Canada has made its first-ever naval deployment to Antarctica. Last week, the Royal Canadian Navy vessel HMCS Margaret Brooke departed Halifax bound for the South American and Antarctic regions. The deployment of the vessel marks the start of Operation Projection 2025, as Canada eyes to enhance its cooperation with partners in South America. In addition, the expedition is meant to support Canada’s Antarctic scientific research.

“It is a historic moment as our Navy takes a step further south, into the Antarctic region. The crew on board HMCS Margaret Brooke embarks on a long and strenuous journey that will bring forward Canada’s presence and diplomacy to nations throughout the Central and South Americas,” said Rear-Admiral Josée Kurtz, Commander of the Canadian Maritime Forces Atlantic.

HMCS Margaret Brooke is a Harry DeWolf – class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV). The vessel entered naval service in October of 2022 as the second AOPV delivered under the Canadian National Shipbuilding Strategy. The vessel is meant to enhance Canada’s presence in the Arctic waters. However, during this expedition, the vessel will for the first time show its operational capabilities in the Antarctic maritime domain.

The expedition is scheduled to last for four months, with the ship expected back in Halifax in May. 85 crew members are onboard, and scientists from the National Research Council will join the ship in Punta Arenas, Chile for a two-week tour south of the Antarctic circle.

“The scientists will be doing some core sampling (of the ocean floor), some oceanography and some marine geology. HMCS Margaret Brooke was deployed north of the Arctic circle this past summer. With this deployment south of the Antarctic circle, it will be the first Canadian warship to reach the northernmost and southernmost points of the Earth within the same year,” said Commodore Jacob French, Commander of the Canadian Atlantic Fleet.  

 

For the first time, China's coast guard has begun patrolling a section of the country's "nine-dash line" - the loosely-defined boundary of Beijing's unilateral claim to the South China Sea, including international waters and other states' exclusive economic zones. 

Since the beginning of the new year, a group of large China Coast Guard cutters have been rotating through patrol duty in an area just off Zambales, Luzon. At closest approach, the patrols have come within about 55 nautical miles of Philippine shores. 

One of the deployed vessels is CCG 5901, the largest armed law enforcement vessel in the world at 12,000 tonnes displacement. Over VHF, its crew has informed the Philippine Coast Guard that the CCG is enforcing Chinese law in Chinese waters, even when 100 nautical miles inside the Philippine exclusive economic zone. 

The Philippine Coast Guard has dispatched the offshore patrol vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua to monitor the Chinese presence and push back on these sovereignty claims. Despite rough weather conditions, the crew of the Magbanua have kept watch and demonstrated continued Philippine presence. 

While monitoring the Chinese flotilla, the Philippine Coast Guard noticed a pattern that may explain the China Coast Guard's new behavior. The CCG cutters have been patrolling a north-south racetrack off Luzon's coast, and the tracklines align well with a segment of the "nine-dash line," which was invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in 2016.

Courtesy PCG 

"Their goal is to normalize such deployments, and if these actions go unnoticed and unchallenged, it will enable them to alter the existing status quo. This strategy of normalization, followed by altering the status quo and ultimately operationalizing their illegal narrative, has consistently been part of the Chinese playbook," said PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela. "This is why it is important for the Philippine Coast Guard to actively expose these unlawful deployments of Chinese vessels to the global community, ensuring that such actions are not normalized and that this bullying behavior does not succeed."

Tarriela warned that if China does not get pushed back, it could begin conducting the same patrols in other nations' exclusive economic zones, since the "nine-dash line" affects all of the coastal states of the South China Sea. This includes waters administered by Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia.

To the north, South Korea's government is eyeing new Chinese activity in a contested part of the Yellow Sea. The so-called Provisional Measures Zone is claimed by both sides, and all activities within it are banned except for navigating and fishing. Construction is specifically disallowed - but China has been installing large metal structures in the zone, which it describes as "fishing support facilities." Another structure recently went in the water, South Korean officials reported January 9. 

East Asian defense analysts have noted that China pursued a similar incremental strategy with its island-building campaign in the South China Sea - creating nominally civilian structures, militarizing them over time, and then using them to support political claims of sovereignty.

“China is not only installing structures but also conducting military exercises in the region, signaling its ambitions to establish effective control over the West Sea,” Lee Dong-gyu, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told Chosun Daily. “These actions aim to gain leverage in future negotiations with South Korea.”

 

The grounded self-unloader Algoma Verity has been refloated and safely moved to a nearby berth, the U.S. Coast Guard reported Sunday. 

At about 1130 hours Sunday morning, Algoma Verity was refloated on a rising tide, and she is now moored at Tioga Marine Terminal in Philadelphia. Coast Guard officers, salvors and representatives from the owner remain aboard to monitor the situation and continue an investigation into the cause of the casualty. 

“The on-scene personnel demonstrated exceptional initiative in a very dynamic environment,” said Capt. Kate Higgins-Bloom, captain of the port and commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay. “The vessel is now well out of the channel, but we still have work to do to get the Algoma Verity safely out of the port. We are thankful for the flexibility of all our port partners as we work to protect public safety, the marine environment, and commerce.”  

As a precautionary measure, the Coast Guard has set up a revised safety zone extending 100 yards upriver and downriver from the Tioga Marine Terminal.  

On Wednesday night, Algoma Verity was northbound from the Port of Philadelphia with a cargo of 45,000 tonnes of salt, bound upriver for a terminal in Bucks County. In windy conditions, she went aground outside the main shipping channel in a bend just north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The pilot of the 50,000 dwt self-unloader notified the Coast Guard of the incident at 1830 hours Wednesday, prompting an emergency response.

The vessel sustained tank damage in four ballast tanks and one empty fuel tank, according to the Coast Guard. No pollution or injuries have been reported, and an investigation into the cause of the casualty is under way. 

 

Imagine a world where every ship is piloted by an excellent captain, every hospital patient is attended to by an excellent doctor and every magazine article is written by an excellent author – and I don’t mean me, but rather an artificial intelligence (AI).

Our world now features AIs that, like their human creators, have highly differentiated areas of specialty. While ChatGPT and Claude make headlines for writing, less visible but equally revolutionary AI systems are transforming industries like shipping.

At the core of the AIs mentioned is the ability to analyze billions of data points like words, waveforms or pixels to train “parameters,” which are how AI grasps relationships. AI then weights these parameters, thus generating an “odds table” based on statistical understanding, to model relationships between inputs and outputs. By pattern matching with its parameters, AI can use those relationships to accurately guess outcomes.

It’s this probabilistic element that distinguishes AI from mere software, whose results tend to be deterministic: That means it will produce the same output when given the same input. AI operates more like a human mind, which can think in non-linear ways, remember things incorrectly or misspeak – although this arises from probabilistic data modeling, not the physical, sensory experience that humans enjoy.

Like a baseball player instinctively hitting a 100 mile-per-hour fastball, AI relies on experiential knowledge – the parameters – to make split-second decisions based on probabilities rather than performing real-time calculations for every variable.

Competing with Humans?

It’s for this reason that AI will compete for roles that have relied on humans with years of experience, who have developed a “velvet touch” or intuition, down to the specific quirks of docking at a certain berth, or who know the ins and outs of a given waterway.

That one ship that seems to only sail right when her favorite captain runs her? Ironically, it’s specifically for that type of situation that AI will be most effectively deployed.

But why? Isn’t it counter-intuitive that AI is so good at something so artisanal?

The key is that an AI is trained similarly to a human. It’s provided with inputs and outputs, and it gauges the results. So, by capturing enough data and keeping enough memory, AI could define limitless parameters for a ship, handling it in virtually any circumstance, much like the blind prophet Tiresias of Homer’s Odyssey: “If you can snare him and hold him tight, he will tell you about your voyage, what courses you are to take, and how you are to sail the sea so as to reach your home.”

The AI would not even need to “set foot” on board. Indeed, the only requirement would be that the dataset be as comprehensive and as accurate as possible. It would not even need to be perfectly accurate – remember, “parameters” are like odds tables.

People typically think of computers as rigid but powerful, inflexible but precise. AI is not like that: It can display finesse as a human would, but it doesn’t panic or get drunk or tired. It can guess accurately based on intuition when faced with imprecise knowledge.

These skills require intelligence, which used to be reserved for humans.

Maritime AI

And that intelligence comes in all shapes and sizes.

For example, the small but powerful shipboard units provided by Hefring Marine, the Icelandic maritime technology company founded in 2018, are nothing like the vast arrays of tensor graphics cards and virtual memory banks that power ChatGPT or Claude. This is partly because Hefring Marine’s AI is so much more specialized. It only needs to optimize one vessel for its operations and environment, using training data fed to it from roughly 30 sensors.

The often-limited connectivity at sea is not an obstacle to collecting essential training data since the unit can operate independently for months without Internet access. It simply stores data locally and uploads it when connectivity is restored.

In terms of “accuracy,” Hefring Marine trained its initial models with Norwegian Search and Rescue, who have experienced captains who know their ships very well. They provided a baseline, or idealized outcome, against which to test the AI’s performance. The AI’s result, its deviation from the idealized outcome, is termed the “error.” A low-error model will consistently produce outcomes which are close to the idealized outcome.

During training, the AI will constantly compare its outputs to those of seasoned captains, refining its parameters. Once the AI’s error rate hits its target range, its training is complete, and it will reliably emulate the seasoned captain’s decision-making, which ideally means it will optimize fuel efficiency, speed and safety, and navigational choices.

Hefring’s AI model claims to boost fuel efficiency by three to 20 percent while minimizing hard impacts that wear down both vessels and crews. If data gathered from the decision-making of a great captain was used to train the AI model, then it’s like always having a great captain looking over your shoulder and providing feedback on a digital overlay.

Ever the bellwether of practical merit, marine insurers are signaling interest. Some even offer premium discounts as an incentive to use Hefring Marine’s AI. The insights it provides help insurers assess damages more quickly and accurately. The collected data minimizes factual arguments. Further, the system’s predictive capabilities alert operators to potential maintenance needs, saving costs over the vessel’s lifespan.

It’s only a matter of time before AI on ships is not just for navigational assistance and safety advice. Eventually, given enough data and computing power, it should be able to handle complex tasks like dynamically positioning a monopile in a wind park. For now, however, most operators, especially those doing niche tasks, are safe.

Legal Implications

But AI adoption is likely to grow. As it does, the law will come into play, particularly in Europe. The E.U.’s AI Act, touted as the world’s first “comprehensive” regulatory regime targeting AI, betrays its discomfort with technology. For example, in 2023 the E.U. prognosticated that ChatGPT’s GPT-4 model, which is in common use, would likely “pose systemic risk” given its vast range of capabilities.

AIs operating in other areas may also be deemed “high risk,” e.g., in medicine, the law or biometrics. An AI used as a safety component or to profile an employee’s work performance may be treated that way, too. The E.U.’s AI Act subjects such AIs to certification, scrutiny of the data used in training, post-market monitoring and many other burdens.

So, is Hefring Marine’s AI “high-risk”? Hefring Marine’s AI touches on several aspects: It’s designed to improve safety; it gives operational guidance, and it can be used to track a captain’s low performance if, e.g., they stray from optimum ship handling. Arguably, it also plays a role in infrastructure, which is defined as a critical “high-risk” AI sector.

Then there is GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), the E.U.’s personal data protection law. More than 1,000 American websites, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, still block access to E.U.-based IP addresses since they do not wish to comply with GDPR’s many rules. For AI, any training data associated with an individual, like our seasoned captain from earlier, would likely be classified as personal data and thus be subject to GDPR.

Depending on how case law develops, this could make it increasingly difficult – maybe even impossible – to train AI models in Europe or to collect European training data for that purpose.

Decision Time

Humans are now not the only sophisticated intelligence on Earth. Should we embrace AI in every walk of life – even in shipping? Or try to constrain AI, like the E.U.?

The good news: Since it’s us who created this new intelligence, we get to decide.  

One month after two aging coastal tankers broke up near the Kerch Strait, their cargoes of heavy fuel oil continue to contaminate beaches in Crimea and Krasnodar, and Russian authorities have decided to ramp up the the response.

Last month, the aging river-sea tanker Volgoneft 212 sank in a severe storm about five nautical miles outside of the Kerch Strait. The tanker Volgoneft 239 went aground off Taman shortly after, and it gradually broke up and began leaking its cargo. The two tankers were each carrying thousands of tonnes of mazut, a Russian grade of heavy fuel oil; Russian officials claim that the majority of the sludgy cargo did not spill, but mazut has been washing up around the region for weeks in significant quantities. Both vessels were more than 50 years old, and the head of Russia's maritime trade union told state outlet TASS that they were never designed for the rough conditions of the Kerch Strait in a winter storm; the masters of both vessels have been arrested and charged, but the remainder of the aging river-sea tanker fleet continues to trade in the area without interruption. 

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the spill "one of the most serious environmental challenges" that Russia has recently encountered. The port of Taman is particularly affected, according to  Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov, as it is nearest to the wreck of the Volgoneft-239, which continues to leak. The remaining fuel in the damaged tanker's stern section will be pumped off, Kurenkov said. 

After weeks of citizen complaints, a new federal emergency task force has been set up to deal with the crisis. Local volunteers have reported limited support from the government for heavy cleanup on the tourist beaches of the Krasnodar region, which have borne the brunt of the impact. Over 10,000 people have joined the cleanup effort, and more than 80,000 tonnes of sand-oil mix have been collected to date - but volunteer efforts to shovel and bag the oiled beach sand have been spoiled in some places by re-spillage of unremoved waste. 

The environmental hazard from the spill is significant enough that Russia may decide to ban the sale of fish caught in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov - though no ban has been implemented yet. Wildlife impacts are significant, with region-wide reports of oiled seabirds and dozens of reported deaths of dolphins. 

 

[By Anna Turns]

The ocean absorbs more than 90% of the atmosphere’s excess heat trapped by human-emitted greenhouse gases. It plays a vital role in mitigating the climate crisis and our health relies on that of the ocean. But often, it is simply considered a place to extract useful resources such as food and minerals.

The charitable research institute Scottish Association for Marine Science (Sams) recently voted to make the ocean a trustee on its board, represented either by a specific person or a working group that can help hold the organization to account and speak up for the ocean’s interests. The Conversation spoke to Sams’ director, Nicholas Owens, a professor of marine science, about why he thinks this step could help charities, organizations, and businesses make decisions that are healthier for the ocean – and the planet.

How can the ocean be a board member?

The move to empower the ocean as a “board trustee” mirrors legal innovations, such as the recognition that rivers and ecosystems have legal “personhood” in countries such as Ecuador, India and New Zealand. In 2022, the Scottish beauty company, Faith in Nature, elected “nature” to its board, while adventure clothing brand Patagonia announced that Earth would be the US company’s only shareholder.

Human activities are disrupting marine ecosystems at an alarming rate. But most of these human activities are, to a significant degree, controlled by decisions taken in boardrooms. By considering how decisions will affect the ocean as a whole, our board can hopefully make significant improvements and inspire other organizations to prioritize ocean health and sustainable marine development above resource extraction or financial gain.

How significant is this move?

I believe that electing the ocean to be a trustee of Sams could be one of the most important decisions in our history. It challenges outdated models of governance and champions a future where the ocean’s voice is central to decision-making.

This might sound like a trivial gimmick, even whimsical. But after several months of careful discussion and debate, the trustees and I are convinced that even with a strong empathy for ocean conservation and a well-informed understanding of marine environmental matters, the decisions we tend to make are anthropocentric.

This is a fundamental step change. It’s a reminder to consider this extra dimension every time a decision is made at board level and to ensure that an ocean-centric perspective seeps into everything we do.

Swimming, sailing, even just building a sandcastle - the ocean benefits our physical and mental wellbeing. Curious about how a strong coastal connection helps drive marine conservation, scientists are diving in to investigate the power of blue health.

Why does a research institute run by and for humans need an ocean-centric perspective?

Human interests are usually given precedence, and concern is limited to the impact on the ocean rather than the long-term interests of the ocean. This anthropocentric approach is near universal.

Take, for example, the UN’s “ocean decade”, a major global research initiative that aims to unlock “the science we need for the ocean we want”. While the project is worthy and ambitious, the pronoun “we” is telling.

Some of the UN’s ocean decade ambitions are ocean-centric, at least in part, but most are focused on the food we take from the sea, the pollution we sometimes allow to enter the sea, and the marine urbanization we intend to develop offshore. While the ocean decade (from 2021 to 2030) is a magnificent way to mobilize the international marine science community, even the best-intentioned ambitions invariably prioritize human benefits.

So if this isn’t a gimmick, how will your board meetings now differ? Who will be speaking up for the ocean?

Our internal working group is currently deciding how to practically operate. For example, choosing between appointing one person (perhaps, an environmental lawyer) or a larger working committee to represent the voice of the ocean at each board meeting. Whatever the outcome, trustees will be holding our organisation to account from a less anthropocentric perspective.

More widely, this move has already started shifting the sorts of conversations our teams are having on a daily basis. From a research perspective, we’ve always been ethical, but now, this can be a catalyst for a deeper cultural change. I’m proud that lots of our staff are excited to work for an organisation that is taking this more considered approach.

What does it mean for your researchers and your marine research?

We already have teams focusing on the blue economy, investigating how best we can live alongside ocean ecosystems sustainably and mindfully without causing harm. But, some of the debates we have will change and affect the types of marine research we carry out in the future.

Take our deep sea research, for example. We carry out research to investigate deep-sea ecosystems. The results of our studies can be used for many purposes, including to inform the debate about deep sea mining licences.

If our research is not doing any harm, perhaps it’s fine for us to take samples and further investigate what’s there. But – and this certainly does take a leap in thinking – what would the ocean say about this? Should even research into such contentious topics be carried out?

This is a different way of looking at this argument, from a more neutral and less ego-centric perspective. By becoming more sensitive to the needs of the ocean environment, our suite of research interests may well evolve slightly in the future.

Could it lead to any negative consequences for the research institute?

Our current ethical policy is based on conventional norms. Taking an ocean-centric perspective could lead to different outcomes. If followed genuinely, this approach could result in poorer short-term financial performance. But we’re prepared to make a possible short-term sacrifice to ensure more positive outcomes for the ocean in the future.

Electing an ocean trustee is not just a practical step. It is a philosophical statement. By recognizing that humans are part of nature and not separate from it, this challenges anthropocentric models of governance that prioritize human interests over the natural world.

Our society’s survival depends on the health of the planet’s ecosystems. This philosophy is deeply rooted in many Indigenous cultures that consider nature a partner, not a commodity.

Anna Turns is Senior Environment Editor at The Conversation. Since studying biology, Anna has worked in the media for more than two decades, from TV production to magazine journalism and radio broadcasting. As a freelance environmental journalist, she has written regularly for many national publications including The Guardian, BBC Future, New Scientist and Positive News with a focus on solutions. 

This article appears courtesy of The Conversation and may be found in its original form here. 

Top image: Christopher Michel / CC BY SA 3.0 

 

The tragic loss of bulk carrier Edmund Fitzgerald is set to be permanently engraved in a marker, five decades after it sank with the loss of all hands. 

On the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior, a group in Superior, Wisconsin, called the Friends of the Fitz is seeking to raise $7,000 to purchase a Wisconsin Historical Society marker to honor the bulker and her crew.

The marker would be installed on Barkers Island, since Superior was the last port of call for Edmund Fitzgerald. The story of the vessel's loss is a maritime legend in the Great Lakes: the bulker sank on the evening of November 10, 1975, during a particularly rough storm on Lake Superior. There were no survivors amongst the ship’s 29 crew.

Plans to erect the marker come days after Superior Mayor Jim Paine proclaimed 2025 as the “Year of the Fitz”, setting the stage for commemorative events to remember the sinking of the ship, which was a constant presence on Lake Superior for 17 years. Her wreck is located some 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan.

Built in 1958, the 729-foot-long Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest and fastest Great Lakes ship of her era. Sometimes called the Mighty Fitz or Big Fitz, the ship set multiple records for the largest season-hauls and was the first lake freighter built to the maximum St. Lawrence Seaway size. The vessel had a capacity of 26,000 tonnes.

During her productive life of service, Edmund Fitzgerald carried taconite iron ore from mines near Duluth, Minnesota, to iron works in Detroit, Toledo and other Great Lakes ports. Her tragic sinking occurred in 1975 after embarking on a voyage from Superior, Wisconsin, near Duluth carrying a full cargo of ore pellets with Captain Ernest M. McSorley in command.

On November 10, the ship was caught in a severe storm on Lake Superior, with near hurricane-force winds and waves up to 35 feet (11 meters). In these extreme conditions, she took on water and sank quickly, with the loss of all hands. Investigators were later determined that the probable cause of the accident was the sudden massive flooding of the cargo hold due to the collapse of one or more hatch covers.

“There are so many memorials out there and ways that other communities have remembered their real part in the Edmund Fitzgerald’s history and Superior is no different,” said Jenny Van Sickle, Superior City Councilor. “So the Friends of the Fitz are raising money in order to purchase and install our own official marker here in Superior.”

The historical marker will be another piece of artifact that will help keep the memories of Edmund Fitzgerald and her crew alive for decades. It will join the ship’s 200-pound bronze bell, which was recovered in July 1995 and is now on display in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. The ship’s bow anchor is on display at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

 

[By Jane Rickards]

The West had better think carefully about how it would handle China imposing a nominally civil quarantine on Taiwan, because that’s the tactic that increasingly looks like an opening move for Beijing in taking control of the island.

A quarantine, imposing limited controls on access to the island, offered strong advantages for China even before Taiwan said in October that a blockade, surrounding it with forces to cut off all access, would be an act of war. Taiwan’s statement means China is even more likely to choose quarantine as a first step.

This use of the word ‘quarantine’ was coined in an important Center for Strategic and International Studies report last year. The authors foresaw that the Chinese government might ban only certain types of goods from entering Taiwan, or it could forbid ships from using a certain port. The measures would be enforced by nominally non-military forces, such as the China Coastguard.

Conceivably, China could see whether it could get away once with a quarantine action, then, noting success in asserting its authority, do it again and gradually tighten restrictions until they turned into a blockade—salami slicing, as it does in so many areas of international affairs.

First among the inherent advantages of quarantine for Beijing is that, unlike more warlike action, it brings no commitment to go all the way, to conquer or be defeated. It would raise no great expectation among the highly nationalist Chinese people of imminent conquest of Taiwan. So if the measure met stiff resistance, the Chinese Communist Party could back away from it, declaring that some civil administrative objective had been achieved.

Yet forcing it to back down would be difficult for Taiwan and its friends, which is another advantage of the quarantine tactic. They would have to escalate with warships and possibly armed force to stop a China Coast Guard ship from intercepting a freighter, for example. This would put Taiwan and the West in the unfortunate position of looking like the initiators of military conflict. On the other hand, if Taiwan and the West did nothing, and intimidated shipping companies mostly went along with the quarantine, China’s narrative that it had control over Taiwan would be strengthened.

Taiwanese Minister of National Defence Wellington Koo said in October that Taiwan would consider a blockade an act of war and would respond on a war footing after massive Chinese military drills were held near the island.

A quarantine would probably cause little or no disruption to China’s own trade, whereas the risk of military confrontation in a blockade could frighten ship owners into avoiding the Taiwan Strait and Chinese ports near it. This would severely affect China’s economy: most shipments that pass through the Taiwan Strait are Chinese imports and exports.

A quarantine would probably involve no dramatic announcements from Beijing. Instead, China could claim it merely needed to expand customs procedures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters where China believes it has jurisdiction. This might involve the Chinese coast guard carrying out inspections of ships and boarding non-Chinese vessels to inspect their paperwork. Vessels that refuse to comply could be forced to turn back or even be hit with water cannons. The coast guard could then restrict vital imports that enter Taiwan, such as energy products. This could cripple the Taiwanese economy and have the effect of shattering the Taiwanese people’s morale and willingness to resist Beijing.

Throughout 2024, China’s coast guard increased intrusive patrols in waters around Taiwan’s outlying Kinmen archipelago, which is close to China.

In a possible early sign of a quarantine tactic, China’s coast guard in February 2024 intercepted a Taiwanese sight-seeing ferry that was sailing around Kinmen’s main island during a period when cross-strait tensions were running high. Chinese coast guard officers boarded the Taiwanese boat and asked to inspect the documentation of the crew, before disembarking a while later. Then, in mid-May, the Chinese state media outlet China Daily said, ‘In the future, this ‘Kinmen model’ of law enforcement inspections can also be applied to Matsu and Penghu islands, and even the entire Taiwan Strait.’

Among the difficult options for Taiwanese and Western response might be beefing up of Taiwan’s own coast guard, which is vastly smaller than China’s, and training it to respond to such tactics.

The US could also impose financial sanctions on China if it imposed a quarantine and persuade other democracies to join in. In doing so, the West would be hitting back at China using tactics that, like China’s quarantine, fall short of war. This might also meet the incoming Trump administration’s goal of weakening China, which it views as an economic competitor.

Whatever the response will be, plans are needed. Quarantine is so attractive a measure for China that Taiwan and its friends must be prepared.

Jane Rickards, a journalist and frequent contributor to The Economist, has lived in Taiwan since 2004.

This article appears courtesy of The Strategist and may be found in its original form here. 

On Sunday, Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority rescued eight crewmembers from a sinking tanker just off Pedra Branca, a lighthouse installation at the eastern entrance to the Singapore Strait - the second sinking in two days in the Singaporean search and rescue zone. 

At about 1540 hours, the master of the small product tanker Silver Sincere reported that the vessel was taking on water and that the crew was abandoning ship. All crewmembers safely evacuated into a liferaft, and they were saved by a good Samaritan freighter, the Intan Daya 368. All survivors were in good health when delivered to shore at Batu Ampar, Indonesia. 

With search and rescue complete, the MPA has transitioned to a pollution-control response for the Silver Sincere. Salvage tugs and a spill-abatement vessel have been activated and dispatched to the scene; as of yet, no oil pollution has been reported. 

So far, the busy traffic lanes of the Singapore Strait have not been affected, but the MPA is broadcasting a safety advisory to shipping to stay clear of the wreck site. 

Just one day earlier, a good Samaritan ship rescued the crew of a sinking Vietnamese freighter in the South China Sea, off the coast of peninsular Malaysia but within Singapore's vast search and rescue zone. The yard-and-stay freighter Dolphin 18 sent a distress call on Saturday morning and reported that they were going down. The call was received by the 2,200 TEU container feeder Nicolai Maersk, which reported it to the Singapore MPA Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) at about 0700 hours. Nikolai Maersk safely rescued 18 crewmembers from their liferafts, and all were in good health. Dolphin 18 was reported sunk.  

 

Singapore conglomerate ST Engineering is making forays into the market for specialized vessels supporting offshore operations after winning a contract for the construction of a walk-to-work (W2W) ship for the oil and gas industry.

The company announced it has secured the contract for the design and construction of the vessel for a leading oil and gas company. ST Engineering did not name the customer nor the price, but highlighted the importance of the contract in its quest for a bigger market for specialized vessels.

“Building a W2W vessel demands specialized expertise in marine engineering, advanced systems integration and dynamic positioning – areas where we excel. Being selected after a rigorous evaluation process is a testament to our expertise, dedication to quality and compliance with global standards,” said Tan Leong Peng, ST Engineering President, Marine.

The vessel, which will be 97 meters and able to accommodate 106 persons, will be purpose-built. Completion is slated for the first quarter of 2027.

ST Engineering’s determination to capture a bigger market for specialized vessels stems from a belief that in the long term, oil remains integral in meeting energy demands. The winning of the W2W contract comes just months after ST Engineering opened a new shipyard that was acquired at a cost of $95 million to support the growth of its marine business and maintain its competitiveness in the ship repair segment.

Opened in September last year, the new yard will enable the company to explore new market segments, including offshore renewables projects, offshore support vessels for the oil and gas industry, as well as refits, upgrades and comprehensive operations and support services. It is designed to handle larger, more complex projects, and its expanded capacity is expected to shorten turnaround times.

 

Two U.S. Treasury-sanctioned ships have been the focus of attention for the maritime community interested in Iranian spy ship activity.  But these are not the only Iranian ships involved in intelligence activity contributing to attacks on merchant shipping.

Firstly the MV Saviz, and then the MV Behshad, maintained a picket position, stationary off the Dahlak Bank just inside Eritrean territorial waters in the Red Sea, from late 2016 until January 2024.  Both ships are controlled by the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line Group (IRISL).  But their unusual patterns of activity, reporting in the Israeli press and the observed presence on-board of uniformed personnel, strongly suggested that the vessels were being operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy (Nesda). 

This designation was effectively confirmed when the Saviz was damaged by limpet mines on April 6, 2021, an attack subsequently acknowledged by Israel.  Saviz limped home to Bandar Abbas, and was replaced on station by her sister ship, the Behshad.  The Behshad too was forced from this position in January 2024, and took up station instead in the Gulf of Aden.  According to U.S. official speaking to ABC News the U.S. subsequently conducted a cyberattack against the Behshad, which abandoned its post off Djibouti and returned to Bandar Abbas in April 2024.

Both the Saviz and the Behshad will have played an important role in the collection of intelligence and its dissemination to Iran’s Houthi allies, in support of Houthi attacks on merchant shipping. Both vessels are equipped with standard maritime radars, one mounted forward atop a mast, a second mounted aft with a complex aerial array unusually high above the bridge, with a third radar or antenna protected by a radome on a second bridge mast. A detection range of 50 nm could be expected from such an array. 

Through a satellite receiver, the ships could also receive one-meter resolution imagery, with a less than 24-hour time delay, from Iran’s own Khayyam satellite (and probably also from the Russian Kanopus-V imagery satellite constellation). Both ships could also communicate with the Houthis’ fleet of fishing boat intelligence collectors, or launch its own small boats for scouting purposes. 

Fusing this all-source intelligence with data from aggregated Automatic Identification System (AIS) information, gathered from those ships traveling with their AIS systems turned on, both ships would be able to maintain an accurate maritime area activity plot, albeit not sufficiently timely to be used directly for target engagement by missiles or drones without closing approach target acquisition systems.

With the Saviz and Behshad now effectively chased away from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden area, the same intelligence collection role has now likely been passed to Iran’s regular Navy (Nedaja), whose grey paint provides a degree of sovereign protection, although not necessarily from the limpet mine threat.  Currently, the Nedaja presence in the area is being maintained by the 100th Flotilla, consisting of the frigate IRINS Dena (F75) and logistics supply ship IRINS Bushehr (L422), due rotation shortly.

Saviz and Behshad, valuable assets still, have now been redeployed to safer waters.  Behshad now appears to be operating in the Straits of Hormuz area, usually off Qeshm, giving greater depth to Iran’s coastal defenses in this sensitive area.  Saviz is believed to still be on station in the northern Arabian Sea, where she was implicated in the attack by an Iranian Shahed-136 drone on the Indian-crewed chemical tanker MV Chem Pluto off Porbandar on December 23, 2023.  In the follow-up to the attack, the Indian Navy announced that they had boarded the Saviz in international waters but found nothing incriminating, a bold and resolute action for which no supporting evidence was provided and which was not accompanied by any complaint from Iran – but which appears to have brought similar such attacks to an end.

Also boarded and searched in the Indian follow-up was the IRISL container ship MV Artenos, suggesting that the Indian authorities believed this Iranian ship also had a role in the attack.  MV Artenos is an active merchantman and made 27 port calls in 2024, sailing normally between the Gulf and India.  It was also spotted in suspicious circumstances in the same month southeast of Socotra, and may therefore be acting in a covert intelligence auxiliary role.

Another Iranian container ship, the MV Shiba, also IRISL-owned and US-sanctioned, was tracked by UK commercial intelligence firm MariTrace behaving suspiciously in January 2024.  En route from Jebel Ali towards the Suez Canal, Shiba paused for 8 hours off Bandar-e Jask on January 10.  Resuming her voyage, her path would have crossed that of the tanker Suez Rajan, which was seized by the Nedaja the next day before being diverted to Jask. 

MV Shiba left from her normal commercial routing again several days later, leaving the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor, sailing southwards to sail in close company with the Behshad for several days off Djibouti. The two ships were joined by IRINS Alborz (F-72) and IRINS Bushehr (422).  Again MV Shiba is active commercially, having made 43 port calls in 2024, but on tenuous evidence also appears to have an auxiliary intelligence role, well disguised by her legitimate commercial activity.  Other Iranian-owned merchantmen are likely to have a similar reporting role.

Much of Iran’s prosecution of asymmetric warfare makes an assumption that, whatever its own behaviors, its adversaries will be loath to break international conventions and the International Law of the Sea.  However, when those adversaries do take resolute action to protect their interests, the Iranians are exposed as defenseless and are deterred.  In this context the Nesda has not yet deployed its drone carriers Shahid Mahdavi (C110-3) and Shahid Bagheri (C110-4);  with their drone and missile arsenals, these highly vulnerable converted merchant ships pose a substantial threat – but only when they are not robustly challenged.

 

Chile has launched a national naval shipbuilding policy, which will see the navy utilize domestic shipyards during the ongoing fleet renewal program. President Gabriel Boric signed the policy last week during a visit to the state-owned shipyard Asmar in Talcahuano port city.

In June last year, Boric instructed the Ministries of Defense and Economy, together with the Chilean Navy, to formulate a naval construction policy. The aim is to consolidate the country’s defense industry as Chilean Navy pivots to sourcing naval platforms in domestic yards.

Recently, Asmar announced that it plans to begin construction of the first frigate for the Chilean Navy in 2032. “Asmar has tremendous experience in shipbuilding and it has been building auxiliary ships of different types for more than 60 years. But we want to build our own frigates in the next decade. We will be responsible for the detailed engineering and construction of the frigate. However, we also require collaboration with associated companies for the integration of necessary systems,” said Rear Admiral José Miguel Hernández, Director of Asmar.

According to Boric, the signing of the Naval Construction Policy is more about affirming Chile’s sovereignty. This will help reduce dependence on foreign yards for critical defense platforms. In addition, the shipbuilding policy will help in fast-tracking delivery of four multipurpose vessels, which the Chilean Navy procured as part of the Escotillón IV project.

The first vessel under this project is nearing completion at Asmar yard and is scheduled to begin sea trials this year. On Friday, the Chilean Navy announced that the construction of the third and fourth vessel under the project would start, with the Naval Construction Policy now in place.

The Chilean Navy launched the Escotillón IV project in 2022 as part of its efforts to modernize and improve the deployment capabilities of its transport and logistics command, Comanfitran. The four multipurpose units are designed to operate in the Pacific, as well as navigate Antarctic waters during the summer months. Further, the vessels will help carry out naval logistics support, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Chile has already demonstrated capacity to build large vessels in local yards, with the commissioning of its new icebreaker Almirante Viel last year. The successful delivery of the Escotillón IV project will mark another milestone for the Chilean shipbuilding sector.

 

With global ship demolition at record low levels, Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry has reported that 2024 saw a massive drop in scrap ship imports. Only 144 ships were sent to Bangladesh last year for recycling, equivalent to 968,000 GT, the lowest since 2005. As the leading global ship recycling destination, Bangladesh usually processes at least two million GT of end-of-life ships, according to the sector’s data for 2023. The peak year for the Chattogram-based industry was in 2021 with 280 ships (2.73 million GT) demolished.

However, 2022 marked an inflection point as ship recycling imports fell to 1.14 million GT. At the time, factors such as the start of the Russia-Ukraine war were blamed for the drop. But disruptions in the shipping industry continue to multiply, leading to fewer ships being sent for demolition. This became exacerbated last year as Red Sea crisis led to demand for extra capacity in shipping, including older vessels designated for recycling.

Further, demolition prices fell significantly over the course of 2024, from a high of $600/LDT (Light Displacement Tonnage) in Q1 to $450/LDT by end of December, according to data by demolition ships cash buyer GMS. This has left many yards in South Asia in a state of limbo, with some opting for a temporary closure.

While an uptick in recycling markets is expected in 2025, the long-term sustainability of yards in Bangladesh will depend on how they pivot their operations for global environmental compliance. The Hong Kong Convention (HKC) on safe recycling of ships will take effect on June 26. Yards are therefore expected to comply with standards set by the HKC. But some industry analysts have said that Bangladesh has not done enough to get its yards certified under HKC. Unfortunately, this could see Bangladesh lose its top position in global ship recycling to India.

“With over $100 million funding from international donors, India has developed 120 green yards on the coast of Alang in Gujarat to recycle ships following the HKC. In contrast, Bangladesh has developed only five green yards in the last 10 years, which are not enough to compete with India. This means that Bangladesh is likely to lose its top position this year,” Anam Chowdhury, President of the Bangladesh Marine Officers Association (BMOA) told the Business Standard newspaper.

According to 2023 data by India’s ratings firm Care Edge, Bangladesh accounted for 46 percent of the global gross tonnage dismantled in the year. India was second, accounting for 33 percent.

 

Wind energy historically provided the basis for vessel propulsion, using sails and sometimes kites. During the 1920s, engineer Anton Flettner developed large cylinders spinning on a vertical axis to redirect a wind stream to produce vessel propulsion. There is scope to combine recent developments in multiple technologies with Flettner cylinders to enhance the performance of wind-assisted and wind-propelled commercial vessels.

Introduction

Flettner rotors are large cylinders that spin on a vertical axis, redirecting the flow of wind energy to produce a reaction in the form of propulsion on large vessels sailing through windswept regions of ocean, reducing fuel consumption.

Flettner Rotor operation might be compared to that of an aerosol can where a small amount of pressure applied to the control button releases a large amount of pressure from storage. A small amount of energy from an electric motor is required to spin the Flettner cylinder, which redirects the flow of wind energy to produce a massive amount of propulsive thrust. There are alternate methods by which to sustain cylinder rotation.

Geographic locations

Several regions of the world experience reliable and steady winds. Coastal winds occur in many regions after sunrise, with wind blowing inland from sea to land and in the opposite direction after sunset. Both wind directions provide the basis for wind-based vessel propulsion, with predominant wind direction determining the choice of wind-driven propulsion technology. While some wind-powered vessels would need to sail directly into headwinds, other vessels would sail parallel to the wind, while even other vessels could redirect kinetic energy from side-winds to achieve propulsion. Already proven technology can convert energy from tail winds and side winds.

Some ship captains had recorded fuel consumption on their vessels on certain voyages, prior to and after installation of Flettner rotors. They reported up to 25% reduction in fuel consumption along sections of the voyage with rotors in operation. Whereas sails of clipper ships delivered up to 3,500-horsepower, groups of deck-mounted rotor sails are estimated to deliver up to and over 10,000-horsepower on voyages that pass through windswept regions of the ocean. 

Related technologies

The concept of “convergence of technologies” combines features of existing and proven technologies with large cylinders that rotate on a vertical axis above the deck of a ship. Cylinder rotation requires a small input of power to redirect a large amount of wind energy that would result in propulsion. The cylinders need to rotate either clockwise or counter clockwise depending on wind direction. Bi-directional mechanical gearboxes are available in the railway industry, with bi-directional electric motors also being readily available. Flywheels along with variable ratio transmissions and multi-speed gearboxes are also readily available.

Maritime vessels can carry the weight and accommodate the volume of multiple container size grid-scale batteries that could sustain several days of cylinder rotation aboard commercial vessels. Certain configurations of deck-mounted wind turbines could through gear mechanisms, initiate and sustain cylinder rotation. Waterwheels could likely sustain deck-mounted cylinder rotation after a vessel has reached a suitable sailing speed. During daylight hours, electric energy from solar photo-voltaic panels could energize electric motors that sustain several hours of cylinder rotation.

Wind turbines driving cylinders

Tilting a self-starting, vertical-axis bladed wind turbine by 90-degrees lets it rotate on a transverse horizontal axis. Installed at low elevation above the deck, it would drive a vertical-axis Flettner rotor through a bi-directional gearbox. A deflector would guide wind energy only to the working section of transverse-axis bladed turbine. Above certain wind speed, bladed small wind turbines of sufficient size and spinning on a horizontal axis would be able to sustain rotation of large non-bladed deck-mounted cylinders, allowing them to redirect a massive amount of wind energy to produce vessel propulsion.

An alternative approach could involve low-cost, long-life grid-scale batteries housed inside shipping containers and carried far below deck. Battery-driven electric motors could sustain propeller driven propulsion for short distances, departing from port and sailing into a port. Batteries driving the cylinders via electric motors could sustain vessel propulsion between ports of origin and destination, both located in windswept regions. Future wind-powered vessels could combine batteries, flywheels, water wheels, Flettner rotors, suction sail propulsion along with kite technology on the same vessel, so as to use trade winds and side winds for propulsion.

Conclusions

Wind energy is presently assisting some piston engine vessels with propulsion. There is also growing interest in developing commercial vessels that sail almost exclusively on wind energy, potentially sailing the routes of clipper ships and schooners of an earlier era in both short-sea and trans-ocean shipping. While a small number of wind-powered passenger cruise ships use deck mounted aeronautical wing type sails and kite-sails for propulsion, future wind-powered cruise ships could feature the combination of Flettner rotors, suction sails, and stacked kite technology to provide propulsion.

 

The shipping industry is looking for CO2-reducing alternatives to bunker fuel, and LNG has become the preferred alternative fuel of choice, according to data collected by DNV. 

DNV’s annual review shows that the shipping industry is forging ahead. Last year, a total of 515 alternative-fuel ships were ordered, representing a 38 percent year-on-year increase compared to 2023. 

The boom in container and car carrier newbuilds in recent years has been instrumental in the growth of alternative-fueled vessel orders, a trend that was maintained last year. In 2024, the container and car carrier segments made up 62 percent of all alternative fuel orders, an indication that cargo owners were responding to consumer demands for more sustainable practices and a push by liner companies to replace older tonnage.

In 2024, LNG gained prominence as the fuel of choice as market dynamics drove a shift away from methanol, which had a standout year in 2023. Ocean carriers placed an order of 264 LNG vessels in 2024, more than double the number of vessels ordered in 2023. 

Considering the industry also witnessed a record number of LNG dual-fuel deliveries - totaling 169 vessels in 2024 - the number of LNG-fueled ships in operation is on the rise. By the end of last year, 641 LNG-powered ships were in operation with the number expected to double by the end of the decade.

A key factor that is propelling the increase in LNG-fueled ship orders is the fact that LNG bunkering is maturing. Last year saw the number of LNG bunker vessels in operation increase to 64 from 52, with the growth expected to continue this year. However, there are concerns that an existing gap between LNG bunkering supply and demand could widen over the next five years based on dual-fuel ship order volume.

DNV noted that building more bunkering infrastructure helps the existing fleet and stimulates future demand at the same time. The European Union is already implementing requirements for a large network of ports to have LNG bunkering infrastructure, which will increase fuel availability.   

“As we work towards decarbonizing the industry, we are encouraged by the growth in alternative fuel vessels over the past few years,” said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV Maritime. “While recent figures are promising, we must keep pushing forward. The technological transition is underway, but supply of alternative fuel is still low. As an industry we need to work with fuel suppliers and other stakeholders to ensure that shipping has access to its share of alternative fuels in the future.”

Though orders for LNG vessels dominated in 2024, it was not the only fuel on shipowners’ minds. A total of 166 methanol vessels were ordered during the year, up from 138 in 2023. Most of the methanol orders, totaling 85, were in the container segment. The increase in methanol orders indicates that while liners are facing a challenge due to the slow development of green methanol production, they still believe in a diverse fuel pool.

The same sentiment drove promising momentum recorded in ammonia-fueled vessels. In 2024, there were 27 orders compared to just eight in 2023. The first non-gas carrier ammonia-fueled vessels orders were placed in 2024, totaling 10 in number, half of which were in the bulk carrier segment.  

 

Value Maritime has secured funding from the Dutch government to install a new version of its carbon-capture technology aboard another vessel owned by repeat customer Samskip.

Samskip has experience with Value Maritime's scrubber/carbon capture systems. It has installed units aboard the boxships Samskip Innovator and Samskip Endeavor, two biofuel-driven feeders that operate between the UK and the Netherlands. 

To add carbon capture to another ship, Samskip and Value Maritime partnered to apply for funding from the Netherlands' Maritime Masterplan program, and they were selected. Their demonstration project will develop, build and install a first-of-its-kind, extra-compact carbon capture system for the Samskip Kvitbjorn, an LNG-fueled ro/ro freight ferry that operates between Rotterdam and Hammerfest. 

The new variant draws on experience gained from Value Maritime's first-generation CO2 capture/SOx scrubber system, first installed on the boxship Nordica and now used by a growing number of small cargo vessels and tankers. The system can remove and capture up to 40% of CO2 from the ship's exhaust gas, which is then stored onboard.

The model for Samskip Kvitbjorn will have its height and footprint reduced by one third, making it the smallest of its kind in the world, Value Maritime said. It will be combined with an exhaust gas heat recovery system to generate electricity from flue gas, thereby boosting fuel efficiency. 

Value Group has also secured a $2 million investment from Energietransitiefonds Rotterdam to develop a hub for CO? offloading and processing in Rotterdam. The Filtree system captures CO2 in liquid amine and stores the resulting mixture in a tank onboard; on arrival, it is offloaded and replaced with fresh amine, and the stored CO2 is extracted onshore. The new hub will manage the CO? offloading and handle the amine processing.

 

[By Yan C. Bennett]

As in his first term, Donald Trump should continue a resolute approach toward China in his second term. This approach was and is grounded in the belief that a more assertive posture will deter China’s expansionist ambitions, reinforce US credibility among allies and safeguard economic and technological leadership.

Trump’s track record and cabinet nominations suggest a consistent approach moving forward, with several initiatives needing only formal adoption or targeted reinforcement of existing policies.

The United States should, and under Trump’s leadership again probably will, prioritize four key objectives: counter Chinese advances in the Indo-Pacific, insist on Taiwanese self-defense, oppose Beijing’s predatory economic practices, and compete in economic and technological development.

Key priorities of the first administration included promoting US interests, economic prosperity and preserving peace through strength. Trump’s proposed foreign policy team for his second administration, including Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Michael Waltz as national security advisor, signals a maintained firm stance on China, reflecting the general trajectory of the first term.

Their records suggest the new administration’s priorities will include more stringent economic and cybersecurity policies to address evolving challenges posed by China. As secretary of state, Rubio may also spotlight China’s human rights violations, potentially amplifying international pressure on Beijing. Overall, however, the tone and intent will likely follow Trump’s previous hardline approach.

One of the most pressing foreign policy challenges is China’s growing global influence through economic coercion. The first Trump administration’s recalibration of US-China relations included confronting predatory economic practices, prioritizing US business interests, and asserting technological leadership.

The Biden administration largely continued these strategies, affirming their effectiveness. The incoming administration is likely to build on this foundation, focusing on peace through strength, advancing technological competitiveness and bolstering economic resilience.

Countering China’s advances in the Indo-Pacific is another priority. To do so, the US military will need to modernize key capabilities such as space, cyber, and missile defense systems. Since Trump promoted military modernization in the 2017 National Security Strategy and 2018 National Defense Strategy, it’s likely to be a key strategy under his second administration.

Trump’s first-term efforts to push allies to share the financial and operational burdens of defending the free world have yielded results, particularly among NATO members. NATO’s annual defense spending increased due to additional contributions from several European allies, while Germany committed to significant military spending hikes. Expect more of this in Trump’s second term, strengthening collective security and alleviating the US’s disproportionate burden.

To confront China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific, the US needs to deepen cooperation with allies through joint exercises, intelligence-sharing and expanded base access. NATO and like-minded democracies have expressed shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, presenting an opportunity for unified action. Trump has endorsed AUKUS, talks for which began under his first administration.

Taiwan remains a flashpoint. Since 1972, the US’s One China policy has insisted that the Taiwan question must be solved peacefully by the two sides themselves. Accordingly, one of the main provisions of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act places the burden of defending the island on Taiwan. Trump’s demonstrated expectation that allies must help themselves indicates he will expect Taipei to do more.

Taiwan must strengthen its military capacity, harden key infrastructure and reduce its reliance on foreign military support. Previous administrations have rarely demanded this, but the incoming administration should strongly encourage Taiwan’s self-reliance in defense matters. Enhanced self-sufficiency and readiness are essential to preserving peace and minimizing the risk that the US would have to intervene to defend the island. Taiwan must make the costs of invasion and occupation prohibitively high for China.

The US must also lead in countering China’s predatory economic practices, including forced technology transfers and state subsidies. Promoting compliance with international trade rules, diversifying supply chains and supporting US businesses will strengthen the global economic order. Free-market principles and expanded trade partnerships will challenge China’s state-driven model and showcase the benefits of an open, rules-based system.

To outpace China’s ambitions, the US must invest in critical technologies—such as AI, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing—and diversify critical mineral supply chains. Trump’s 2017 National Security Strategy emphasized the strategic value of innovation, underscoring the need for continued investment in research and development to protect US security, create jobs and drive economic growth. In 2017 Trump signed an executive order addressing the US’s reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals.

Strengthening public-private partnerships and securing supply chains will safeguard US infrastructure and economic independence. Trump is likely to continue this trend in his second term.

This cohesive strategy—one that’s designed to counter China’s influence, strengthen alliances and promote peace—is a vision for the incoming administration that’s consistent with the core principles of Trump’s first term.

Yan C Bennett is a lecturer at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and author of a history on US-China relations, among other scholarship.

This article appears courtesy of The Strategist and may be found in its original form here. 

 

Salvors responding to the grounding of the self-unloader Algoma Verity have found that the vessel has damage to multiple tanks, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Friday. 

The Algoma Verity was northbound from the Port of Philadelphia when it went aground outside the main shipping channel on Wednesday night. The pilot of the 50,000 dwt self-unloader notified the Coast Guard of the incident at 1830 hours Wednesday, prompting an emergency response.

The Algoma Verity is still aground outside the main shipping channel, and Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, salvors, and the vessel’s representatives are working on a plan to safely move the vessel. 

One early challenge has emerged. Inspectors have found that four of the vessel’s ballast tanks and one empty fuel tank have been damaged by the incident. There have been no reports of pollution, and the Coast Guard said that it will continue to monitor the vessel for any potential changes. 

“There are many different factors when it comes to moving a vessel as large as the Algoma Verity after a grounding and we want to ensure it is done safely,” said Cmdr. Lee Gorlin, the incident commander at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay. “It is too early to have a timeline, but our responders will continue to work closely with our partners to complete the mission.” 

AIS data suggests that Algoma Verity exited the channel once before, earlier in the transit, and slowed quickly to one knot - potentially indicating an earlier instance of contact with the bottom in the run-up to the final grounding, according to shipping analyst Prof. Sal Mercogliano. 

On Friday, German response authorities had to deploy multiple tugs to rescue a broken-down shadow fleet tanker laden with Russian oil, sparking a small political furor. 

According to Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies, the Eventin - formerly part of the Fractal Marine DMCC fleet - was under way from Russia to Egypt with about 100,000 tonnes of crude oil aboard. Off the coast of Ruegen, Germany, Eventin lost power and ability to maneuver, and it began to drift. 

"It is precisely this scenario that I have repeatedly warned against together with my colleagues from the Baltic region," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday. "Russia is endangering our European security not only with its war of aggression against Ukraine, which violates international law, but also with severed cables, moved border buoys, disinformation campaigns, GPS jammers, and also with dilapidated oil tankers."

The agency's Accident Command took over overall command of the operation, and it determined that an evacuation of the crew was not immediately necessary. The response vessel Arkona and the salvage tug Bremen Fighter were dispatched to attend to the stricken vessel and halt its drift. The command also put the response tug Bremen on standby and activated a boarding team trained to deploy via helicopter and assist with making a tow connection. 
 
At about 1500 hours, the Bremen Fighter made up a towline to the Eventin and successfully brought the ship's movement under control. However, the salvage was not yet over, and the responders had to contend with the difficult weather conditions of the Baltic in winter. Winds on scene were at Beaufort 7 as of Friday afternoon and were expected to strengthen as high as Beaufort 9 (strong gale, 41-47 knots). To provide additional holding power, two additional tugs, the Bremen and the VB Luca, were chartered by the shipowner to assist. The emergency response tug Baltic has also been ordered to reposition from the western Baltic Sea to a location nearer the scene as a precautionary measure. 

19-year-old Eventin is part of the Russia-facing "dark fleet," a pool of hundreds of anonymously-held tankers of high average age and uncertain governance. The vessel was owned by a reputable Norwegian tanker firm until after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when it was sold to an anonymous holding company in the UAE, Vaigai Lines. 

After its sale in August 2022, its new commercial operator was Fractal Marine DMCC, the Dubai-based tanker firm that was an early leader in providing alternative shipping services to Russian oil exporters after the invasion of Ukraine. Under Fractal Marine DMCC's control, Eventin frequently navigated to and from Russian oil ports, often disabling its AIS, according to OpenSanctions.org.  

In early 2024, Fractal Marine DMCC was sanctioned by the UK government for "operating in the Russian energy sector as part of Putin's shadow fleet." The company insisted that it was fully compliant with all regulations, but was unsuccessful in appealing the sanctions listing and liquidated its assets one month later.

On February 22, 2024 - the same day that UK sanctions on Fractal Marine DMCC were announced - Vaigai Lines took over as Eventin's operator, removing Fractal's name from the vessel's management record. Vaigai then resold the vessel to another anonymous single-vessel holding company, Laliya Shipping Corp, which has no listed address.

Eventin's ISM manager remains Wanta Shipping LLC, a firm with multiple ties to the former Fractal fleet. The vessel continued to call Russian oil loading ports as recently as this month, immediately prior to its breakdown in the Baltic. Eventin remains insured and classed by reputable Western entities. 

Though linked to Russia's oil export trade, Eventin, Vaigai, Laliya and Wanta are not named on international sanctions lists. As these firms are not officially blacklisted, private salvors may safely contract with them for Eventin's rescue, without the need to seek prior exemptions. 

On Friday, the Israeli Air Force carried out another round of retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets in western Yemen, including sites at the dual-use ports of Hodeidah and Ras Isa. An IDF source confirmed to the Jerusalem Post that U.S. and British forces were involved in the strikes, but that allied planes were assigned different targets than Israeli aircraft. 

Houthi forces have repeatedly launched missiles and drones against Israel in protest of the ongoing Israeli operation in Gaza. In return, the IAF has made several bombing runs over Hodeidah and the western Yemeni coastline, where Houthi forces stage their missile assets. The U.S. military has also repeatedly struck Houthi missile, drone and command post sites within Yemen, including a large-scale operation earlier this week. 

The targets of Friday's raid included the Hizaz power station, also known as Hezyaz Central Generating Station - a fuel oil-run powerplant located at the south end of the Houthi capital of Sana'a. In a statement, the IAF described it as "a central source of energy for the Houthi terrorist regime in its military activities."

Israeli F-16 fighters also hit the ports of Hodeidah and Ras Isa at locations "containing Houthi military infrastructure." Yemeni outlet Al-Masirah said that Hodeidah was hit six times and that areas of Ras Isa were on fire. Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, said that the strikes left Hodeidah - Yemen's primary gateway for food imports - in a "paralyzed" state. 

The IDF said that it would continue to carry out strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi regime, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that more punitive actions could follow. "As we promised, the Houthis are paying, and they will continue to pay, a heavy price for their aggression against us," Netanyahu said. "The Houthis are a proxy of Iran and they serve the terrorist objectives of the Iranian axis in the Middle East."