transporter’s journey began on July the 4th off Gibraltar. British Navy commandos boarded the Iranian tanker, flying the Panamanian flag and carrying 2.1 million barrels of crude oil. The tanker was suspected by British authorities of transporting the cargo to Syria, thus violating the EU sanctions against Bashar el-Assad’s regime.
Two weeks later, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards seized in the Strait of Hormuz, “the Stena Impero”, a Tanker flying the British flag. The vessel was transported to the port in Bandar Abbas, where the authorities indicated that an investigation was under way following the tanker’s collision with a fishing vessel.
The Iranian authorities pledged the law, stating that “According to law, after an accident, it was necessary to investigate the causes”. They denied any link between this case and the seizure by the UK of the Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar.
British diplomat Jeremy Hunt qualified this act as “unacceptable” and considered the boarding to be “worrying signs that Iran might choose a dangerous path of illegal and destabilizing behavior”. France and Germany supported the British position and called on Iran to release the British vessel “without delay”.
A Diplomatic-legal negotiation was committed on the 15th, August; Gibraltar’s Supreme Court allowed the Iranian tanker to leave after Tehran assured the cargo would not be delivered to Syria. Adrian Darya-1, now renamed Grace 1, was released the next day.
At the same time, Gibraltar’s authorities refused to maintain the seizure of the ship as demanded by Washington. The latter then contacted the Indian master of the ship and offered him a substantial amount of money so that he would not sail to Syria but in a route where the US could seize the tanker.
On 26 August 2019, Iran claimed to have sold 2.1 million barrels of oil, valued at 125 million euros, stored on board of a ship, without specifying who the buyer was or whether the sale was concluded before or after the seizure of the tanker.
The Adrian Darya 1 was sailing in the Mediterranean sea with no known destination, when the specialized website “Marine Traffic” reported on 30th August 2019 that tanker was located in the north-west of Cyprus and heading for the port of Iskenderun in Turkey.
The Turkish Foreign Minister replied that the “tanker was not actually on its way to Iskenderun, but to Lebanon” and that “Lebanon was not necessarily the ship’s final destination”. Nada Boustani, the Lebanese Energy Minister, assured that her country had not received any request for the ship to be anchored off its coast. The minister added on Twitter that “The Ministry of Energy doesn’t buy crude oil from anyone. Lebanon does not have a refinery for crude oil”.
While everyone was shifting the blame of the ship’s seizure on others, a Russian official announced on 6th September 2019 from Teheran, that 7 of the 23 sailors from the British tanker who boarded in July had been released by the Iranian authorities and had arrived in Dubai.
Two days later, satellite photos of Adrian Darya 1 off the Syrian port of Tartus were broadcasted by Maxar Technologies Inc.
Conflicting information was circulating about the unloading of the tanker’s contents days later. British intelligence’s sources assured that barrels of oil had been unloaded on small boats that could be shipped to Syria.
Meanwhile, the specialized website TankerTrackers.com continued to claim, based on satellite images, that the tanker off Tartus still contained all of its cargo.
A statement from Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization said the ship had been released “despite there being an open court case” against it. The release comes amid high tensions in the region. There have been a series of confrontations over tankers in the Gulf, as well as a recent attack on Saudi Arabia have blamed on Tehran.
Tensions between the US and Iran have been escalating, following former President Trump’s rejection of a deal aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities.
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April 7, 2021News / PiracyThe Danish government announced the future deployment, from November 2021 until March 2022, of a Danish frigate in the Gulf of Guinea. The frigate’s mission is to combat maritime piracy in the area where pirates extend their actions, from Ghana to Equatorial Guinea.
Considered as the most dangerous region in the world, the area continues to record numerous incidents of violence and kidnappings. According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) , 135 maritime kidnappings were recorded in 2020, and 130 of them took place in the Gulf of Guinea.
IMB’s director Michael Howlett said that “pirates were acting with greater impunity.” For example, they once were on board of a vessel for more than 24 hours, totally unchallenged.
This deployment off the coast of Guinea is part of a continuity of European Union objectives in order to increase maritime security and safety and secure shipping and trading lines of communication.
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March 25, 2021News / PiracyIn order to tackle Maritime piracy, the EU NAVFOR Somalia’s ATALANTA operation is strongly committed to promote Gender Equality and Women Empowerment; this being a determining factor to fight illicit activities and change the mind-set of the Somali population.
Maritime piracy in Somalia has been emerging since the mid-2000s, thus causing major challenges to national security that could potentially grow to larger global issues.The EU NAVFOR ATALANTA’s operation stands to prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery off Somalia’s coast. This measure is part of a strategy implementing long-term sustainable counter-piracy measures.
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March 24, 2021News / PiracyThe United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has donated 200 books on International Law of the Sea and Maritime Law to the Ministry of Justice and Legislation in order to enable the Togolese legal system to better participate in the fight against maritime piracy.
As part of the implementation of the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP), this donation is a windfall for Togo to arm itself legally while acts of maritime piracy are surging.
A few months ago and before the receipt of this donation, training sessions with mock trials on maritime piracy were organised involving magistrates, the Maritime Brigade, police officers and the national navy.
According to the Togolese Director of Access to Law and Justice, these works could also be used by other actors, as student preparing their thesis.
Translation of : Togo : le système judiciaire s’arme contre la piraterie maritime
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Smuggling of Illicit Goods
April 11, 2023News / Smuggling Of Illicit GoodsIn order to circumvent the economic sanctions affecting Russia, a shadow fleet has emerged. Its aim is simple : to continue trading hydrocarbons without being subject to sanctions. For this purpose, old ships are used to carry out illegal transshipments. Thus, the origin of the shipments is blurred and the financial manna earned is more important.
Sanctions on the Russian economy
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Nations took measures to weaken Moscow. Exports have been mainly affected by sanctions aimed at weakening the Russian oil sector.
EU intends to harm Russian economy. In June 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted a sixth set of sanctions that, among other things, prohibits the purchase, import or transfer of crude oil transported by sea and certain oil products from Russia to the EU. The only exception applies to European countries that cannot find viable alternatives. Nonetheless, these measures should have a real impact knowing that Russian exports reached 24 billions of euros in 2019.
The restrictions apply progressively from the 5th December 2022 for crude oil and from February 5, 2023 for other refined petroleum products. Since most Russian oil delivered to the EU is transported by sea, these restrictions will cover nearly 90% of Russian oil imports to Europe by the end of 2022. This will significantly reduce Russia’s trade benefits.
The motivations behind the development of Russian shadow fleet
Recent media reports on January 2023 data reveal that federal budget Russian revenues from oil and gas taxes were down 54 % from December 2022 and 46 % from the same month in 2021.
Russian oil is still transported by tankers covered by western insurance. This insurance is only available if the oil was purchased at a price below the cap. The price of oil from the Urals, Russia’s main export grade, has fallen to a level $30-40 per barrel below international benchmark crudes such as Brent.
According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Russia earns 560 millions euros a day from the export of fossil fuels. This 560 millions represent :
280 million euros from the sale of crude oil
160 million for oil products
60 million for natural gas via pipelines
60 million for coal
40 million for liquefied natural gas LNG sent by ship
These amounts explain the creation of a shadow fleet. It allows Moscow to be less dependent to the Western countries and to bypass the embargo.
Thus, there are several reasons for the use of illegal transshipment by Shadow fleet. First, it reduces the risk of sanctions for processing exports directly from Russian ports.
Secondly, due to the length of the voyages, it is necessary to transship small cargoes to larger tankers.
How is created the Shadow fleet ?
The Shadow fleet is composed of old vessels of medium capacity. They could be divided in two categories.
The first one is the black ships, long used by Iran and Venezuela to circumvent Western embargoes. They were mainly used to transport oil and petroleum products.
The second category is about grey ships. Most of them were sold after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They were sold by Europeans to companies from the Middle East and Asia without any experience in the oil market. Their main goal was to bypass the sanctions.
Modernization obligations are pushing companies to put many seaworthy vessels on the second-hand market. This offers a wide range of ships in seaworthy condition to create a shadow fleet. In 2022, 29 VLCC “very large crude carriers” were purchase. There are each capable to carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil. In addition, Russia would acquire 31 Suezmax vessels of 1 million barrels each and 49 Aframax-sized vessels (700,000 barrels).
The acquisition and ownership of these vessels is opaque. The buyers are anonymous and travel to Hong Kong and Dubai, Cyprus and Singapore to purchase tankers.
The Sovcomflot (SCF) is accused of being linked to the Russian shadow fleet. SCF is subject to European sanctions for providing 70% of the oil transport in Russia’s interest. The company Sun Ship Management, which has acquired several vessels, is said to be a subsidiary of SCF. However, any connection is still denied by SCF.
Today, the ghost fleet is estimated at between 400 and 600 vessels, or 10% of the world’s oil tankers.
What is the shadow fleet role ?
The term “shadow fleet” refers to old vessels that operate without an AIS (Automatic Identification System). AIS transmits a ship’s position so that other vessels are aware of its position. Without it, they can perform illegal ship-to-ship transshipments (STS). These transshipments make the origin of products opaque. Typically, two to three STS are performed to transfer Russian oil.
These illegal transshipments take place around Ceuta, and more generally on the North African Mediterranean Coast. The number of vessels conducting STS activity in the Ceuta areas increased from 2 per month in May 2022 to 20 in January 2023. The Peloponnese region of Greece and South Korea are other locations where STS takes place.
Most of the shipments are destined for countries in Africa and Asia. China has recorded a 19% increase in Russian oil imports in 2022 compared to 2021. India has recorded an 800% increase to 900,000 barrels per day in 2022.
The dangers of the shadow fleet
The shadow fleet is source of several hazards. The vessels used are old, about 15 years. They usually are retired by oil companies due to risk of wear and tear. They are now used in the shadow fleet to travel around the globe, carrying tons of fossil fuels.
The story of the tanker Prestige is a paragon of possible disaster. The vessel broke up and its cargo leaked. No less than 50 000 tons of fuel oil spilled on the Spanish and Portuguese coasts.
Finally, the use of a phantom fleet hinders the achievement of the primary function of the embargo. Russia is not as weakened as was hoped. The shadow fleets mitigate the impact of the sanctions and provide a financial income to Russia. Furthermore, the multiplication of embargoes can encourage the integration of a shadow fleet. Shadow economies become profitable and may lead to a decrease in white shipping revenues.
Actions are starting to be taken
From 21 to 26 March, IMO (the International Maritime Organization) focused on ship-to-ship oil transfers and “dark fleet” tankers. Countries such as Spain, Australia, the United States and Canada are participating in the IMO’s campaign to strengthen the monitoring of obscure oil trade activities that have emerged over the past year.
They ring the alert about this practice. The risks of pollution for coastal states are significant. There are at high risk of incidents such as collisions. The Committee was informed that a fleet of older ships, including some not inspected recently, having substandard maintenance, unclear ownership and a severe lack of insurance, was currently operated as a ‘dark fleet’ or ‘shadow fleet’ to circumvent sanctions and high insurance costs.
They alert about the increasing risk of oil spill or collision. Another meeting will take place from 27 November to 6 December 2023.
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April 6, 2021Drug Trafficking / Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / Smuggling Of Illicit GoodsThe smuggling of illicit goods, in particular fish the Totoaba that is as lucrative and much less dangerous in terms of penal sanction than the traffic of cocaine. In 2018, according to an article published in The Guardian, the Mexico City police found 416 swim bladders in the suitcases of a Chinese tourist. The man was arrested and later released after paying a $600 fine.
The Totoaba is a protected endemic species. While scientists believe it to be a cultural fantasy, Chinese medicine believes it to have various medicinal and cosmetic properties, allegedly due to the protein contained in the fish’s swim bladder.
According to a study made by ADM Capital Foundation, a philanthropic group, three quarters of sales of products from endangered wildlife are destined for the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
Because of this Chinese market, the Totoaba is on the verge of extinction, with only a few specimens left in the waters of the Gulf of California. It is this scarcity that is driving up prices, to the point of calling it the cocaine of the seas as sales prices soar from $20,000 to $80,000 per kg.
In its downfall, the Totoaba is bringing with it the disappearance of the smallest harbour porpoise, also known as the little cow of the Pacific Vaquitas. In fact, this could be seen as collateral damage, taking into account the entrapment in the illegal fishing nets used by Totoaba fishermen in the Sea of Cortes.
Factfile on the Totoaba and Vaquitas
The international community and important personalities such as Leonardo Dicaprio are standing up to try to save what can still be saved, even if today the hope of avoiding the extinction of these two species seems very complicated.
In July 2020, the release of the film “Sea of Shadows” directed by Richard Ladkani, highlights the war waged by environmental activists alongside the Mexican Navy against the Mexican cartels and the Chinese mafia.
Finally, If this decline continues, it is likely to be extinguished in 2021.
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Weapons Trafficking
May 13, 2022News / Weapons TraffickingAs of May 2022, Operation IRINI (or EUNAVFOR MED IRINI) has been in effect in the Mediterranean Sea for just over two years, having been initiated on March 31st, 2020. The operation has attracted international criticism, and nations around the Mediterranean Sea are divided over whether it should continue. But what is Operation IRINI? What are its aims? And are they achievable?
Background
In 2011, the Arab Spring spread across the Middle East, inspiring revolutions in many Arab-majority nations, and Libya was no exception. Diverse factions arose to oppose Muammar Gaddafi’s authoritarian rule, and the first of two bloody civil wars began. Before long, governments of other nations started supplying weapons to their favored factions, inflaming the situation further. In response, the UN announced an arms embargo still in force today.
The First Libyan Civil War ended in the same year, giving way to an uneasy peace. However, tensions remained high, with sporadic fighting continuing until 2014, when the violence escalated and the Second Libyan Civil War was officially declared. As the crisis continued, a refugee crisis began to grow, human trafficking and fuel smuggling became rife, and it was apparent that the arms embargo was having largely no effect.
By 2020, the crisis was having a significant impact on the EU, with waves of refugees exploited by human traffickers crossing the Mediterranean Sea. As the war continued with no end in sight, EU leaders met to discuss solutions. On March 31st, 2020, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EU Commission, announced a new initiative, known as EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, or Operation IRINI.
Operation IRINI’s Aims and Resources
Operation IRINI was announced as a “CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) crisis management operation in the Mediterranean Sea” and given the key goal of enforcing the UN arms embargo with the hope of bringing the long-running conflict to an end. Secondary tasks were to be:
Prevention of fuel smuggling Building capacity for the Libyan coast guard and providing training ;Supporting the battle against human trafficking networks.
These goals were to be achieved using a combination of naval and aerial military assets from EU nations, including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland and Portugal, with varying degrees of contribution from each. This would include frigates, submarines, long-range surveillance aircraft, small patrol vessels and light aircraft.
Operation IRINI was only one aspect of a more integrated EU approach, including other EU civilian support missions.
France : one of the main actors
Although seven nations were providing the resources for Operation IRINI, the bulk of the commitment fell to Italy, Greece and France. The current task force includes three frigates, one each from Italy (ITS Grecale), Greece (HS Themistokles) and France (FS Blaison). French MPA regularly provides air support to the operation.
The French government has retained a keen interest in Operation IRINI, with two members of the National Defence and Armed Forces Commission of the French Parliament visiting the IRINI Joint Operation Centre in Roma in December 2021. The Rear Admiral Stefano Turchetto in charge of Operation IRINI was quoted at that time as saying that France was the “backbone of the operation, protecting the European interests, providing deterrence and at the same time promoting stability and security in the Mediterranean Basin”.
On May 2022, the Commander-in-chief of French Forces in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, Vice Admiral Gilles Boidevezi, visited the Headquarters to share with the Operation Commander their view and perspectives on several topics including Security Challenges and new Maritime Scenarios for the region. France reinforced also its leading position on staff level, holding the position of Deputy Operation Commander (currently Rear Admiral J.de Muizon).
Results
Since the beginning of operation, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI has monitored more than 800 suspected flights, 25 airports and 16 ports. 280 friendly approaches have been conducted and 22 boarding executed with one ship diversion.
Furthermore, 36 special reports to the UN panel of experts on Libya have been provided. Thanks to all his efforts, arms smuggling was clearly slowed down in Libya.
Criticism
Operation IRINI has not been without its critics by countries sharing different interests and points of view on Libyan conflict. The government of Malta pulled out of the operation in May 2020, complaining that not enough was being done to help with the country’s immigration problem. Russia and Turkey also raised concerns, claiming that the operation was not neutral and was, in fact, supporting factions in Libya seen as friendly to the EU.
Conclusion
If Operation IRINI seems to be a success in terms of its mission goals, Human trafficking remains a problem in the Mediterranean Sea, although not at its peak levels seen in 2020. It’s probable that the reduction in arms smuggling helped to end the Second Libyan Civil War, although the security environment in the country remains volatile. Unfortunately, the support for the Libyan Coast Guard has been terminated due to hostility from Libyan authorities towards Operation IRINI’s mandate.
For now, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI continues its mission of peace in the Mediterranean Sea.
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February 9, 2022News / Piracy / Weapons TraffickingEU Flag
The Mediterranean Sea has always been a strategic maritime trade and transportation region. However, the numerous islands and peninsulas in the area have made it convenient for smugglers to operate. But, the rise of terrorist groups in North Africa has only compounded the problem.
The European Union has developed a maritime security strategy that focuses on cooperation between member states and NATO to combat these threats. This strategy is implemented through various naval exercises and operations, such as Irini and Sea Guardian. The on-going deployment of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and the Task Force 473, composed of several European ships and sailors, is a new step for a coordinate European action in the Mediterranean Region.
Thus, with tensions high in the region, all actors must work together to maintain security in the Mediterranean Sea. Read on to learn more about the maritime security strategy.
Maritime Issues Regarding Security in the Mediterranean Region
The Mediterranean Sea is a strategic region for maritime transportation, with significant volumes of oil and gas passing through its waters. Therefore, the security of this area is essential to ensure the free flow of traffic and trade. However, several issues are affecting maritime security in the Mediterranean that require attention:
Maritime terrorism can take multiple forms: criminal activity at sea (e.g., drug trafficking or human smuggling) or terrorist attacks on commercial vessels such as ferries and cruise ships. Drug and weapon smuggling is also a security concern for many countries as illegal substances can finance criminal organizations involved with terrorist activities.
The second issue refers to pirate attacks that have been recorded off the Libyan coast following the 2011 revolution. There are also concerns about boats being used by terrorists to transit across national borders undetected – this could pose significant risks if they plan an attack inside another country’s waters.
European Union Maritime Security Strategy
The European Union has developed a maritime security strategy to protect its interests in the Mediterranean Sea. Currently, the French-led Task Force 473 deployed in Mediterranean Sea is the result of EU Members defense partnership, which will strengthen interoperability and coordination between military assets in region. One of the strategy’s main goals is to improve cooperation between EU member states and NATO allies. Besides, the approach focuses on drug and weapon smuggling, piracy, and maritime terrorism.
The following are the strategies that have been put in place to achieve this goal:
The Irini operation– was a naval operation conducted by the European Union to disrupt illegal arms trafficking in the Mediterranean Sea. The procedure was launched in March 2020, as a successor of Sophia Operation started in 2015, and is still on-going.
The main goal of the Irini operation is to stop weapons from being smuggled to terrorist groups in Libya. The process managed to seize over 6000 firearms.
Below are some benefits of the Irini operation to maritime security:
The procedure showed that the European Union could conduct complex naval operationsIt improved cooperation between EU member states and NATO alliesIt disrupted illegal arms trafficking in the Mediterranean Sea
Naval exercises– are a vital part of improving maritime security. They allow navies from different countries to train together and learn their procedures. This makes it easier for them to cooperate during real-world operations.
The following are some examples of naval exercises that have been conducted recently:
A multinational naval exercise called Poseidon 2018 was held in May of this year. The exercise involved ships and aircraft from 19 countries, including Italy, France, Greece, and Turkey.
In June of the same year, the United States and France held a joint naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea. The exercise involved the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
In addition, the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) conducted an anti-piracy exercise off the coast of Somalia in September of this year. The exercise involved ships from 23 countries, including Spain, Italy, and Portugal.
The cooperation between EU and NATO
The collaboration between EU and NATO is crucial for ensuring maritime security in the Mediterranean Sea. NATO provides valuable resources and expertise, while the European Union offers several significant benefits, such as unity and cohesion.
As an example, many European Union members, acting also as NATO allies, participate to Sea Guardian, a maritime security operation aimed at protecting vessels from piracy and terrorism threats in the Mediterranean Sea. The Sea Guardian operation was launched in October 2017 and involved sailors from several NATO members such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Greece or Spain.
This week, three carrier strike groups from USA (USS Harry S. truman), France (FS Charles De Gaulle) and Italy (ITS Cavour) conducted joint activities to improve interoperability at the highest level.
Overall, the European Union has put several strategies to improve maritime security for the Mediterranean Sea. However, more needs to be done to ensure that naval security remains a priority in the region.
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November 2, 2021Human-Trafficking / Illegal Exploitation Of Natural Ressources / News / Weapons TraffickingEastern Mediterranean flashpoint
Eastern Mediterranean is a crossroads between continents. The complexity of the region and tensions between countries make the area a dangerous flashpoint. All kind of destabilization and maritime issues monitored seem to be linked to one actor, the president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Where is Eastern Mediterranean?
Eastern Mediterranean is a meeting point between Southeast Europe, Western Asia and Northeast Africa. Sometimes considered as the cradle of humanity, it is now composed of several countries: Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Libya.
The region has been a crossroads for cultural, economic and political exchanges over millennia. Nevertheless, the geopolitical situation made this maritime region a flashpoint based on maritime issues and the disrespect of international law, agreement and convention.
A transit route for migrants and refugees
The civil war in Syria, started in 2011, has been a major change for countries relationships. The flow of refugees, crossing Turkey to Greece through the Aegean Sea led to a European Union (EU)-Turkey joint action plan in 2015. The agreement was that every person arriving irregularly to the Greek Islands would be returned to Turkey. In exchange, EU would take one Syrian refugee from Turkey for every Syrian returned from Greece. However, it became for the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan a way to conduct a hybrid warfare against EU. Turkish government threated several times the Member States to “open the gates” to migrants into Europe in case of disagreement (such as what is now observed in Belarus).
With the return of Talibans in Afghanistan, it is expected to have an increase of refugees trying to cross the sea through the Aegan route but also from Syria or Lebanon to Cyprus. The last route is getting more and more used, especially because of the strong economic and social crisis hitting Lebanon after the dramatic explosion in the port in Beirut in 2020.
Oil and gas dispute
In the early 1970s, exploration discovered oil and gas fields in south of Cyprus. But the invasion of the island by Turkey in 1974 froze the possibility of exploitation.
Then, two large natural gas fields were discovered in the region: Leviathan in 2010 in Israel Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) and Zohr in 2015 in Egypt EEZ. In 2018, tensions increased between Cyprus and Turkey when the Turkish foreign minister announced the intention to carry out gas exploration in Cyprus EEZ. Turkey sent several times exploration ship, such as RV Oruc reis, escorted by frigates creating huge concerns for EU, which Cyprus is a member States. In reaction, the European Council decided to suspend several negotiations.
Egypt, which had an agreement with Cyprus to exploit some of its gas fields, reduced also its relations with Turkey.
Arms trafficking from Turkey
The last factor of destabilization in Easter Mediterranean is the arm trafficking from Turkey to Libya.
Libya faced a civil war since 2011 and the United Nations Security Council voted the Resolution 1973 to impose an arms embargo over the country. To enforce this resolution, mainly ineffective, the European Union launch in March 2020 the operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, using aerial, satellite and maritime assets.
In that framework, the EU linked the merchant vessel Cirkin, now re-named Guzel, to transport military material to Libya between May and June 2020. According to the press agency Reuters, the ship was escorted by three Turkish vessels, preventing all cargo inspection. In September 2020, EU imposed sanctions on the Turkish shipping company Avrasya Shipping accused of breaking the U.N. embargo on Libya. The president Erdogan never recognised to conduct this kind of operation.
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August 6, 2021Miscellaneous / News / Weapons TraffickingLoitering munitions is not only a land problem. Maritime world must take seriously the issues caused by this kind of weapon in order to preserve the freedom of navigation. The recent attack in July on the oil tanker Mercer Street, off Omani Coast, is an example of problems led by local tension in the area of one of the most important maritime route. What happened ?
According to the United Kingdom Trade Operations, the oil tanker Mercer Street, operated by the British company Zodiac Maritime but owned by an Israeli citizen, was sailing 152 nautical miles northeast of the port Duqm (Omani) when he was attacked by a drone, apparently a loitering munitions. Two crew members, a British and a Romanian citizen, died in the attack.
The US Navy was called to rescue the ship and the US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the guided missile destroyer USS Mitscher escorted the tanker to the next harbour.
Iran was accused by USA, UK and Israel to be responsible for the attack, even if Teheran denied these claims.
Loitering munitions
Known as a suicide drone or kamikaze drone, loitering munitions is a weapon which searches for targets in a specific area for some time. As an autonomous lethal weapon, this kind of drone enables fast reaction in a deny access area, which led to several discussion about international humanitarian law and ethical concerns.
These drones may be as simple as an unmanned aerial vehicle with attached explosives or more complex such as IAI Harop, a purpose built munitions with on-board sensors and flight and control capabilities.
Several countries are recorded as loitering munitions user, such as Iran, Israel or the USA.
The proliferation of theses drones, and the relative low cost for some, is a global threat to maritime security because of their easy-use and efficiency against all kind of ships (even far from the coast).
Several attacks in the region
This attack is only one of many others which happened in Gulf of Oman for past years, especially in May and June 2019. In the past, ship faced several threats such as maritime mines, pirates, missiles or terrorist attack.
The Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz, is the maritime route for liquefied natural gaz and oil from Middle-east producers. Over 2 400 oil tanker sailed through this area every year.
If the freedom of navigation cannot be maintained in the area, likely due to the tension between USA and Iran, therefore all the international economy will be definitely impacted.
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May 21, 2021News / Weapons TraffickingA new violation of United Nations embargo in Libya happened last Tuesday with the delivery of 2 000 Turkish-made weapons.
The 26th of February 2011, the Security Council of the United Nations voted the resolution 1973 which imposed an arms embargo on Libya because of the civil war. The aim of this resolution was to avoid the increase of civilian casualties with the obligation for the UN States Members to prevent the direct or indirect supply of all weaponry to Libya.
Nevertheless, several countries continued to deliver military material, mostly motivated by personal interest in the region. The UN experts in Libya stated in their final report (8 March 2021) that the embargo still remains “totally ineffective”.
The last violation was revealed by the tweeter account @Libya_OSINT which posted a seizure by Misrata Port Customs of 2 000 Turkish-made 9mm pistols hidden in a containerized shipment of clothes.
Cargo ships are the main transport used to bring weapons in Libya. The European Union, which is directly concerned by Libyan issues, had already imposed in 2020 sanctions on a Turkish shipping company accused of breaking the UN arms embargo.
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April 13, 2021News / Weapons TraffickingFear of a maritime conflict is increasing in Arabian Sea. The 6th of April, Iran’s foreign ministry reported an attack on the Iranian freighter “Saviz” in the Red Sea.
The vessel was hit below the waterline around 06:00 local Time, near the coasts of Djibouti. Its origins and causes are still under investigation. Previously, the 25th of March, the Israeli-owned container ship “Lori” was struck by a missile attack off the Oman’s coast. According to Israeli media reports, no crew members were injured.These incidents are part of a series of maritime events blamed on Israel or Iran.In fact, mid-march, Tehran suspected Israel of being responsible for the attack on its ship “Iran Shar-e-Kord” in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship would be owned by a company blacklisted by Washington accusing it of transporting material linked to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.Conversely, Tehran has been accused of being behind an “environmental attack” caused by the Iranian vessel “Emerald”. The vessel would deliberately pollute the Israeli coastline on February 1st and 2nd. In addition to that, Tehran would also be responsible for the mysterious explosion of the Israeli transport ship Helios Ray while sailing in the Arabian Sea on February 26.The Wall Street Journal reported that since the end of 2019, Israel would have targeted a dozen ships smuggling of illicit goods and weapons trafficking to Syria.This maritime conflict is definitely a dangerous game play by two regional protagonists with the risk of triggering a flash-over in the whole Middle – East.
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