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ICAS Maritime Affairs Handbill (online ISSN 2837-3901, print ISSN 2837-3871) is published the last Tuesday of the month throughout the year at 1919 M St NW, Suite 310, Washington, DC 20036.
The online version of ICAS Maritime Affairs Handbill can be found at chinaus-icas.org/icas-maritime-affairs-program/map-handbill/.
China, US agree to manage maritime risks through continued dialogue
May 28 – Reuters
[China, United States]
On May 24, representatives from the U.S. and China successfully held consultations on maritime affairs during which they exchanged views—especially on Taiwan and the South China Sea—and agreed to maintain communication in order to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations.
Brazil, United States partner to combat illegal fishing
May 24 – Sea Power
[South America, United States]
The Brazilian navy and U.S. Coast Guard have agreed to work together to enhance bilateral relations and address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, port security, and the facilitation of “safe and lawful maritime commerce and travel.”
More aid getting from US pier to people in Gaza, officials say, after troubled launch
May 23 – AP News
[Middle East, United States]
After two months of logistical, weather and security challenges, the U.S. finished installing a floating pier off the Gaza Strip to help successfully deliver humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. This pier effort, also supported by personnel from the United Nations, Israel and World Central Kitchen, is expected to cost $320 million and help deliver as much as 500 tons of food, though officials continue to report several delivery challenges.
States have legal duty to cut greenhouse emissions, says top maritime court
May 21 – The Guardian
[Global]
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled that countries are legally obligated to take all necessary actions to prevent marine pollution connected to greenhouse gas emissions. This case, first brought before the court by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law in December 2022, is led by the nations of Tuvalu and Antigua and Barbuda.
West, Russia manage limited cooperation in Arctic despite chill in ties
May 14 – Reuters
[Arctic Ocean]
Amidst the ongoing pause in relations between Russia and Western Arctic nations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, current Arctic Council chair Norway successfully paved the way for a simulated virtual oil spill exercise in March that all eight Arctic Council nations took part in.
Beijing rejects ‘groundless’ Philippine claims it is trying to build artificial island in South China Sea
May 13 – South China Morning Post [Paywall]
[South China Sea, Southeast Asia, China]
Continuing the current string of heated verbal exchanges between Beijing and Manila on the South China Sea, China’s foreign ministry dismissed claims made by the Philippines that China is attempting to build an artificial island at the disputed Sabina Shoal, calling the claims “groundless and pure fabrication” designed to “mislead the international community.”
Charity warns Italy’s ban on migrant rescue planes risks lives
May 9 – The Local
[Mediterranean Sea, Europe]
German-based migrant rescue charity Sea Watch pushed back against a new order issued by Italy’s civil aviation authority Enac saying charity plans would be seized if they carry out “search and rescue” activities from Sicilian airports, as it is up to the Coast Guard to carry out such missions.
Jordan, UAE Sign Maritime Cooperation Agreement
May 8 – Jordan News
[Middle East]
Jordan’s Ministry of Transport, the Jordan Maritime Commission, and the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure signed a memorandum of understanding to mutually recognize, foster, and enhance bilateral cooperation and exchanges in the maritime sector.
China, France issue joint statement on deepening marine cooperation
May 7 – CGTN
[China, Europe]
During a rare state visit to France, Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement to strengthen and finance maritime cooperation on the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems and coastal biodiversity.
Partners, Allies mark conclusion of first AMFS/NILS-A combined event in Accra, Ghana
May 2 – DVIDS
[Africa, United States]
African Maritime Forces Summit (AMFS) and Naval Infantry Leaders Symposium-Africa (NILS-A) held their first combined event in Ghana, gathering military and government leaders from 41 nations to discuss an array of challenges and opportunities in the maritime domain.
Japan spots Chinese ships near Senkaku Islands for record 158 days
May 27 – The Japan Times [Paywall]
[East Asia]
A top government spokesman announced on May 27 that the Japanese coast guard had seen Chinese ships sailing near the disputed Senkaku Islands—known as the Diaoyu Island in China—in the East China Sea for 158 consecutive days, thus breaking a 2021 record of continuous navigations.
US, EU and other democracies slam mainland China for military drills around Taiwan, urge ‘restraint’
May 24 – South China Morning Post [Paywall]
[East Asia]
Three days after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s inaugural speech, China’s naval forces launched two-day “punishment” drills around Taiwan, “Joint Sword- 2024A,” calling it a response to “separatist acts.” The drills included heavily armed warplanes and staged mock attacks around the circumference of the island of Taiwan. The European Union, the U.S. and other democracies openly criticized Beijing’s extensive military exercises as an “affront to peace in the region.”
Russian Navy shows off how frigate aims weapons against NATO aircraft
May 23 – The Barents Observer
[North Atlantic Ocean, Russia]
During training in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov aimed at an approaching P-8 NATO patrol aircraft; one of three ‘enemy aircraft’ that were approaching, as described by the Russian military. Only Norway, the United Kingdom and the U.S. operate P-8 patrol aircraft in that area.
Philippine Commander Denies ‘Deal’ Over South China Sea Shoal
May 23 – The Diplomat
[South China Sea, Indo-Pacific]
The Philippine Navy commander who made a “casual and informal” phone call on January 3 with a Chinese military attaché, which Beijing claims they recorded and contains evidence of an agreement over disputed territory in the South China Sea, testified before a Philippine Senate committee that no such agreement over a “new model” was discussed on the short call.
Philippines to buy five patrol boats from Japan amid South China Sea tensions
May 18 – The Japan Times
[East Asia, Southeast Asia, South China Sea]
The Philippines will be purchasing five patrol vessels from Japan; a purchase that will be financed by a Japanese loan worth US$415 million. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said this cooperation will “deepen” their relationship and “enhance” Philippine’s maritime safety capabilities.
China and Cambodia begin 15-day military exercises as questions grow about Beijing’s influence
May 16 – AP
[Southeast Asia, China]
On May 16, the Cambodian and Chinese militaries began their regular 15-day ‘Golden Dragon’ ground and sea military exercises, starting in Cambodia. Three Chinese ships, 11 Cambodian ships, and over 2,000 personnel are involved in this year’s exercises.
Philippines and US conclude Balikatan exercises, shoulder-to-shoulder
May 16 – U.S. Marines
[South China Sea, United States, Southeast Asia]
The U.S.-Philippines annual Exercise Balikatan 2024 concluded on May 13 after three weeks of training in the Philippines to “increase proficiency in maritime security, amphibious operations, combined arms, aviation operations, and information and cyberspace operations.” This year, Australian and French service members also participated and 14 countries observed.
Exclusive: U.S. and Taiwan navies quietly held Pacific drills in April
May 14 – Reuters
[Pacific Ocean, United States, East Asia]
According to four anonymous people briefed on the issue, in April, the U.S. and Taiwan navies held joint drills in the Western Pacific that were not officially publicized. Taiwan’s navy told Reuters they act “in concert with the U.S.-promoted Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea.”
German Navy Wraps Red Sea Mission, Begins Indo-Pacific Deployment
May 10 – Naval News
[Red Sea, Pacific Ocean]
After spending two months on maritime escort missions in the Red Sea, Germany’s anti air frigate FGS Hessen returned to its home port of Wilhelmshaven on May 5 just as two other ships—125-frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg and combat support ship Frankfurt am Main—departed Germany on May 7 to begin Berlin’s long-planned Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024.
Northern hubs to be pillar of Canada’s new defence policy, Blair says
May 6 – Nunatsiaq News
[Canada, Arctic Ocean]
Canada’s Defence Minister Bill Blair announced the introduction of northern operational support hubs for the Canadian Armed Forces to better support Arctic sovereignty and security.
China’s newest aircraft carrier begins first sea trials
May 1 – The Japan Times [Paywall]
[China, Pacific Ocean]
China’s newest Fujian aircraft carrier, its third and most advanced so far, began its first sea trials on May 1, departing from Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard. With technical requirements and mooring trials already completed, these sea trials will “primarily test the reliability and stability of the aircraft carrier’s propulsion and electrical systems.”
Houthis Resume Near Daily Red Sea Activity, Claim to Hit Israel-Linked Ship in Indian Ocean
April 30 – USNI News
[Red Sea, Indian Ocean]
Following a nine-day pause from April 16-24, drone and missile attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden against commercial and military vessels recommenced at almost a daily pace.
First cruise ship sets sail from Port of Baltimore since Key Bridge collapse: ‘It’s a good day’
May 25 – The Baltimore Sun
[United States, Global]
After two months of clean up, recovery and legal investigations following the sudden collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, a cruise ship has departed from the Port of Baltimore for the first time; a positive sign for the popular port’s resumption of normal operations.
Congress to Fund U.S. Deep-Sea Mining Project
May 23 – The Wall Street Journal [Paywall]
[United States]
The House Armed Services Committee told the U.S. Department of Defense to commit US$2 million towards a new deep-sea mining project with a partner “experienced in refining critical minerals and producing battery-grade” metals. This project would only begin with the confirmation of the defense budget, which still needs to pass through both Congress and the White House.
Houthi missile strikes tanker in the Red Sea
May 20 – Seatrade Maritime News
[Indian Ocean]
U.S. Central Command said a Panama-flagged tanker the Wind, reportedly traveling from Russia to China, experienced flooding after an early-morning attack on May 18 by the Yemen-based Houthi rebels. In early May, the Houthis extended the range of their attacks in the Western Indian Ocean and threatened to strike vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea that are calling Israeli ports.
U.S. Fears Undersea Cables Are Vulnerable to Espionage From Chinese Repair Ships
May 19 – The Wall Street Journal [Paywall]
[China, United States]
Technology companies like Google and Meta Platforms partially own many undersea fiber optic internet cables, but they rely on specialists for maintenance. U.S. State Department officials have reportedly begun warning companies against tampering by Chinese repair ships. Simultaneously, the number of subsea telecommunication cables projects connected with China is decreasing.
Flooding Slows Cargo Movement at Brazil’s Rio Grande Port
May 17 – gCaptain
[South America, Atlantic Ocean]
Deadly flooding from excess rains continues to limit food production and cargo movement at Rio Grande port in Brazil. Although all port terminals are still operating, port authorities expect the disruptions to persist through at least the end of May.
US East Coast Ports Are Spending Billions to Profit From Asia’s Shifting Exports
May 14 – Bloomberg [Paywall]
[United States, Atlantic Ocean]
Strategic planners at several U.S. East Coast ports are upgrading and expanding their port infrastructure to better compete with their West Coast, Pacific Ocean counterparts and prepare for the “reglobalization” that has industries shifting their supply chains away from China.
Shipping sector will use three times as much blue ammonia as green in 2050, says EU-funded study
May 13 – Hydrogen Insight
[Global, Europe]
According to a new European Union-funded whitepaper, entitled “Availability of Green and Blue Ammonia in 2030 to 2050,” the global demand for clean ammonia as a shipping fuel will rapidly increase between 2030 and 2050, with blue hydrogen taking the lead.
Chinese Shipping Costs Spike on Red Sea Crisis, Robust Demand
May 13 – Caixin Global
[China, Red Sea, Global]
The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index has increased by nearly 19% since April and is at its highest since late September 2022 as freight rates for Chinese container experts spiked over the first two weeks of May amidst an uptick in Red Sea attacks.
Norwegian oilmen prepare for far northern drilling at disputed Wisting field
May 8 – The Barents Observer
[Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Northern Europe]
Four oil drilling partners are set to launch operations in Wisting field, located in the central regions of the Barents Sea off the northern coast of Norway, starting in May 2024. Discovered in 2013 and long protested to be drilled by environmental organizations, Wisting field is believed to hold more than 500 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Maersk says Red Sea disruption could cut Asia-Europe capacity by 20%
May 6 – Reuters
[Red Sea, Global, Europe, Asia]
Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk forecasts that disruptions along the Red Sea route due to Houthi rebels attacks will cut the shipping industry’s capacity between Asia and Europe by up to 20% in the second quarter of 2024.
Hatch Blue and Idemitsu launch unique blue carbon initiative
May 22 – The Fish Site
[East Asia]
Hatch Blue, an investment fund for aquaculture and seafood innovation based in Hawaii, and Idemitsu, a Japanese energy company, have joint plans to launch a blue carbon initiative to attract and incentivize startups and innovators to better decarbonize the ocean.
Sea law tribunal advises countries are legally required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
May 21 – JURISTNews
[Global]
On May 21, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued a groundbreaking advisory opinion, holding that parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) have the obligation to prevent, reduce and control greenhouse gas emissions that could deleteriously affect the marine environment through climate change.
More than 60% of world’s coral reefs may have bleached in past year, NOAA says
May 16 – Reuters
[Atlantic Ocean, Global]
NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch coordinator Derek Manzello said he is “very worried about the state of the world’s coral reefs,” noting that the “Atlantic Ocean has been off the charts.” NOAA now reports that about 60.5% of the world’s reef area has been affected by rising ocean temperatures, resulting in coral bleaching.
WWF researchers surprised at where climate-driven fish migration will cause issues
May 10 – Seafood Source
[Australia, Global]
The World Wildlife Fund’s Ocean Futures Project released its first set of results, with the ‘hotspots’ being driven by problems including ice melts, regional unrest, and overfishing.
Acoustic Recordings Reveal Possible Comeback for Critically Endangered Antarctic Blue Whales
May 7 – EcoWatch
[Southern Ocean, South Pacific]
Data from acoustic surveys in the Antarctic region suggested that the population of Antarctic blue whales have likely increased. However, experts say more work is needed to address knowledge gaps about these endangered Antarctic blue whales and conclusively understand change in their population.
Indian Ocean’s Massive CO2 Storage Potential to Propel India’s Decarbonization Goals
May 7 – Carbon Credits
[Indian Ocean]
The Indian Ocean is being looked at as a promising site for permanently storing major amounts of carbon dioxide. The CO2 would be stored in liquid pools or solid hydrates at specific depths that researchers believe are not harmful to the marine ecosystems.
Warming seas killing clownfish, marine expert says
May 6 – The Nation Thailand
[Southeast Asia, Global]
A Thai scientist warned of the indirect consequences from global warming as high temperatures interrupt the symbiotic cycles in nature, such as the one between sea anemones and clownfish.
The Baltic Sea is a large, shallow, brackish inland sea of the North Atlantic Ocean found in the northeastern part of the European continent. Bordered by Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Russia, and the three Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), it is thinly connected to the North Sea through a series of Danish straits flowing around the Jutland peninsula and is home to four gulfs and an array of archipelagos. Due to its unique and centralized geography, the Baltic Sea has long played a critical role in seaborne trade, regional diplomacy and scientific research.
The Baltic Sea’s geography is not only expansive but unique. With an area of around 377,000 km², it is the second largest inland sea in the world, only coming in second to the Mediterranean Sea. Due to its large inflow of freshwater from its massive catchment area—the area from which the sea gets its water, which in this case is four times the size of the sea itself—and its lethargic exchange of water with the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean beyond due to differing densities, its salinity remains considerably low, making the Baltic Sea arguably the largest body of brackish water in the world. Furthermore, though its deepest point is about 460 meters, its average depth is only 54 meters; a depth that is considered extremely shallow compared to its peers. It also contains several largest hypoxic (low-oxygen) areas, both natural and human-made. This variety makes it a keen body of interest and importance for environmentalists and scientists alike who work to study—or protect—the sea’s wide array of sea life.
Its breadth and central location also made it a historically vital trade route, dating back to the medieval period and it remains one of the busiest seas today. The man-made Kiel Canal—finished in 1895 but supposedly theorized since the 7th century—that cuts across the now-German state of Schleswig-Holstein now allows ships to avoid encircling Denmark’s Jutland to reach the North Sea, further easing trade with the inland sea.
Today, the Baltic Sea remains a core of European trade and institutional importance, especially with the extensive installation of submarine cables now fuelling communication and power in the region. As naval power and regional instabilities are surging, regional parties are increasingly concerned about Baltic Sea security and looking to prevent conflict before it arises, breeding an uptick in maritime naval exercises and legal protections. In 1992, the Council of the Baltic Sea States and its rotating presidency was established to help regulate and address governance of the Baltic Sea.
The Baltic Sea is witness to a myriad of events and intrigue, especially as of late. In April, archeologists identified what they believe may be Europe’s oldest human-made megastructure, from the Palaeolithic era, located 21 meters below the surface of the Bay of Mecklenburg, Germany. Similarly, researchers are again contemplating how coins from the Roman Empire landed on a remote island in the Baltic Sea, analyzing how sacrificial horses crossed the Baltic Sea during the Late Viking Age, and finally announcing after 13 years of study that a mysterious, oddly-shaped structure lying 90 meters underwater is likely a natural phenomenon.
Simultaneously, scientists and observers have been paying heavy attention to the Baltic Sea’s toxic thallium levels, which a new study finds is dominantly human-wrought and have “fundamentally changed the chemistry of the Baltic Sea.” These findings of increased thallium—a metal toxic to mammals and marine ecosystems—has already brought reprimand upon regional industrial and wartime activities from the 1940s to the present and can be expected to continue. Other environmental battles have been brought to light in the last month: debates on the economically sound scrubber systems on ships that large volumes of pollutant; the slow extinction of Baltic herring and its link to Norwegian salmon; new examinations of the interplay between groundwater emissions and Baltic Sea pollution; and the recovery of tens of thousands of tonnes of chemical weapons, munitions and unexploded bombs dumped into the Black Sea. Positive battles towards sustainability are also highlighted, such as the installation of the Baltic Sea’s largest wind farm and a fresh effort by two ports in Sweden and Finland to cut port waiting times, which thus reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Even more pressing to most is the Baltic Sea’s role in regional security as it pertains to Russia. In mid-May, the Russian Defense Ministry released a draft government decree unilaterally proposing a change to Russia’s maritime borders with Lithuania and Finland in the Baltic Sea; a release that was deleted from the official document portal on May 22 and has since been denied by authorities. Not long before, Lithuanian intelligence released a report describing Russian military plans of a standoff with NATO nations in the Baltic Sea region lasting “at least several years.” Estonia’s defense commander proposed blockading the Baltic Sea to reduce options for aggressors as broader concerns of an escalation into direct NATO country involvement in the Ukraine conflict still hover. Russia is also being linked to several cases of electronic warfare over the Baltic Sea, applying mass GPS jamming across northern Europe and impacting both commercial and military aircraft.
The Baltic Sea will inevitably remain relevant in global maritime affairs, especially when it comes to the geopolitics of NATO states and the West’s relations with Russia. While there is much recent talk centered around sustainability and climate preservation—perhaps linked to the European Union’s commemoration of the 50 year anniversary of the signing of the Helsinki Convention, which was primarily established by Baltic Sea coastal states to defend the region’s marine environment—the security narrative should be expected to take precedence at the multinational level. Regardless, climate activists, scientists and even treasure hunters will continue to value this body of water’s unique properties and historic significance.
Most notably, with Sweden’s ascension to NATO member country status in March 2024, all coastal states of the Baltic Sea—excluding Russia—are now NATO member countries. Increased NATO security talks, workshops and naval exercises in the Baltic Sea are inevitable for the future, with the newly revived, annual Estonian Navy-led operation Open Spirit 2024 and the Iceland-based, multinational anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose 24 being two examples. Russia’s Baltic Sea coastline is admittedly short, but that does not detract from its threat level, especially with St. Petersburg—Russia’s second-largest city—sitting on that coast and talks of nuclear weapons hovering over every conversation. So long as the Ukraine-Russia conflict continues and fears of Russia’s nuclear—or other destabilizing—activities persist, the Baltic Sea will need to remain a place of vigilant defense.
This issue’s Spotlight was written by Jessica Martin, ICAS Research Associate & Chief Editor, ICAS Newsletters.
Government Releases & Other Press Statements
Analyses & Opinions
Other Research
by Yilun Zhang & Amanda Jin
May 23, 2024
Key Takeaways
by Nong Hong
May 28, 2024
On May 21, 2024, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued a groundbreaking Advisory Opinion on climate change, which marks a historic first – an international legal body directly addressing state obligations for mitigating climate change, a critical step forward in holding nations accountable for their actions…
The ITLOS Advisory Opinion on Climate Change is a pivotal moment, offering a stronger legal foundation for international climate action. However, its long-term impact depends on how effectively states translate this legal framework into concrete policy changes and actions. This decision serves as a powerful call to action for states to step up their efforts to combat climate change and protect our oceans.
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