Drafted by Seung Mo KANG, Hye Won KANG and Min Hwa JEONG
Key Takeaways from the Book
1. Human relationships with the sea have fundamentally changed since the 1990s. The oceans cannot be viewed solely in Mahanian terms or through Cold War lens. One example is the Evergreen accident, a reminder of how one accident at a choke point can have worldwide repercussions.
BBC Analysis of Alternative Route for Shipping While Suez Canal is Blocked
Source: Mary-Ann Russon, “The cost of the Suez Canal blockage,” 29 March 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56559073.
Another example is a vessel (Rubymar, a Belize-flagged but British-owned bulk carrier) that was hit by the Houti forces (missile). It was an important reminder of how maritime security incidents can have both environmental consequences, as the ship was leaking oil. Additionally, the vessel was drifting for two weeks and cut four underwater data cables. And the repercussions were felt in Eastern Africa and in India with a significant slowdown of internet connectivity.
The current discourse on the ocean can be largely divided into four categories: 1) maritime security agenda; 2) blue economy, which is primarily about sustainable development and using ocean resources; 3) ocean health; and 4) blue justice.
Maritime security is often disconnected from these other ocean agendas. One reason is that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) negotiations deliberately bracketed a number of peace and security questions. While the maritime security debate kicked off in the 1990s, there were important predecessors, such as sea power and more classical maritime strategy, as well as marine safety.3 Maritime security is not one thing, but a constituent of many different elements. The navy, coast guard and fisheries agency each have their own unique areas of responsibility, but it is important that these maritime actors also need to understand how the different roles of individual agencies fit into the big picture…