Lost at Sea
By James Kraska, Foreign Policy

Few modern treaties have generated more domestic controversy for less reason than the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. By codifying generous rights and freedoms of navigation throughout the world’s oceans, the treaty promotes global trade, economic prosperity, and naval mobility. It is a commonsense guide to 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, and for that reason it has been accepted by 161 nations, including Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom. But not the United States.

Since the convention took effect in 1994, every U.S. president and Chief of Naval Operations has supported its ratification. In 2004 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee endorsed the Convention by a vote of 19 to 0; and in 2007, it approved the treaty by a vote of 17 to 4. But, because of staunch opposition from a handful of conservatives worried about what they say are threats to America’s sovereignty, the treaty has never come up for a vote before the full U. S. Senate.

Now, the Obama administration is trying to change that. On May 9, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Army General Martin Dempsey shared the stage at a Washington meeting on the Law of the Sea to explain the strategic benefits of U.S. accession. The case for the treaty has always been strong. The question is why would the administration pursue such a contentious goal now-in the midst of an election cycle?

The answer can be found in the administration’s “strategic pivot” to Asia and the race by Arctic nations to assert offshore resource claims. A Department of Defense strategic review released in January declared that “while the U.S. military will continue to contribute to security globally, we will of necessity rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific region.” Last Wednesday, the secretary explained that the United States is at a “strategic turning point” after a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Indo-Pacific is the new fulcrum of world politics, and the Law of the Sea is the “firmest legal foundation upon which to base our global presence on, above, and below the seas. By joining the Convention, we would help lock in rules that are favorable to freedom of navigation and our own global mobility.”

The Convention is also key to resolving several ongoing maritime conflicts in the Arctic Ocean and the South China Sea. In the Arctic, the United States is entitled to vast areas of continental shelf if it files a successful petition with an organization established under the Convention. But as a non-party, the United States would have a difficult time getting other countries to acknowledge its claim. Meanwhile, Russia and Canada have filed claims for immense areas of the Arctic Ocean, and China has even filed for exclusive rights to develop parts of the seabed in the Indian Ocean and mid-Pacific.

Similarly, the Convention contains rules for deciding what islands or features in the South China Sea constitute offshore resource zones, and so may help to resolve the escalating tensions among China, Vietnam, the Philippines and other nations in the region. As the United States is drawn deeper into these disputes, it will be useful to base Washington’s position in international legal norms.

Critics claim that the United States does not need to ratify the treaty because it already carries the force of customary international law. However, this position is viewed with skepticism by U.S. allies and open defiance by potential adversaries. Beijing, for example, has repeatedly challenged the legal right of the United States and other countries to maintain an offshore naval presence in the region’s inner seas, such as the Yellow Sea and South China Sea, and China’s own 200-mile exclusive economic zone. And Chinese military power, from its advanced ballistic missile program to its quickly expanding blue-water navy, raises the possibility that the new global center of power could be controlled by China.

But the Law of the Sea protects the freedom of navigation of the United States and other countries with the imprimatur of international law. The Convention was completed in 1982, and it establishes the right of naval forces to innocent passage in foreign territorial seas and the right to conduct all offshore military operations-including air and submarine operations beyond 12 nautical miles from the shore-all without seeking permission or providing advance notice or reports to any country. The treaty can thus help prevent China from standing between the United States and its treaty allies Japan, South Korea, and Australia, as well as its new strategic partners, such as India and Vietnam.

Japan, for example, is the cornerstone of U.S. interests in stability and security in the region, and is home to the forward-deployed U.S. Seventh Fleet. As the importance of the Pacific theater grows, American ships and aircraft require freedom of the seas to conduct ballistic missile-defense operations against North Korea, reassure allies that the United States is engaged in the region, or respond to another major humanitarian crisis like the 2004 tsunami.

Along with the U.N. Charter and the prohibition on the aggressive use of force, the robust rules for freedom of navigation and overflight established by the Convention are the crown jewels of a liberal global order. The United States and the world benefit from the stability of these legal regimes — even as they may be abused or imperfectly applied by others. Accession would not just be a step forward for international law, it is essential for U.S. security interests.

Source: Foreign Policy

President Farole Welcomes India Assistance to Fight Piracy

Garowe, Somalia — Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole said he supports India’s assistance with anti piracy operations off the coast Somalia, Radio Garowe reports.

President Farole, who is currently in India after receiving an official invite from India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said he supports India naval operations to fight piracy off of the coast of Puntland.

President Farole said at an event hosted by the India Council for World Affairs (ICWA) in New Delhi, that training for Puntland naval forces would strengthen Puntland’s fight against piracy. The Puntland government has successfully thwarted pirate operations on land, but has had less success on sea.

The Puntland government acknowledged that more needs to be done, “We are fighting them on the land, but we do not have support from the sea. We do not have the means to reach them in the sea,” said President Farole.

Capacity building of Puntland naval forces fighting piracy on land and off was proposed by the Puntland government. President Farole asked for support whether finances or expertise to help hamper piracy off of the coast of Somalia. But foreign presence on land in Puntland was rejected by President Farole who said that his government will not allow foreign military bases in Puntland.

President Farole stressed that more importantly what was needed to end piracy in Somalia was to build economic growth on the Somali coast that would offer youth attracted to piracy other job opportunities.

“We believe that expensive naval patrols off the coast of Somalia cannot eradicate piracy alone, as long as the world continues to neglect the domestic conditions that produce piracy,” said President Farole.

There are currently 60 Indian sailors being held hostage in Somali waters. President Farole admitted that pirates move in and out of Puntland jurisdiction but do not have bases in the autonomous region.

In March the EU issued a controversial mandate to fight against pirates on land by targeting boats, vehicles and bases on the coast. Tuesday morning EU naval forces aboard attack helicopters targeted an alleged pirate lair, 18 kms north of Harardhere.

Source: Garoweonline

The Giresun (F-491) intercepted the pirates 190 nautical miles off the coast of Oman on Friday morning after the vessel, towing a skiff, was spotted by the Giresun’s S-70B Sea Hawk helicopter.

Turkish commandoes stormed the Yemeni fishing vessel and seized nine AK-47 assault rifles, one RPG-7 rocket launcher, three RPG-7 warheads, ammunition and other equipment, including extra fuel barrels, ladders and communication and navigation devices, according to the Turkish Navy.

Turkey has since 2009 contributed to patrolling the pirate-infested waters off Somalia. The Giresun is the Turkish flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2) Immediate Reaction Force, which is conducting Operation Ocean Shield. Other SNMG 2 ships include the HDMS Absalon (Denmark); ITS Grecale (Italy); RFA Fort Victoria (United Kingdom); USS Dewert (United States) and USS Carney (United States). SNMG 2 alternates with SNMG 1 every six months for Ocean Shield.

The Standing NATO Maritime Group vessels (including their helicopters) are permanently available to NATO to perform different tasks ranging from participating in exercises to actually intervening in operational missions. These groups provide NATO with a continuous maritime capability for operations and other activities in peacetime and in periods of crisis and conflict.

TCG Giresun is an Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigate, which was decommissioned from the US Navy in May 1996 and transferred to Turkey in August 1997. The vessel was extensively modernised to become part of the Gabya class of frigates.

Giresun has been involved in previous counter-piracy operations – on March 16, 2009, she, along with HDMS Absalon, successfully prevented a pirate attack on the Vietnamese cargo ship MV Diamond Falcon. On February 27, 2011, the Giresun repulsed pirate attacks against the MV Kiran Asya, MV Avramit and FV Zen Hua off the coast of Oman and on March 6, 2011, she aided the USS Bulkeley in the capture of 4 pirates who had attacked the MV Guanabara.

On April 24 last year she freed a Yemeni fishing vessel, capturing pirates on board and freeing seven crewmembers, who had been held hostage for nearly two weeks. And on March 17 this year, the Giresun captured seven pirates in a skiff off the coast of Somalia, capturing five AK-47s and one RPG-7 rocket launcher.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, as of April 23 there have been 121 pirate attacks around the world this year, which resulted in 13 hijackings. Somali pirates were responsible for 51 incidents and 11 hijackings, which resulted in the capture of 158 hostages. At present Somali pirates are holding 12 vessels and 173 hostages.

Oceans Beyond Piracy has estimated that piracy cost the world economy US$7 billion last year – of that figure, US$2 billion was spent on multinational military operations against pirates and anti-piracy equipment and onboard security guards.

Source: defenceWeb

3 Boats Held by Gunmen, China Says
By Andrew Jacobs, New York Times

BEIJING — The Chinese state news media said Thursday that North Korean gunmen plying the Yellow Sea had seized three Chinese fishing boats with 29 sailors aboard and were demanding a ransom for their release.

Many of the details remained murky. The Beijing News said the boats were intercepted on May 8 in waters between China and North Korea. The report quoted one of the ships’ owners, Zhang Dechang, as saying that he had spoken by phone to a kidnapped sailor and that the captors were demanding about $189,000. Later reports said that had been reduced to about $142,000.

Another newspaper, The Global Times, quoted Mr. Zhang as saying that the attackers had brandished weapons and that the Chinese sailors had not resisted. “The captured fishermen have been locked in a small house, with no food to eat,” he said.

There were conflicting accounts about where the fishing boats originated. Most said they were from the city of Dalian in the northeast, but………….[access full article]

Taylor Participates in Operation Ocean Shield

By Ensign Jennifer Gabriel, USS Taylor Public Affairs

USSTAYLOR, At Sea (NNS) — Over the past several weeks, guided-missile frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50) and its visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) team, have actively patrolled the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) and provided security assistance to several merchant vessels transiting through the Gulf of Aden region.

Taylor, with embarked Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 48 Detachment 9, is assigned to Commander, NATO Task Force 508 Operation Ocean Shield.

This Operation is NATO’s counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden and India Ocean.

“Ocean Shield is a clear demonstration of the alliance’s capability in the maritime field, and its flexibility in meeting the variety of challenges posed in today’s security environment,” said Cmdr. J. R. Hill, Taylor’s commanding officer. “As part of the NATO Task Force Taylor complements the European Union, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), and independent nations’ units tackling piracy in the region.”

Taylor’s mission is to patrol the waters of the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and Somali Basin, and investigate suspicious maritime activity. Additionally, the ship supports merchant vessels requiring assistance while transiting the IRTC and other regional waterways. Taylor also monitors commercial merchant shipping and convoys and provides security overwatch.

“Most vessels we have encountered are legitimate fishing or trading and are not involved with piracy operations, but the data collected helps provide information for pattern of life analysis and evidence to compare between boardings that may help classify a dhow as a pirate vessel more clearly during a boarding,” said Lt. Michael Modeer, Taylor’s senior VBSS Officer.

Piracy and maritime crime are a significant concern to the international community, contributing nations, non-government and commercial organizations. Taylor has conducted numerous maritime security assist visit (MSAV) boardings in support of NATO’s counter-piracy efforts.

As the deployment continues, Taylor expects to remain vigilant on patrol, providing the maritime presence and security necessary to support counter-piracy efforts throughout the region.

Source: NAVY.mil

Opening address by Koji Sekimizu, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization, 15 May 2012

Excellencies, Ministers, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,
The word “Somalia”, in a maritime context, leads almost exclusively to thoughts of piracy. And yet, as internal conflict and famine so clearly highlight, piracy is but one manifestation of the widespread and deep-rooted problems that beset that country and its people.

In the early stages of the Somali piracy crisis, the emphasis of the response was, understandably, on protecting merchant vessels from pirate attacks. The mobilization and coordination of naval forces, the establishment of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor and the development of the Best Management Practices are all examples of this approach in action.

While not diminishing in any way the importance of such immediate, preventative measures and the need for their full implementation by all concerned, an ever-greater emphasis will now have to be placed on building capacity, within the region affected, to tackle the problem. What we now see emerging is a wider programme of activity, aimed at finding new ways to equip the countries of the region with the tools and the expertise they need to do this.

IMO itself has had a long involvement in combating piracy, not just Somali based but also in other parts of the world. IMO was, for example, instrumental in establishing the framework for collaboration among the littoral States of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore and the South China Sea, the ReCAAP Agreement and its Information Sharing Centre in Singapore, which proved successful in significantly reducing the number of acts of piracy in that region.
More recently, IMO was first in drawing the problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia to the attention of the United Nations Security Council; and, since then, it has been in the vanguard of counter-piracy efforts, often on its own initiative and often in collaboration with others.

Our conference today has its background in a meeting I had at UN Headquarters in New York in January, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in which we discussed co-operation between IMO and the UN to combat Somalia-based piracy.

Mr. Ban and I discussed how capacity building in Somalia and neighbouring countries should be enhanced through further co operation between IMO and the UN, UN specialized agencies and other relevant international organizations, building on IMO’s existing capacity-building activities under the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its associated Trust Fund.

The purpose of this conference is, therefore, to share information, experiences and ideas about such initiatives with a view to ensuring that an effective, coordinated response can be established.

For IMO’s part, our intention is to continue our capacity-building programme in the region in general and, in particular, under the framework of the Djibouti Code of Conduct. I am pleased to report that yesterday’s ministerial review meeting, here at IMO, agreed that excellent progress has been made in the Code’s implementation. However, the meeting agreed to review the status of the Code in the coming 2 years.

I have pledged my determination to redouble my effort to accelerate capacity building for implementation of the Code and provided my vision for the coming 2 years covering:

- legal advisory service;
- enhanced training;
- accelerated implementation of the DCoC in waters near the Mozambique channel;
- action programme for Somalia in the context of implementation of the Code; and
- a stronger governance structure.

Today, upon my invitation, representatives of the United Nations, United Nations Political Office for Somalia, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Food Programme, European Union and EUNAVFOR are attending, together with representatives of IMO Member Governments and the industry, including a representative of the International Chamber of Commerce.

During today’s Conference, the IMO Secretariat, through the Djibouti Code of Conduct Project Implementation Unit will provide the current status of IMO’s Counter Piracy support programme.

We will receive a presentation from UNPOS on its Somalia support programme covering the present work for co-ordination of counter-piracy activities and maritime law enforcement issues under the Kampala process in which UNODC, FAO, UNDP and Interpol are participating.

We will receive a presentation from UNODC on its counter-piracy capacity-building programme. We will ensure a co-ordinated approach between IMO and UNODC, in particular, in the context of the implementation of the Djibouti Code of Conduct.

We will receive a presentation by FAO on our joint work under the Kampala-process, dealing with maritime law enforcement issues, including the issue of prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
We will receive a presentation by the WFP dealing with the issue of protection for WFP shipping, delivering food aid to Somalia.

We will receive a presentation from the representative of the EU on existing EC projects being implemented in close co operation with IMO, including the recently launched new comprehensive project on Regional Maritime Capacity Building in the region off the coast of Somalia.

We will also listen to presentations and comments from Member Governments and industry representatives.
Towards the end of today’s conference, we are expecting to sign:

• A Joint Declaration on a partnership between the European Union (EU) and IMO to counter maritime piracy and armed robbery in the Western Indian Ocean; and
• Joint Commitments to a strategic partnership to combat piracy in and off the coast of Somalia between:
- FAO and IMO;
- UNODC and IMO; and
- UNPOS and IMO;

as the major outputs of this conference.

This is an overview of today’s Conference, and I am looking forward to:
• presentations of on-going activities by representatives of the Agencies; and
• meaningful discussions to follow;

so that we can agree on a more coordinated approach for our capacity-building effort in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Thank you.

Source: IMO

London 2012: Dorset sailing security ‘tested and ready’

Security preparations for the Olympic sailing events in Dorset have been tested and are ready, the crime and security minister has said.

James Brokenshire said security officials would remain vigilant until the Paralympics are completed.

He was visiting the Olympic sailing venue at Weymouth and Portland to watch exercises carried out by Dorset Police.

The largest Olympic and Paralympic site outside London, the venue hosts the only other full-time Olympic village.

Mr Brokenshire said: “Portland, Weymouth and Dorset are ready. Ready for the Games, ready for the sailing, ready for the Olympics and ready to welcome thousands of people to this really special event.”

‘Range of tactics’
Unlike at previous Olympic sailing events, the waters around Weymouth and Portland will not be closed, allowing the ports to stay open with restrictions during the Games.

The fields of play will be controlled by marshals, with the help of police and Royal Navy personnel.

Dorset Police’s marine officers took to the water to demonstrate the stopping procedures they could implement as they patrol 50 sq miles of seawater for 65 days.

Ch Insp David Dent, maritime security co-ordinator for Dorset Police, said they had a “range of tactics” to deal with any incoming craft that might pose a threat.

He said: “The top end of those tactical options is what was seen out on the water today, which was a thing called running gear entanglement, which basically means deploying a device in front of the vessel which will cause it to stop in a very short distance.”

Security organisations are preparing for a severe to critical threat level, although the country’s current threat level is lower. Issues they are preparing for include poor weather, protesters and terrorism.

Officers will patrol the water on jet-skis, inflatable boats and smaller craft and will be supported by all three military forces.

At the end of last month HMS Bulwark arrived off the Dorset coast to support a test exercise ahead of the sailing and windsurfing events this summer.

Source: BBC

The image in this article features HMS Bulwark, an Albion class amphibious assault ship which arrived off the Dorset coast last month.

China tensions spur deeper US-Philippine alliance

By Jim Gomez, The Associated Press

China’s assertive behavior is breathing life into America’s historically tumultuous relationship with the Philippines.

With Washington turning its attention more to the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. and the Philippines last week held the first joint meeting of their top diplomats and defense chiefs. The U.S. increased military aid and resolved to help its ally on maritime security.

The steps came with the Philippines locked in a standoff with China over competing territorial claims in the South China Sea that has stoked passions on both sides. The U.S. is a walking a delicate diplomatic line. It doesn’t want the dispute to escalate, but it is showing where its strategic interests lie.

The relationship between the U.S. and its former colony thrived during the Cold War but ebbed after nationalist political forces prompted the closure of………[access full article]

NECC to Establish New Command

CORIVFOR will perform core maritime expeditionary security missions in the green and brown waters bridging the gap between traditional Navy blue water operations and land-based forces, spanning the capabilities that currently reside with the riverine and expeditionary security force.

“We are combining maritime expeditionary and riverine forces to preserve a range of capabilities in brown, blue and green water environments,” said Capt. James C. Hamblet, commodore of Maritime Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 2. “Although Coastal Riverine Force will predominantly perform force protection type missions, when required it will be capable of conducting offensive operations which will enhance mission effectiveness throughout the force.”

CORIVFOR will be composed of active and Reserve component unit capable of defending high value assets against a determined enemy and, when ordered, conducting offensive combat operations. Capable of conducting 24-hour operations, CORIVFOR will provide port and harbor security, offshore protection for maritime infrastructure and Military Sealift Command ships operating in coastal waterways. When necessary elements of this force will provide offensive combat capabilities.

CORIVFOR will utilize a mix of maritime expeditionary security and riverine equipment with plans to procure additional craft in the future.

CORIVFOR will be comprised of two Echelon IV groups, Coastal Riverine Group (CORIVGRU) 1 homeported in Imperial Beach, Calif. with squadrons located in San Diego at the Naval Amphibious Base. CORIVGRU 2 will be homeported in Portsmouth, Va. with active squadrons located at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLC-FS), Va., a forward deployed detachment in Bahrain, and reserve squadrons located in Newport, R.I. and Jacksonville, Fla.

“By combining capabilities we will be able to provide a more effective way of expanding maritime security both inland and on coastal waterways,” said Hamblet.

The establishment of Coastal Riverine Force will take place June 1 at JEBLC-FS for CORIVGRU 2 and Imperial Beach, Calif. for CORIVGRU 1. The force’s initial operating capability is slated for October 2012 and the CORIVFOR will reach Full Operational Capability in Oct. 2014. All current and scheduled routine deployments will continue as normal. Hamblet will become the first commodore of CORIVGRU 2. Capt. Eric Moss, commordore of Maritime Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 1, will command CORIVGRU 1.

CORIVFOR is a component of NECC and provides flexible responsive maritime security forces capable of performing high level security.

Source: NAVALTODAY.COM

LRAD Corporation Receives $1.7 Million LRAD-RX(R) Order for Asian Maritime Security

LRAD Corporation, the world’s leading provider of long range acoustic hailing devices (AHDs), has announced that it has received a $1.7 million LRAD-RX systems order for Asian maritime security. Deliveries on the order are scheduled to begin this quarter and continue into the Company’s 2013 fiscal year.

“This order further confirms that our LRAD-RX systems are becoming an important component in maritime escalation of force (EOF) protocols to help combat terrorist and piracy threats,” stated Tom Brown, president and CEO of LRAD Corporation. “When a suspicious vessel fails or refuses to respond to radio calls, the LRAD-RX initiates the EOF through powerful voice broadcasts and deterrent tones. By unequivocally determining the intent of an approaching threat, the LRAD-RX assists armed security forces to avoid accidental shooting incidents while providing them time and distance to scale their response and make life and death decisions.”

The Company’s proprietary LRAD-RX features a camera, high intensity searchlight (optional), a robust, IP-addressable full pan and tilt drive for precise aiming and tracking, and can be integrated with radar to provide automated vessel alerts. The LRAD-RX broadcasts highly intelligible, hails, warnings and instructions over distances up to 2 miles. Through the use of focused, multi-language voice commands and deterrent tones, the LRAD-RX creates increased standoff zones, determines intent, supports peaceful conflict resolution, and potentially prevents the use of deadly force.

“Our LRAD(R) systems have proven to be highly effective for maritime security,” Brown added. “To date, LRAD systems have helped to prevent accidental shooting incidents and to peacefully resolve hundreds of maritime EOF situations throughout the world.”

About LRAD Corporation

LRAD Corporation is using long range communication to resolve uncertain situations peacefully and save lives on both sides of its proprietary Long Range Acoustic Device(R). Thousands of LRAD(R) systems are in service around the world in diverse applications including fixed and mobile military deployments, maritime security, critical infrastructure and perimeter security, commercial security, border and port security, law enforcement and emergency responder communications, asset protection and wildlife preservation and control. For more information about the Company and its LRAD systems, please visit www.lradx.com

Source: LRAD Corporation