MONITOR January 2021
www.maritimestudyforum.org TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS
Security and Diplomacy 01 Pakistan News Regional News Global News
Maritime Economy 03 Pakistan News Regional News Global News
Maritime Environment 05 Pakistan News Regional News Global News
Coastal Development 06 Regional News Global News
Law and Policy 07 Pakistan News Global News Maritime Study Forum Monitor January 2021 MARITIME SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY
PAKISTAN NEWS
China launches second advanced naval frigate for Pakistan China launched the second Type 054A/P frigate for Pakistan on Friday in Shanghai, as the Pakistan Navy Chief Naval Overseer highlighted at the launch ceremony that induction of the Type 054A/P warships will signifi- cantly enhance Pakistan's maritime defense and deterrence capabilities.1
Pakistan calls for restraint on the seizure of tank- ers from Iran and South Korea After Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps captured a South Kore- an-flagged oil tanker, Seoul shifted military forces close to the Strait of Hormuz. The Hankuk Chemi was traveling from Saudi Arabia to the UAE with 20 crew members on board when it was intercepted and taken to the port of Bandar Abbas. South Korean navy destroyer arrived in the area and they are pursuing different ways to the crisis.2
Pakistan Navy submarines conduct live weapons firing at the Arabian Sea Pakistan Navy fleet submarines have demonstrated combat readiness in live weapons firing in the North Arabian Sea. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Amjad Khan Niazi NI (B) S Bt was present at the occasion. The live weapon's firing included torpedoes and anti-ship missiles to engage the intended targets. According to DGPR Navy, the successful firing reaffirmed the Navy's capability and operational readiness.3
PNS Nasr leaves for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to Africa Pakistan Navy's fleet replenishment tanker PNS Nasr leaves for Humanitari- an Assistance and Disaster Relief mission to three African states of Djibouti, Sudan, and Niger. The mission is aimed to provide food and other necessities to flood and drought-stricken countries. In addition to providing disaster relief, the ship will also carry a goodwill visit to Mombasa, Kenya.4
1 https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1214356.shtml
2 https://www.arabnews.com/node/1788926/world
3 http://www.radio.gov.pk/12-01-2021/pakistan-navy-conducts-live-weapons-firing-at-north-arabian-sea#:~:text=Pakistan%20Navy%20has%20conducted%20live,Anti%2DShip%20Missiles%20and%20Torpedoes.
4 https://www.dawn.com/news/1602124/pn-ship-sails-off-to-africa-on-humanitarian-mission#:~:text=KARACHI%3A%20Pakistan%20Navy%20Ship%20(PNS,to%20African%20countries%20on%
20Sunday.&text=PNS%20Nasr%20is%20carrying%20food,at%20Djibouti%2C%20Sudan%20and%20Niger.
Maritime Security and Diplomacy 01 Maritime Study Forum Monitor January 2021 MARITIME SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY
REGIONAL NEWS
Iran launches a missile during drills amid tensions
Iran's naval forces launched a major military drill in the country's southern waters within rising tensions in the region in the last week of the Trump administration. The two-day missile exercise in the Gulf of Oman, code-named Eqtedar-99 (power), was attended by top military officials, including the Chief of Army Staff.5
GLOBAL NEWS
USS Nimitz will stay in the Middle East confirmed by Pentagon The Pentagon announced that the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and its strike group will remain in the Middle East in the aftermath of threats from officials in the Iranian government on the first anniversary of the U.S. killing of Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani.6
French Navy’s releases its 2020 Report on World- wide Maritime Piracy and Robbery Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness (MICA) Center of the French Navy has released its annual report on piracy and armed robbery. Compared to 360 in 2019, 375 activities of maritime piracy and robbery were recorded worldwide in 2020 by the MICA Center.7
5 https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/iran-launches-missile-drill-amid-tensions/2108508
6 https://www.google.com/search?q=USS+Nim-
itz+will+stay+in+Middle+East+confirmed+by+Pentagon&oq=USS+Nimitz+will+stay+in+Middle+East+confirmed+by+Pentagon&aqs=chrome..69i57.57777j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
7 https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/01/french-navys-2020-report-on-worldwide-maritime-piracy-and-robbery/
Maritime Security and Diplomacy 02 Maritime Study Forum Monitor January 2021 MARITIME ECONOMY
PAKISTAN NEWS
Maritime ministry plans promotion of coastal tour- ism, freight corridor The Ministry of Maritime Affairs is planning to build more docks for handling boats or ships at ports to operate ferry service. A ministry official informed the media that it is part of the blue economy initiative that would make Pakistan a maritime nation. The ministry is looking to work on a plan to build regular ships for the promotion of coastal tourism.8
Swedish investors are interested to invest in CPEC Pakistan needs to deepen bilateral economic and trade relations with Sweden and should also work to boost business-to-business connectivity between the two countries, said Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Indus- try (FPCCI) Chairman Qurban Ali.9
Saudi Arabia May Invest Billions in Pakistani Port of Gwadar Pakistani officials confirmed on Thursday that Saudi Arabia will make heavy investments in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a central pillar of China's international Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of infrastructure projects. Pakistani minister of information Fawad Chaudhry at a press confer- ence in Islamabad said that “Saudi Arabia is the first country that we have invited to become a third partner in CPEC".10
Government is going to set up ferry terminals The port authorities of Gwadar, Karachi, and Qasim would establish ship terminals replicating all the operation facilities related to security, immigra- tion, and customs of any international airport country in collaboration with other ministries concerned. This was the conclusion of the maritime affairs ministry meeting, to review progress on the inauguration of ship service to all possible destinations across the world.11
8 https://dailytimes.com.pk/710977/maritime-ministry-mulls-promotion-of-coastal-tourism/
9 https://tribune.com.pk/story/2280735/swedish-investors-urged-to-invest-in-cpec
10 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-pakistan-economy-idUSKCN1P60OU
11 https://tribune.com.pk/story/2280724/govt-to-set-up-ferry-terminals
Maritime Economy 03 Maritime Study Forum Monitor January 2021 MARITIME ECONOMY
REGIONAL NEWS
Ports, water transport get a big boost The construction of a major harbour at Azheekal will begin in 2021-22, according to the State Budget. The project is seen in the backdrop of efforts to promote coastal shipping and revive the highly energy-efficient and eco-friendly water transport.12
GLOBAL NEWS
The U.S. Finalizes 2025 Blue Economy Strategy The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its Blue Economy Strategic Plan for 2021-2025, laying out a roadmap for new ways to advance America’s Blue Economy and enhance a global ocean econ- omy expected to double in value to $3 trillion over the next decade.13
12 https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/ports-water-transport-get-a-big-boost/article33584058.ece
13 https://gcaptain.com/2025-blue-economy-strategy/#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20National%20Oceanic%20and,trillion%20over%20the%20next%20decade.
Maritime Economy 04 Maritime Study Forum Monitor January 2021 MARITIME ENVIRONMENT
PAKISTAN NEWS
Indus River ranked as the second most plastic-pollut- ed river in the world The research highlighted by the United Nations shows that 90% of the 8m tonnes of plastic waste entering the world's oceans emanates from just 10 rivers. Eight of them are in Asia. The Yangtze River is by far the worst culprit, responsible for 1.47m tonnes alone. The Indus River carry the second highest amount of plastic debris that is 164,332 tonnes into the ocean.14
REGIONAL NEWS
Scientists Discover New Population of Endangered Blue Whales Using Their Song A new population of endangered blue whales has been hiding in the western Indian Ocean. According to NOAA, these gentle giants weigh up to 330,000 pounds and grow up to 110 feet long. Despite extensive study of blue whale songs, it was unlike any other whale song ever recorded.15
GLOBAL NEWS
U.S., Russia Sign Joint Contingency Plan for Pollu- tion Response in the Bering and Chukchi Seas The U.S. Coast Guard and the Russian Federation’s Marine Rescue Service recently signed the 2020 Joint Contingency Plan of the United States of Amer- ica & the Russian Federation in Combating Pollution on the Bering & Chukchi Seas, the Coast Guard 17th District said in a Feb. 2 release.16
14 https://www.dawn.com/news/1512547#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20Indus%20River%20is%20the,this%20list%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20said.
15 https://www.ecowatch.com/endangered-blue-whale-discovered-2649726863.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1
16 https://seapowermagazine.org/u-s-russia-sign-joint-contingency-plan-for-pollution-response-in-the-bering-and-chukchi-seas/
Maritime Environment 05 Maritime Study Forum Monitor January 2021 COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
PAKISTAN NEWS
Advisor on Environment, Climate Change, and Coastal Development orders SCDA to categorize tourist spots on an inland sea In a recent meeting, Advisor to the Chief Minister Sindh on Environment, Climate Change, and Coastal Development, Barrister Murtaza Wahab has said that the Sindh Coastal Development Authority (SCDA) should soon complete the basic survey and identify recreational places on the inland sea for shuttling of people through a ferry service, with the participa- tion of the private sector, to provide the masses with reasonable sea trips.17
PMSA rescues 16 fishermen from Karachi near Ormara The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency saved 16 fishermen who were stuck in the open sea on. According to a PMSA spokesperson, a boat from Karachi was stranded after the failure of its engine near Ormara. A fast response boat, which was patrolling the sea, received a distress call from the worried fishermen.18
REGIONAL NEWS
Coastal road project: Will win the battle of Mum- bai’s development, CM says at launch of nation’s biggest TBM Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, while launching India’s biggest tunnel boring machine (TBM) to be used in the ambitious coastal road project, said on Monday that his government will win the “battle of Mumbai’s devel- opment” as it had successfully tackled the Covid-pandemic 19.19
17 https://nation.com.pk/16-Jan-2021/murtaza-wahab-directs-cda-to-identify-recreational-places-on-inland-sea
18 https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/780319-pmsa-rescues-16-fishermen-from-karachi-near-ormara
19 https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/coastal-road-project-will-win-battle-of-mumbais-development-cm-says-at-launch-of-nations-biggest-tbm-7142659/
Coastal Development 06 Maritime Study Forum Monitor January 2021 MARITIME LAW AND POLICY
PAKISTAN NEWS
Law minister questions mandate of the probe body The law minister has raised questions over the inspection committee constituted to register fish processing plants to boost exports of fisheries. The government had formed the inspection committee for the registration of fish processing plants in a bid to improve exports of fish and fishery products.20
GLOBAL NEWS
UK dismisses UN Maritime Court ruling that it has no claim to Chagos Islands/Diego Garcia Britain has again dismissed a United Nations court decision that it has no entitlement to the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. The United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), in the latest round in a protracted legal battle, ruled that the UK has no sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, which includes Diego Garcia, home to one of the US’s largest airbases.21
20 https://tribune.com.pk/story/2279715/law-minister-questions-mandate-of-probe-body
21 https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/09/chag-f09.html
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