Significance of Maritime Issues in the Indian Ocean in Terms of Security and Stability - Term Paper Example

Significance of Maritime Issues in Indian Ocean In Terms Of Security and Stability Indian Ocean Essay Location Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean among five other oceans across the world. Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, come after Indian Ocean in terms of size. The four main waterways that access Indian Ocean include Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti –Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), Suez Canal (Egypt) and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia- Malaysia). Additionally, Indian Ocean is a body of water located in Africa, Asia, Australia and Southern Ocean. Moreover, in terms of geographical coordinates, Indian Ocean is located between 20 00S and 80 00 E (Rumley, 2013, p. 12). Moreover, the Ocean connects many other countries and hence generating many global security issues and stability aspects. It is accessible to many people and, therefore, affected by several activities. The diagram below shows the location of Indian Ocean on the world map Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/xo.html The total area of Indian Ocean is 68.556 million sq. Km comparative to 5.5 times the total size of US with a coastline of 66, 526 km. Consequently, the climate of the area changes depending on the time of the year. Northeast Monsoon winds occur between Decembers to April while Southeast Monsoon wind occurs between Junes to October across the Ocean. Besides, tropical cyclones occur in the months of May and June and October and November in northern Indian Ocean. Southern Indian Ocean winds occur in January and February of the year. The winds create and generate climate changes within the Ocean, as they pull different climatic conditions. This attracts various maritime issues in Indian Ocean, which affects security and stability in the ocean. Importance of Indian Ocean Location The terrain of Indian Ocean dominates by counterclockwise gyre that includes broad, circular systems of currents across the ocean. The currents dominate mainly in the southern part of the Ocean, while the reversal of surface currents occurs in the northern sector of Indian Ocean across it is the terrain. The terrain of the ocean develops low atmospheric pressure across Southeast Asia initiated from hot and rising summer air results. The air results of southeast monsoon and southwest to northeast currents and winds causes’ pressure across northern Asia developed from winter air results with falling cold winds. Above all, the terrain produces an ocean floor that dominates in the middle of Indian Ocean ridge. Additionally, the ocean floor subdivides in the southern, eastern part of the ocean ridge (Buzan, 2012, P. 15). The elevation of the ocean is at Java trench of 7258m the lowest point and at sea level 0m as its highest point. Besides, the ocean harbors various natural resources such as placer deposits, sand and gravel aggregates, oil and gas, with aquatic animals such as shrimp and fish. In contrast, there are various natural hazards that occur in the ocean such as random icebergs that pose navigational hazards especially in the southern reaches of the ocean. The ocean has endangered marine species such seals, dugong, turtles and whales affected by oil pollution Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf. Indian Ocean provides primary sea routes that connect the Middle East, East Asia with Europe, Americans, and Africa. The Ocean carries particular heavy traffic petroleum products from oilfields of Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Additionally, fish from the Ocean are great and grows significance within the borders of countries used for export and domestic consumption. The use of the ocean for economic purposes develops many interests in trade activities within the coastline of the ocean. Development of trade in the coastline generates maritime security rules to prevent any interference with the activities by criminals such as theft. Moreover, the discovery of oil and petroleum products in the ocean attracts investors who may not be genuine in the exploration of the oil from the ocean. This forces the maritime department within the coastline to develop stringed rules and regulations that assist in protecting the resources within the coastline such as the petroleum products (Bateman &Bergin, 2010, p. 10). Overall Significance of Indian Ocean In addition, fishing fleets from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Russia exploit the Indian Ocean, specifically fleets of tuna and shrimp. To maintain and prevent overfishing along the coastline of tuna and shrimp, the maritime department along the coastline prevents anglers from their operations by establishing and implementing rules and policies that allow deter anglers from the practice. The fish have significance since it is sold to other countries generating economic cash flows in the trades. Moreover, the Ocean provides large reserves of hydrocarbons tapped from the Ocean. The hydrocarbons are used in different activities such as in the preservation of perishable products especially fish to allow for extended storage of fish. Moreover, hydrocarbons extracted in the sites assists in carbon dating of fossils in different preservative companies. The tapping of the carbons occur along the offshores of Iran, Western Australia, Saudi Arabia and India, along the coastline of Indian Ocean. The activities extraction and fishing along the coastline of the Ocean give the overall significance of the Ocean. In addition, an estimated 40% of the world’s offshore oil extraction originates from Indian Ocean. The oil is used for multipurpose activities across the world, especially in the running of machines, giving the oil a significant product extracted from the ocean (Thean, 2012, P. 9). The Importance of Indian Ocean to the Countries along It and the World in General Indian Ocean contains beach sands and that are rich in heavy minerals. The minerals are actively exploited by the bordering countries such as South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India (Bergin, 2010, p.22). Additionally, the ocean provides offshore placer deposits, which attracts many other countries across the world in the extraction of the placer deposits from the Ocean. In terms of ports and terminals, the Ocean provides different depots of major seaports such as Colombo (Sri Lanka), Chennai (Madras, India), Richards Bay (South Africa) and Durban (South Africa). The ports have a significant function of offering transportation services for the movement of goods and services in different countries that boarder the coastline. Based on transportation, the international maritime bureau continues to control reported incidents of piracy and territorial waters control from shoreline states. The Indian Offshore waters as a high risk of armed robbery and piracy against ships specifically along the east coast of Africa. However, transportation along the ocean has been possible by engaging several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and anti-piracy measures implemented by ship operators, by using on –board armed security teams (Song & Panayides 2012, p. 11). This has developed allowed transportation along the coastline with reduced incidents of piracy along the Indian Ocean coastline. This operation has developed and extended transportation activities along Indian Ocean covering south of Africa such as the Mozambique Channel and northeastwards of Africa towards Strait of Hormuz. The implementation of the policies with transportation along the coastline assists different countries and the world in general in accessing various destinations with developments in trade activities favoring several countries. The choke points of Indian Ocean Indian Ocean has several areas that assist with different purposes. The choke points of Indian Ocean give opportunities for oceanic benefits such as Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb, Cape of Good Hope, Sunda Strait, Lombok Strait, Strait of Hormuz and Malacca Strait, along big, regional and passive players along the coastline. The diagram below shows the main choke points of the Indian Ocean. Retrieved from http://www.mscconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/MSC2014-Verma-IOR-with-Chokepoints.pdf Regional and passive players, along the coastline of the ocean give various benefits. Besides, China, India, and the US pose as the big players of the ocean, while regional players are countries such as Japan, Malaysia and South Africa. Finally, passive players include Oman, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar among other countries. All these players are within the choke points of the Indian Ocean serving different purposes along the ocean. However, the choke points provide different challenges along the coastline that categorizes into traditional and non-traditional threats. Some of the traditional threats include maritime sovereignty and land border disputes. On the other hand, non-traditional threats along the choke points include piracy, maritime terrorism, exploitation of marine resources and illegal immigration. Therefore, the choke points of the Ocean have both positive and negative effects on the coastline of the Ocean (Winner et al., 2012, P. 12). The choke points of Indian Ocean spread across the ocean in all directions. This gives an opportunity for all the Big, regional and passive players along the shoreline to do trading activities within the coastline. However, there are several challenges along the coastline necessitating maritime bureau to develop and implement policies to control activities along the shoreline. The policies tend to provide security and stability in the Indian Ocean choke points and hence preventing piracy and exploitation of resources along choke points. Maritime Issues Prevalent In the Indian Ocean In Terms Of Global Security and Stability Maritime security offers jurisdictional issues considerable within regions in security challenges. Moreover, the issues of maritime accurately generate along areas of maritime authority, maritime boundary disputes, unresolved boundaries and sea-lanes of communication. The following maritime issues develop along the Indian Ocean in terms of global security and stability (I) Indian Ocean energy chokepoints Rumley (2013) suggests that based on international trade, Indian Ocean is the energy route way in the world. Besides, half of global daily oil production transported by tankers in fixed maritime routes uses the ocean. Since, an approximate of 36 percent of world oil is imported from the middle east, secure interregional oil shipments along the Indian ocean is vital to world prosperity. Maritime Indian Ocean chokepoint based on security and stability, promote the use of Strait of Hormuz as the main checkpoint, since it is the world’s most oil chokepoint route guarded with sufficient security for the transportation of energy. The use of the route ensures the maintenance of secure strait environment with stable security along the route. Furthermore, the use of the route promotes maritime laws and provides the stability of Indian Ocean region as a safe region for energy route way along the sea. (II) The Indian Ocean as a Nuclear Ocean Michel and Sticklor (2012) argue that the Indian Ocean is fast becoming a nuclear Ocean. Therefore, the application of security of the flows of oil applies to other energy flows transported along the Ocean such as nuclear. However, in case of uranium, other important environmental security considerations are developed mainly in relation to the movements of nuclear materials along the ocean. The laws prohibit the dumping of nuclear wastes in the ocean as a way of ensuring security and stability in the ocean. Moreover, international community has responded to the United Nations Security Council and collective state actions to adopt Resolution 1816, which combat piracy and establishes security corridors, to prevent the hijack of supertankers and develop the stability of maritime energy security. (III) Maritime Jurisdiction and Maritime Boundary Disputes Maritime boundaries pose as a major security issue challenge in the Indian Ocean. However, the United Nations Convention based on the law of the Sea (LOSC) profound impacts on the scope of maintaining jurisdictions across the world that certainly applies in the Indian Ocean. The convention achieved widespread international recognition with the majority of littoral states being part of the convention (Rumley, 2013, P. 58). The convention has enabled for extensive zones of a maritime jurisdiction that sanctifies and comply with LOSC framework promoting the balance of responsibilities and rights between user states and coastal boundaries enshrined in the Convention. The development of maritime jurisdictions and boundary disputes has developed security and stable in the Indian Ocean allowing for the promotions of other activities along the coastline. (IV) Approaches to Maritime Security Policy Maritime security debate has concentrated exclusively on military definition developing states use of hard power (Rumley, 2013, P. 60). Moreover, states have developed maritime security and strategies policies that underplay a full range of non-military considerations. The approach to maritime security policy has developed strategies in sea, land forces and air that operate jointly influencing events in littoral in combinations and traditional blue water within maritime sea denial and control along maritime concepts. The policy enables the development of effective security laws and creation of stability along the Indian Ocean. Conclusion Maritime issues in Indian Ocean in terms of over roll global security and stability allows for smooth operations in the Ocean coastline. Moreover, trade activities in the region develop with the creation of and implementation of security issues along maritime jurisdictions. Bibliography Bateman, S & Bergin, A 2010, Our Western Front: Australia And The Indian Ocean, Canberra: Australain Strategic Policy Institute. Bergin, A, 2010, Climate Change Will Drive Future Agenda, the Weekend Australian, Defence Special Report. Buzan, B, 2012, The Geopolitical Reconstruction Of Asia: A Reflection Ten Years On From Regions And Powers, Politique Etrangere, Issue 2. Press. Michel., D & Sticklor.,R 2012, Indian Ocean Rising:Maritime Security And Policy Challenges, Washihnton, DC. Rumley., D 2013, The Indian Ocean Region: Security, Stability And Sustainability In The 21st Century. Australia India Institute. Song, D & Panayides, P, 2012, Maritime Logistics Contemporary Issues. Bingley, U.K., Emerald. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/alltitles/docDetail.action?docID=10532011 Thean,P 2012, Maritime Security In The Indian Ocean: Strategic Setting And Features’, ISS Paper 236, Pretoria: Institute For Security Studies, August Tsu, N., Hu, A & Mcdorman, L 2013, Maritime Issues In The South China Sea: Troubled Waters Or A Sea Of Opportunity. Winner, C., Schneider., P & Weldemichael, T 2012, ‘Maritime Terrorism And Piracy In The Indian Ocean Region’, Journal Of The Indian Ocean Region 8,2, pp.107–109 Read More