Oceanwide Expeditions’ Post

Is Colombia about to become the 30th consultative state to the 1959 #AntarcticTreaty? 🇨🇴 Pomp and circumstance in Cartagena welcomed the return of Colombian navy ship Simón Bolívar from the South American country's first #Antarctic expedition. This may be significant, because it seems Colombia is now vying for decision-making powers to the treaty that governs #Antarctica. "The ship arrived at its home port, which welcomed them after more than 13,000 nautical miles travelled in 121 days of navigation, achieving important milestones for the Republic’s Navy, such as Colombia’s inclusion in the Antarctic Treaty, by meeting the requirements of said instrument to access as a consultative country," reports the Latin American defence website Zona Militar. A long time coming, given the country has been a non-consultative state to the treaty since 1989. Yet, it joined the #MadridProtocol, the legal environmental chapter to the treaty, as recently as 2020. This is a requirement for consultative, or decision-making, accession. Will we see an application at the India-hosted consultative meeting in May? But why approve Colombia's possible application before that of Belarus 🇧🇾 or Canada 🇨🇦 , whose attempts to join the consultative table have languished on both sides of the consensus fault line between the West on the one side, and Russia and China on the other? There are 56 parties to the treaty, with 29 consultative states. Successful applications by 🇨🇴, 🇧🇾 and 🇨🇦 would bring the consultative and non-consultative mix to nearly 60. That may be some way off as long as Ukraine, a consultative state with veto rights, sees Belarus as a facilitator of Russia's illegal war on its domestic soil. https://lnkd.in/dSYBhMXn

Impressive stuff, and welcome enough for the good people at Mawson. But aside the huge cost (which the Australian Antarctic Division is surely not having to meet - so chalk this up as a further cost of the problems with RSV Nuyina), is this really helpful in the broader context of contemporary Antarctic geopolitics? Sure, it is technically consistent with paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the Antarctic Treaty - "The present Treaty shall not prevent the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purpose." But, as I observed in a wider consideration of various states' activities in the Yearbook of Polar Law in 2020 'Challenges to Substantive Demilitarisation in the Antarctic Treaty Area' there are boundary issues between legitimate and problematic military use in Antarctica: "in relation to the air operations itemised above, consider the likely framing and response in Australia and the wider Western Antarctic community if it had not been RAAF C-17s doing this but Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force Y-20s." https://lnkd.in/g8K_XZ5P

🔷 Today is the *Day of Antarctica and The Antarctic Treaty (AT)* signed on 1 December 1959!!! Happy Antarctic day to all Antarctica wonderers :)))) Although it is a Cold War era's document, it is definitely a critical treaty that joint will of humanity took place in signing without any military engagement. >> AT was signed by 12 states but now 57. Article 1 states that "Antarctica shall be used for peaceful puposes only". It means that this precious zone cannot be deloyed by military basements and fortifications. However AT recognizes the existence of military personnel and equipment only for scientific research or peaceful purposes. >> Article 4 clearly forbids sovereignty claims over the zone to keep its status. >> The treaty enables inspections as well as international cooperation, that is really important to prevent abusive unilateral decisions. AT is also open for every state. #TheAntarcticTreaty #Antarctica

December 7 holds significant historical events across various domains: 1. Pearl Harbor Attack (1941): The most notable event on this day was the surprise Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which led the United States to enter World War II. Over 2,400 Americans lost their lives during this attack . 2. Delaware Becomes the First U.S. State (1787): On this day, Delaware ratified the U.S. Constitution, becoming the first state to join the union . 3. Apollo 17 Launch (1972): NASA launched Apollo 17, the last crewed mission to the Moon. This mission marked the end of the Apollo program . 4. Chuck Yeager’s Passing (2020): Chuck Yeager, the first person to break the sound barrier in flight, passed away at the age of 97 . 5. East Timor Invasion (1975): Shortly after declaring independence, East Timor was invaded by Indonesian forces, marking a significant geopolitical conflict . These moments reflect a broad spectrum of global historical impacts, from warfare and geopolitics to scientific and exploratory milestones. Let me know if you’d like details on any of these events!

The history of the largest explosions #40 "British Bang." On April 18, 1947, at 1300 hours, one of the largest non-nuclear detonations in history occurred, marking a pivotal chapter in Heligoland’s long history. British engineers, tasked with demolishing the remnants of German World War II naval fortifications, executed what became known as the "British Bang." The island, heavily fortified with 14 miles of tunnels, bunkers, and a submarine dock, was loaded with over 4,000 torpedo heads, nearly 9,000 depth charges, and more than 91,000 artillery shells. The resulting explosion unleashed an energy equivalent to 3.2 kilotons of TNT. The blast sent a massive black mushroom cloud towering 40 miles into the sky, its effects felt as far as Sicily and recorded by seismographs across Europe. The explosion reshaped the island, blowing away its southern tip and creating the area now known as Mittelland while leaving behind craters that scarred the landscape. Remarkably, Heligoland survived, including its iconic lighthouse, which still stands today. Set off from aboard HMS Lasso, 17 kilometres from the island; the event was staged for the German public, with around 20 journalists watching from a nearby ship. The detonation, so powerful that tremors were felt 70 kilometres away in Cuxhaven, also provided valuable seismic data for studying the Earth's crust. Today, this colossal event remains a crucial moment in Heligoland’s history, and its legacy is honoured annually on the anniversary of the blast. #Heligoland #History #BritishBang #WWII #EOD #SeismicImpact #MilitaryHistory #EOKHUB #largestexplosions

Part 5 of my Arctic collaboration with Louie Palu publishes today. This time, we went to Resolute Bay in Canada’s far north, where soldiers train for a seemingly unthinkable war, in -50F barely a thousand miles from the North Pole. Canada's Arctic is second only to Russia's in size, and comprises more Arctic territory than the rest of NATO's combined (as well as being the de facto northern frontier of the US). Yet it is also a demographic near vacuum. As one officer told me, if "you yell, no one will hear you." (Remember "Alien"?) So Canada has a long-standing fear of losing its sovereignty there (including to the US). The exercises we joined in winter are a critical part of asserting that sovereignty. In a dark irony, the hamlet of Resolute, with <200 residents, dates from the early years of the Cold War and a forced relocation of Inuit under harsh conditions, carried out in part to assert Canada's sovereignty there. Today, Inuit Rangers teach soldiers rotating through Resolute how to survive there. And the perceived threats today don't just include Moscow's missiles over the pole, but also infiltration, sabotage and cyber-attacks. And Beijing has joined the list of potential adversaries. The biggest threat, however, which underlies the whole renewal of interest and growing confrontation in the Arctic is climate change. While many see it as a means to unlock resources beneath the ice, it is more like the swing of a wrecking ball. Defending the place with no dawn requires soldiers, but also much more. Read about it here at Bloomberg Opinion https://lnkd.in/eFVYVPV8

BOLETIM GEOCORRENTE ENGLISH VERSION We are pleased to share the latest edition of the Boletim Geocorrente, n. 201, written by the researchers of the Conjuncture Assessment Group (NAC, in portuguese) at the Brazilian Naval War College. . Check out some of the articles in this edition: P. 05: " Fishing industry in Uruguay and the obstacles to its growth", by Taynah Pires Ferreira P. 06: "How does climate change risk operations at the Panama Canal?", by Victor Cabral P. 09: " Navigating turbulent waters: the versatility of Turkish geopolitical strategy ", by Maria Clara Schneider Vianna P. 10: "Hezbollah and Israel: issues and perspectives for the future of Lebanon", by Pedro Vecchia P. 13: "The rise of South Korean submarine capabilities", by Marcelle Torres For this and other issues of the #BoletimGeocorrente: https://lnkd.in/dbk6XKX7

Whether it’s Chess or Weiqi, there are critical positions to be lost or gained in the arctic. Right now, the U.S. and many Allies are failing to safeguard common security, trade and resource interests. Professor Rockford Weitz nails it in Arctic Today as he advocates for leveraging the U.S. Alliance network and the ICE Pact for block buys of icebreakers to maximize capability at reduced costs in order to assure access in the North. If it works for icebreakers, it could work for warships and commerce ships. Hopefully Congress hears the call to bolster declining U.S. seapower.

US doesn’t want to make Arctic contested battlespace, admiral says - Navy Times "The U.S. and its partners are not aiming to create a contested environment in the Arctic – despite an uptick in presence and exercises in the region. 'There’s no desire to over-militarize or create a theme of a contested battlespace in the Arctic,' Vice Adm. Douglas Perry, the commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet, said...." With climate change altering the High North's geographic, geopolitical and military landscape, Arctic security is a growing area of concern. Calian Group delivers military training, cyber and space services and solutions for the Canadian Armed Forces | Forces armées canadiennes and NATO including military training at the NATO Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway. We also deliver ground installations for satcom to meet the needs of extreme hot and cold environments. To learn more about our role supporting NATO and our work in Canada please visit us @www.calian.com/defence #defence #defense #nato #arctic #highnorth #arcticsecurity #deterrence Note: Articles posted or shared on this Calian Defence Solutions site are for informational purposes only. Any views or opinions expressed herein are those of the articles’ authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Calian Group. https://hubs.li/Q02t0r9Z0

Time for another Maritime Minute, brought to you by Maritime Support Concepts. Last week, USNI News reported that China would, for the first time ever, be deploying 3 Icebreakers to the Arctic. As the polar regions are increasingly becoming a strategic focal point for a number of leading nations around the world, this new reality further highlights the importance of maintaining Naval capacity at the national level via the US Navy, as well further addressing and augmenting these capabilities with cost-effective commercial vessels possessing characteristics well-suited to satisfy indirect maritime training and logistical requirements supporting Nation Defense Strategies in the #maritime domain. The USNI article indicated that: "Sending three icebreakers into Arctic waters for the first time is “a clear signal” that Beijing is serious about pursuing its great power ambitions commercially, scientifically, diplomatically and militarily in the polar regions". https://lnkd.in/gapDQEwk Date is September 9th, 2024, and this has been your Maritime Minute.