POLARIS Journal of Maritime Research (PJMR): Peer-reviewed international journal on maritime safety, energy, management, environment, human factors, technology impacts, and policy. For academics and professionals.
National Institute of Maritime Affairs - NIMA
MARITIME SECURITY FOR BANGLADESH: GEOPOLITICAL, GEOECONOMIC, AND MEDIA IMPERATIVES IN THE BAY OF BENGAL
Bangladesh’s maritime security is becoming increasingly important to its national strategy, with sovereignty and economic growth closely linked to the Bay of Bengal. The maritime area offers strategic opportunities—such as key sea routes, fisheries, hydrocarbons, and Blue Economy resources—but also exposes the country to climate challenges, illegal fishing, and great-power competition in the Indo-Pacific. This study explores how historical legacies, current geopolitics, and emerging geoeconomic trends influence Bangladesh’s maritime security. Guided by the question, “What defines maritime security for Bangladesh and its future trajectory?” The research employs a multidimensional security framework (Buzan 1991; Till 2009) and qualitative methods, including document analysis and expert reflections. Findings show that maritime security extends beyond naval defense to encompass geopolitical balancing, economic influence, and societal engagement. The study emphasizes that promoting ocean literacy, strengthening institutions, and developing a resilient maritime strategy are crucial for protecting Bangladesh’s national interests and capitalizing on its strategic position in the twenty-first century.
Copyright (c) 2025 POLARIS Journal of Maritime Research
INTELLIGENT SECURITY IN THE MARITIME SECTOR THROUGH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-BASED GAIT ANALYSIS
Maritime activities, including global shipping and port operations, rely on interconnected systems where access control is critical for cybersecurity. Gait-based recognition can provide a reliable biometric solution to enhance secure authentication in such maritime environments. This paper seeks to investigate gait recognition as an application of security deployed on deep learning, namely Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) on gait images having four walking conditions of the CASIA-C dataset. Gait recognition is a promising type of biometric, especially in the maritime field as it can be applied in the identification of people and safeguarding security in restricted or sensitive regions. Our proposed technique proves the applicability of deep learning methods to increase the gait recognition performance, in particular, the performance of CNN versus the MobileNetV2. MobileNetV2 was employed over the CASIA-C dataset, results in 88% accuracy. Nonetheless, we performed a lot better because our results with CNN model reached a score of 92.79% accuracy and 87.33% precision. These results indicate that CNN design more valid and well-developed gait classification model in using security scenarios and especially in detecting individuals in different walking parameters.
GLOBAL CHEMICAL FRAMEWORK AND GHS IN PAKISTAN: A POLICY ALIGNMENT REVIEW FOR BASEL, ROTTERDAM, MINAMATA CONVENTIONS AND IMO STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL
The world’s rapid industrial growth and increasing life style and demand of goods transported by the sea, have amplified the environmental pollution risk, making proper chemical handling during transport, storage and waste disposal more critical than ever. Poor management of these processes can harm ecosystems, people's health, and the economy. To address these issues, international agreements like the Besel, Rotterdam, and Minamata Conventions as well as maritime rules from the International Maritime organisation IMO and the globally harmonised system GHS, set clear guidelines for safely managing chemicals. As a country that has signed these agreements, Pakistan must take its own laws, match these global standards. However, the lack in unified legal system, weak coordination between government agencies, unlimited ability to enforce rules are still holding back proper compliance. This review adopts a qualitative, multi-criteria policy analysis approach, combining document analysis, stakeholder consultations, and comparative benchmarking with regional best practices. The study highlights major policy gaps, including partial implementation of prior informed consent procedures, absence of a mercury phase-out strategy, and inconsistent adoption of GHS. The visual synthesis tools such as compliance radar charts and stakeholder impact matrices further expose systemic weaknesses and potential areas for reform. The findings underscore the need for an integrated national strategy, enhanced institutional capabilities, and adoption of best practices to strengthen chemical safety governance and ensure sustainable maritime trade in Pakistan.
Maritime Trade, Hazardous Waste; Chemical Safety, MARPOL, IMO, Environment Protocols
SPATIOTEMPORAL MODELLING OF HEAVY METAL POLLUTION AND WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION IN KARACHI’S COASTAL WATERS: THREAT TO MARITIME SUSTAINABILITY
The industrialization, maritime operations, and urban expansion adjacent to major port cities around the world are becoming a threat to coastal ecosystems. The research presents a decade review on spatiotemporal analysis of water quality along a Karachi coastal zone, one of Pakistan's most active maritime and economic sectors. Physico-Chemical parameters and Heavy metals were evaluated to quantify the Water Quality Index (WQI), correlation analysis, Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI), and statistical analysis. The major parameters were pH, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As) and Lead (Pb) were gathered for six different locations i.e. Sandspit, Hawksbay, Seaview, Manora, Gizri Creek and mouth of Lyari River. The modeling trend revealed a severe degradation in water quality at Seaview and Gizri Creek due to untreated sewage, industrial effluent, shipping operation discharges, and port activities. The research summarizes a strong correlation between metallic and organic pollutants due to maritime transport, the absence of wastewater treatment, and unsustainable ship-breaking practices. The Manora Beach water quality is comparatively stable due to isolation from the direct influence of pollutants. The sustainability of the coastal zone was also measured to predict the future risk by projecting the WQI for 2030. The forecast shows that maximum deterioration at Sea view exceeds the critical threshold and greatly influences the coastal tourism, marine biodiversity and aquatic life. The integrated analysis provides a comprehensive dataset and establishes a baseline for environmental monitoring for coastal zone management. The results highlight the vulnerable zone to adopt the mitigation plans and sustainable development strategies for Pakistan's coastal and maritime economic corridors.
GEO-SPATIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY OF THE COASTAL BELT ALONG THE PROVINCE OF SINDH, PAKISTAN
Coastal habitats are very important for preserving biodiversity and supporting livelihoods, yet they are increasingly endangered by human activities and environmental changes. The study evaluates the relationship between environmental changes and fisheries resources through observing the spatio-temporal changes in mangrove forests along the coastal belt of Sindh. The study examines sea-level rise, hot spots for coastal pollution, and the combined effects of these factors on marine and coastal ecosystems using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies. The results show a notable increase in mangrove coverage, which acts as a natural defense against cyclones and coastal erosion, in contrast to earlier predictions. Rising sea levels and extreme plastic pollution, however, continue to be risks. Numerous plastic trash sites along the Karachi coast were seen in the field, which resulted in death and a decline in fish biodiversity. This decline in fishing resources emphasizes the significance sustainable coastal management. The Sindh coast's susceptibility to the effects of climate change is further highlighted by mapping of coastal cyclones. To safeguard the region's ecological and economic health, the study also highlights the significance of mangrove conservation and focused pollution control for the long term sustainability of coastal ecosystem.
GIS and Remote Sensing, Mangroves, Sindh coast, Environmental pollution, Pakistan
TIDES OF CHANGE: UNDERSTANDING MARITIME CONFLICTS AND TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION IN NIGERIA THROUGH HISTORY
The Management of Transboundary water resources, including maritime domains, has been a longstanding challenge for nations worldwide. From precolonial times to the present, conflicts over shared water bodies have arisen due to competing interests, resource scarcity, and geopolitical tensions. However, cooperation has also emerged as a crucial approach to address these challenges and promote sustainable resource management. This study, therefore, explores the historical perspectives and the dynamics of Maritime conflicts and transboundary water cooperation, tracing their evolution from precolonial times to modern-day international agreements and frameworks. It delves into the evolution of Maritime conflicts driven by territorial, economic, and political interests, alongside the development of international laws and agreements fostering cooperation over shared water resources. By analysing case studies from different historical periods and regions, the study highlights the interplay between conflict and cooperation in the maritime realm offering insights into the underlying causes of disputes and the mechanisms that have successfully mitigated them. The findings underscore the importance of historical context in understanding current maritime tensions and the potential pathways to a peaceful resolution and sustainable management of Transboundary water resources.
CONTINUITIES & DISCONTINUITIES OF MARITIME SECURITY: A CASE STUDY OF GWADAR
Temporal continuality of maritime security exists across two eras in the port city of Gwadar: 19th century British colonialism; and 21st Century Chinese presence in the Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This paper analyses this continuality and the difference between the two eras via three nodes: 1) infrastructure, 2) threat factors and 3) hegemonic power applications. The analysis emanates that infrastructural security transitioned from British telegraph lines and naval posts to CPEC port infrastructure; threat factors manoeuvred from local tribes and the Persian-British boundary during British Raj eras to Baluch nationalism and USA hegemony in the Indian Ocean during Chinese CPEC presence; hegemonic power moved from covert British expansionism and the Sultanate’s maritime control to China’s extraterritorial presence in Pakistan and liaison with the Pakistani armed forces to maintain healthy development. Hence, Gwadar's historical timeline mirrors a continuality in maritime security amidst infrastructural, threat, and consolidatory factors, where the colonial history of the region has necessitated China to adopt authoritative control measures as well. However, the exertion of these trends has seen a shift towards the localized measures of the British era towards a more globalized perspective in maritime security, reflected by the movement of power centres towards the national centre and the involvement of international actors. In these globalised times, it is stringently recommended that colonial skins of the past be shed in favour of Chinese cooperationism.
CHINA-U.S. NAVAL BUILD-UP AND EMERGING BALANCE OF POWER IN INDO-PACIFIC
The article highlights fast track naval build-up by China and United States which is imparting transformative impact on the power dynamics of Indo-Pacific region. Rapid production of naval vessels by China’s industrial complex has turned People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) into largest navy in the world. However, United States Navy (USN) still dominates PLAN in terms of qualitative advantage and net-tonnage as superior technological systems are being employed by U.S. Navy’s bigger and more capable naval vessels. This article provides detailed overview of current strength of PLAN and U.S. Navy as well as their on-going and near-future modernization programs. These modernization programs cover the surface, sub-surface, and aerial domain. The article also provides analysis how these advancements will enhance their combat capability with respect to emerging threat environment in Indo-Pacific region. Using theoretical lens of Balance of Power (BoP) theory, the article predominately focuses on naval prowess to gauge the relative strength of both nations. However, it also incorporates and briefly discusses other important parameters including differences in strategies being employed, role of geographical factor, and formulation of new alliances and security arrangements by Washington like AUKUS and Quad, and their efficiency particularly from when compared with NATO’s example. The analysis concludes by assessing the impact of these factors on the evolving balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, and how balance of power in Indo-Pacific is likely to change depending upon future trajectories of China and U.S. force modernization drive.
MARITIME SECURITY AND GEO-POLITICS IN INDIAN OCEAN REGION: REPERCUSSIONS FOR PAKISTAN
The world has witnessed a geopolitical power shift from Atlantic to Indo-Pacific, prompting the regional and extra-regional actors to scramble for power in Indian Ocean Region-IOR. China has unveiled Belt and Road Initiative to buttress its maritime foothold, while US, India, Japan, Australia, and UK are forging strategic partnerships and alliances such as Quad and AUKUS to counter China’s prowess. The geopolitical convergence and divergence have made Indian Ocean a hub of geo-politics, horrendously undermining region’s maritime security. As far as Pakistan’s position is concerned, it is being enormously affected owing to its partnership with China in the form of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor-CPEC. This research employs theoretical framework of geo-politics, maritime security complex, and Securitization. The methodology used is qualitative while the type of social research is exploratory. This insight concludes that various interlinked geopolitical developments are threatening the maritime security of IOR, which in turn has economic, security, and political ramifications for Pakistan. It also provides various recommendations for the formulation of Pakistan’s maritime strategy based on elements of soft and hard power.
EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL OF BLUE CARBON ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IN PAKISTAN
Climate change has badly affected the earth's population and ecosystems as it raises sea levels, increases ocean temperature, and increases extreme weather events. In order to mitigate the impact of harsh weather Nature-based solutions including blue carbon ecosystem, biological fertilizer implementation, and restoration of forests gained the attention of the world. The current study evaluates the expected outcomes of blue carbon ecosystem restoration to reduce the impact of global warming in Pakistan. Pakistan has better coastal regions with adaptive blue carbon tools, but the man-made practices and deforestation of these areas reduce the blue carbon availability. This article emphasized available blue carbon resources, sequestration rates, and restoration opportunities. It was observed that changes in the strategies for the restoration of the blue carbon ecosystem in Pakistan could be a major carbon sequestering tool, and it will also provide co-benefits including coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods. This research provides crucial evidence to support Pakistan's climate action planning and to integrate blue carbon into the country's broader sustainability and resilience agenda.
TRIANGLE OF PROGRESS - CHINA PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR, SHIP RECYCLING & STEEL INDUSTRY
The economic promise of the 60s has faded away in the last many decades with frequent boom and bust cycles indicative of poor planning and ill-advised policy making. Political instability, terrorism within and from across the borders and lack of national consensus has resulted in a dwindling economy. What has persevered is Pakistan’s relationship with China which has only grown despite the occasional hiccups. CPEC, a harbinger of hope for Pakistan’s economy was launched with the help of Chinese in 2015, has only been able to garner limited success in light of global opposition and more importantly due political instability and resistant bureaucratic processes. But undoubtedly, CPEC has the potential to uplift two critical yet inter-dependent segments of Pakistan’s economy i.e. Ship recycling and steel industry. This study investigates how other states such as Bangladesh in the case of Ship Recycling and South Korea in Steel sector have been able to accrue maximum benefits while dilating upon the factors leading to the decline of these sectors through analysis of various studies and corelating them with available data. The paper recommends a way forward for the policy makers on the role of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC as a catalyst to forge new economic pathways within Ship Recycling and Steel sector.
IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF MARINE DEBRIS USING SATELLITE AND AERIAL IMAGERY IN COASTAL WATERS OF KARACHI: IMPACTS ON MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENT
In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the major environmental issue of marine debris. Due to the vastness of the marine environment and the limited access, it is frequently challenging to monitor the extent and distribution of marine debris in coastal areas. This research aims to identify and evaluate the effects of marine debris in the Karachi, Pakistan, coastal waters using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and MAXAR satellite imagery. Three locations of Lyari River, mouth, Gizri Creek, and aerial imagery of Beach View Park along the Karachi coast were identified, and debris was classified using high resolution satellite imagery. The marine debris and gathered litter were noticed after processing imagery using machine learning algorithms. Field surveys and ground truth data was used for validation. According to the study findings, plastics were found to be the most common debris type in the coastal waters of Karachi with around 65% including polythene bags and plastic bottles. 15% of glass and metal, and 20% of fishing gear and other debris were also existing, although in smaller quantities. It was discovered that untreated sewage directly dumped into the main estuarine flows had a significant impact on the diffusion of marine debris. Aquatic environments are shown to be seriously affected by the consequences of marine debris on the marine and coastal environment, including the entangling of marine creatures and the swallowing of plastics. The presence of marine debris on beaches and coastal areas also has negative impacts on tourism and local economies.
INDO-FRENCH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP IN THE INDIAN OCEAN: IMPLICATIONS FOR PAKISTAN
The Indian Ocean is emerging in the 21st century’s hot battleground not just for regional countries like India, and China but also for the European nations, particularly France. France has overseas territories in Asia-Pacific impelling France to become the resident power. Moreover, France has been continuously engaging in the activities of the Indian Ocean to achieve the objective of securing Sea Lines of Communications and counter the increasing influence of China with the help of India in the region. Both France and India are engaging on many fronts ranging from the maritime partnership to the defense and security pacts. France currently is the second largest defense partner of India. In the recent past, India received 26 Rafael jets for its air force from France, and 39 more marine versions of Rafael were also handed over to the Indian Navy. Both countries also signed agreements to share the diesel submarines. India has still to receive the last diesel submarines from France under project 75. While keeping the close relations between Paris and New Delhi and latter’s proximity with Pakistan resulted in security and military threats. The strategic partnership between India and France has geo-strategic geopolitical and geo-economic challenges for Pakistan. This paper, thus, aims to explore these challenges for Pakistan. The method employed for this research is a mixed method in which both primary and secondary data was used to conduct this study.
EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF LOGISTICS NETWORK DYNAMICS ON PORT EFFICIENCY: A CASE OF THE KARACHI PORT TRUST
Due to the complexity of Supply Chain Management (SCM) concepts on a global scale, ports are concentrating more on the logistics network model to identify the elements influencing it. The ability of port infrastructure to facilitate economic growth is well accepted. For countries that heavily rely on international trade, adequate infrastructure is necessary to reduce traffic, promote trade expansion, and support sustainable operations that improve port efficiency. The research aims to investigate the impact of hinterland logistics on port efficiency and their collective impact on the overall performance of Karachi Port Trust (KPT). The efficiency and productivity of many ports still experience congestion due to the unreliable flow of hinterland transit, which compromises their performance and the supply chain. The problem of the hinterland is a challenge for ports because logistics service providers, shippers, and shipping lines actively consider the conveyance of the hinterland when selecting a port. The port authority was approached, and port officials were interviewed regarding the flow of cargo, traffic situation, and problems faced during the operations on and off the port. The study concludes that the problems faced by ports such as road congestion, unplanned positioning of infrastructure, etc. The study looks forward to taking appropriate action therefore KPT's difficulties can be resolved, and production can be increased.
Necessity of Maritime Security in Gwadar Port Complex
In the changing global scenario of international politics, the growing attention following the end of the Cold War, has been directed towards oceans. Indian Ocean and its region has gained immense attention in the past few years. Due to the presence of strategic Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs) and choke points-Indian Ocean has crucial importance to drive international politics. The level of competition in the region has increased. With China’s rise as a global economic power, the hegemonic status of US is being challenged. In this regard, China’s String of Pearls strategy comes to light with special reference to the One Belt, One Road (BRI). The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the most potent part of the Belt-Road Initiative. The surmounting attention owes to the geostrategic location of Gwadar. Connecting Gwadar with Xinjiang-it would provide China with an alternate route to reach the Middle Eastern and North African markets, ending its Malacca Dilemma. CPEC in this regard, requires a diverse map for maritime security which sees the interplay of four major navies in the region-US, PLA Navy, Pakistan and the Indian Navy.
Copyright (c) 2020 POLARIS Journal of Maritime Research
MARITIME TOURISM: GLOBAL SUCCESS STORIES AND THE CASE OF PAKISTAN
The coastal / maritime tourism is an important segment in a multi-trillion dollars and multivariate global tourism industry. It offers one of the new avenues and fastest growing areas for significant role in global economies. Various countries such as Maldives, Indian State of Kerala, Singapore and Thailand etc. have focused on maritime tourism with good governance practices evolved over period of time to earn substantial revenues from it. Pakistan has also immense maritime tourism potential with diversified natural, religious, and cultural tourism resources. But Pakistan’s maritime tourism is considered very weak due to various issues. With qualitative research, this paper attempts to explore and suggest solutions for the development of maritime tourism sector of Pakistan by analysing the tourism governance of global success stories and evaluating the nationwide potential and challenges. Arguments are developed that the factors behind the success stories of Maldives & Kerala state in India can act as guidance for taking initiatives on the proposed potential sites in order to uplift the maritime tourism sector in Pakistan. It is anticipated that the effective implementation of this paper’s recommendations would be instrumental in gearing up Pakistan’s Maritime economy.
Dhows in doldrums: a spotlight on an informal segment of Pakistan’s maritime economy
This paper elaborates upon the challenges faced by Dhow making industry in Pakistan, where dhows have always served as the traditional means of cargo transportation. Dhows have also been useful in trade especially with secondary ports and war -torn countries of the Middle East and Africa. The decreasing trend in trade through dhows is affecting not only the maritime economy but also may lead to the extinction of traditional and customary knowledge of dhow making industry. Pakistan needs to ensure that policy gaps are filled to address the concerns of all stakeholders and steps may be taken to identify it as a formal industry in the maritime economy. Moreover, training and capacity building programs will also play an eminent role in generating relevant workforce for boosting the growth of the boat making industry. Active efforts are needed for Public Private Partnership and incentivizing dhow trade also with the assurance of the availability of required raw materials that would help in the revival of the industry. The utilization of modern technology, adequate facilities such as revision of port charges and availability of basic infrastructure are recommended to excel the growth of this vital segment of maritime economy.
Maritime Security Cooperation: From Mistrust to Trust in the Indian Ocean Region
Home to one fifth of the world’s waterbody, the Indian Ocean is abundant with a variety of mineral and biological resources. As the ocean space housing one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, it is crucial that its natural resources and its environment are safeguarded. In ancient times, this ocean space has been an area of great cooperation, however, in present times the Indian Ocean has been largely confounded by distrust. The problem under study in this research was: even though the Indian Ocean Region is an extremely important and highly utilised ocean space that a vast majority of the world relies on, there is inadequate cooperation between the littoral states as well as the extra-regional states in ensuring the waterbody is safe. As such, the objectives of this research were to analyse why there is inadequate cooperation within the Indian Ocean Region; and to analyse how the Indian Ocean littoral countries and its users can cooperate with one another in ensuring maritime security cooperation. Primary sources for the qualitative research included policy documents and correspondence whilst secondary data included newspaper articles, reputed journals and websites. The data gathered from these sources were coded to derive the analysis in this research. As present challenges are diverse and dynamic, countries are singularly unable to ensure ocean spaces are safe unless they have shared intelligence and information from a variety of stakeholders. The paper argues that Maritime Domain Awareness enables intelligence sharing, as well as in exchanging capabilities and resources. In conclusion, there are many avenues for maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean such as by sharing capabilities, resources and skills. It can also cooperate to eliminate non-traditional security threats, which affects both the littoral states as well as the users of the Indian Ocean.
Geo-political and Geo-economic Dynamics of the Region in Developing the Sea-based Economy of the IOR Countries
The geo-politics and geo-economics of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) littoral are interconnected to each-other with a large scale of Afro-Asian population and a tremendous maritime economic potential. Welfare interests of the populations of IOR littoral states demand tapping of the Seabased economic potential, but the geo- political dynamics of the region are not conducive due to diverse dimensions of multiplayers in the region and gradual Sino-Asian power shift, where philosophy of enhanced cooperation for peace and sustainability is highly needed. The addition of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has provided new avenues to harness the true potential and uplift the poverty by improving existing socio - economic ties. The BRI has many challenges, and its opportunities can be exploited by China, Pakistan and Iran, through an extra efforts on diplomatic front. Based on qualitative research and content analysis method, this paper aims to analyse the various aspects of the geo-politics and geo-economics of the IOR viz-a-viz Sea-based economic potential and rationalizes the need of enhanced cooperation for peace and sustainability in order to promote socioeconomic uplift and prosperity across Afro-Asian region.
Sir Creek and its Legal and Political Significance and Resolution
The Sir Creek dispute remains a serious hurdle in the way of any meaningful progress on ties between Pakistan and India, but it also has huge potential to be resolved by recourse to international law and bilateral negotiations. In this respect, I will explore certain important historical, legal and political aspects of the Sir Creek dispute in order to better inform future dialogue between the two states. Among other things, I will discuss the status of the law and its application to the dispute. With regards to Sir Creek, other considerations that will be examined include: the impetus for both states to adhere to the law of the sea, the potential of international dispute resolution and the appropriate choice of procedure for settlement, the relevant weightage to be given to historical and special circumstances as well as the significance to relevant international legal proceedings on the dispute. The various factors relevant to the amicable settlement of such river boundary disputes will also be holistically examined.
Beyond Seablindness: A New Agenda for Maritime Security Studies
This article examines the rise of maritime security in concept and practice. We argue that developments in the maritime arena have flown beneath the radar of much mainstream international relations and security studies scholarship, and that a new agenda for maritime security studies is required. In this article we outline the contours of such an agenda, with the intention of providing orientation and direction for future research. Our discussion is structured into three main sections, each of which outlines a core dimension of the maritime security problem space. We begin with a discussion of the issues and themes that comprise the maritime security agenda, including how it has been theorized in security studies to date. Our argument is that the marine environment needs to be understood as part of an interlinked security complex, which also incorporates strong connections between land and sea. Second, we examine the ways in which maritime security actors have responded to these challenges in practice, focusing on issues of maritime domain awareness, coordination of action, and operations in the field. Third, we turn to the mechanisms through which the new maritime security agenda is being disseminated to local actors through a process of devolved security governance. We focus particularly on efforts to distribute knowledge and skills to local actors through capacity building and security sector reform. In the conclusion, we outline the future challenges for maritime security studies that follow from these observations.
Regional Collaboration Among Countries in the Indian Ocean for Better Coastal and Ocean Governance
The Mangroves for the Future initiative (MFF) has operated since 2006 as a strategic regional and partnership-led programme working in response to the continued degradation of coastal ecosystems, which threatens the livelihoods and security of coastal communities and makes them more vulnerable to impacts from climate change. MFF follows the principle that healthy coastal ecosystems (principally mangroves, coral reefs and sea grass beds) can contribute significantly to human well-being and the resilience of man and nature to climate change. In its initial phase to 2010, MFF supported India, Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Thailand to deliver a targeted response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Since then, country membership has expanded to include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Viet Nam and the initiative has grown towards a wider response to the current and emerging challenges for coastal management in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea regions. MFF is also engaged with Malaysia on an outreach basis; and with the Philippines as a dialogue country. Co-chaired by International Union for Conservation of nature (IUCN) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and Wetland International (WI) as institutional partners, MFF provides a unique platform for representatives from governments, civil society and private sectors to meet, discuss and take actions together at both regional and national scales. At the regional level, MFF is governed by a Regional Steering Committee that provides strategic leadership for policy change and advocacy and also serves as a forum for country to country information exchange and discussions on emerging issues of regional importance. Within each MFF member country, a National Coordination body has oversight on the programme implementation as guided by its National Strategy and Action Plan and delivery of the small, medium and regional grant facilities. Through its inclusive partnership approach, MFF has significantly strengthened the collaboration between the key stakeholders from governments, civil society, and private sectors addressing national and regional coastal zone management issues. In particular, the MFF initiative has supported national and local governments in developing and implementing participatory and sustainable resource management strategies, and, through awareness and capacity building activities, empowered coastal communities to participate in the decision making processes relating to the management of the natural resources on which they depend for their livelihoods. The present paper elaborates successful examples of regional collaboration initiated through MFF that have contributed to better coastal governance in India Ocean region. The examples include the transboundary cooperation between Pakistan and Iran in Gawatar Bay, between India and Sri Lanka for in the Gulf of Mannar, and between Guangxi and Quang Ninh Provinces in China and Viet Nam. The paper also highlights the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the Goal 14 and concepts like Blue Economy for sustainable ocean and coastal management in the light of the rapid development in maritime trade, race for exploration of the ocean bed for mineral resources, unsustainable exploitation of fish resources, and increasing pollution load to ocean waters from rapidly developing coastal urban growth in the IndianOcean region.
The Arabian Sea - Marine Pollution Viz A Viz Existence and Implementation of International Preventative Laws
Tremendously increasing marine pollution is a global threat to the survival of humanity. The correlation between marine pollution and devastating impact on ecological systems and other spheres of environment have already been proven. Marine pollution is not a localized phenomenon and has its effects on a global scale; this leads to formulation of certain international regulations mutually agreed by signatory nations. However, in certain parts of the world, including the Indian Ocean, compliance with regulations is not observable. Unsolved part ofthe puzzle is; why marine pollution continues to exist notwithstanding the evidence that it is so very dangerous. To answer this question, economic, legal, political, scientific, social and technological factors need to be brought under consideration. This study serves a twofold purpose; firstly, it enquires into the deliberation on international law regarding marine pollution in this region; secondly, it identifies the quantity and quality of the main sources of marine pollution in the Indian Ocean. An attempt has been made to identify main sources of marine pollution in Indian Ocean followed by a chemical classification of pollutants and extrapolating their temporal impacts on bio-diversity of the region. Understanding of pollution sources that affect Indian Ocean provide better insight for planning and implementation of the necessary regime to prevent, reduce and control marine pollution in the Arabian Sea. Qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis performed in the region, using advanced analytical techniques to prevent, control and eliminate marine pollution viz-à-viz various conventions put in place in the region depict that strict compliance of the protocols is need of time to save the oceans from getting polluted beyond the limit of retrieval to original state.
Copyright (c) 2019 POLARIS Journal of Maritime Research
Sustainable Fisheries Management in the Indian Ocean: The Way Forward
The Oceans cover 71% of the earth’s surface and contains 97% of the planet’s water. This is the life support system of the earth. The Ocean is the main protein supplier for the humankind. The Indian Ocean is a warm water ocean and well regulated by monsoons and currents. Large number of rivers and tributaries flow into this ocean, making it rich with minerals, seaweeds and planktons, which sustain the fish stocks. Man-made pollution and climate change can be detrimental to the sustenance of a balanced marine eco-system. Further, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing combined with destructive fishing methods can deplete this valuable protein source. Issues and conflicts in delimitation of maritime boundaries and fishermen not respecting even internationally or bilaterally established maritime boundaries are impediments to effective fisheries management. The Indian Ocean is vast and the third largest ocean in the world. The population of the Indian Ocean is around 2.5 billion. However, we must be mindful of the need to have a sustainable ocean based economic model, that will not over exploit the finite fishery resources but will continue to provide the much-needed protein sources to this large population, not only at present times but even in the future. Non-management of fisheries by states and non-adherence to rule based maritime order by non-state actors engaged in fisheries could have ramifications on traditional and human security aspects for the region. Fishing boats and some fishermen could be involved with various maritime crime activities for monetary or ideological gains, and, depletion of fisheries resources due to overfishing can have a direct impact on human security of the Indian Ocean littorals, as the main livelihood and economic activities of the coastal populations are connected to the ocean based resources. There were many instances of the fishermen being exploited by terrorist groups. Hence the management of fisheries in a sustainable manner is important for the Indian Ocean, as the peaceful co-existence of the nations depends on the continued Blue Economic models where the fisheries is managed and harvested in a sustainable manner.
Tackling the Menace of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing: A Call for Global Action
Analysis of Karachi Coast Through Geo Spatial Technique from 2013-2022
Climate change is a burning issue at present time. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates global mean sea levels to upsurge from 0.43 m to 0.84 m by the 21st century’s end. In the world, Pakistan is more likely to experience coastal hazards due to uncertain hydrodynamics in the Arabian Sea. Coastline erosion is one of the phenomena which are directly linked with increase in sea level rise. Karachi coastline has been delineated by the action of waves, winds, currents and tides which are the consequences of sea level rise causing immense shoreline changes. Remote Sensing techniques play a crucial role in spatio-temporal analysis. In this study, medium spatial resolution of 30m multi sensor Landsat images from 2013-2022 along the 100m coast of Karachi are providing data. For the estimation of changing coast line, a digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) tool is utilized. From Cape Monz to Hawksbay in western coast, the rate of erosion and deposition are not indicating an alarming situation. It means anthropogenic activities are negligible in these areas. In contrast, eastern coast of Karachi like Keemari, Korangi and Port Qasim show an imbalance of sediment budget.South of Karachi depicted high accretion. In DSAS technique, out of 567 transects, 41% reported as erosional while 58% are accretional. This research will not only assist in providing data for coastal engineering but also recognition of coastal vegetation in order to maintain marine habitat .and minimize the incident and intensity of the catastrophic hazards.
Usage of Term' Maritime'' and its Impacts on the Literature on China-Pakistan Economic (Maritime) Corridor (CPEC)
This paper aims to construe literature-based research to highlight the significance of the relevant terminology in the 'maritime' domain: usage and utilisation. It intends to create a harmony-based information delivery within the literature for information to the stakeholders to understand the global maritime issues, concerns, updates, policies, and laws. Given that, fifty articles are selected from various journals to review the usage of the term ''maritime'' in the literature in different contexts, including oceans, ports, shipping and coasts. Results will be based upon the selected literature following the right path in translating the term 'maritime.' The research will analyse the future options for social, political and natural (behavioural) sciences' discourses in the 'maritime' domain under the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The idea presented through this paper is that CPEC is a maritime corridor connecting China with Pakistan, Kashgar Port, and Gwadar Port.
Sino-US Escalating Competition in Indo-Pacific Ocean: Challenges and Choices for Pakistan
The Indo-Pacific Ocean has gained significant international focus in the 21st century. It plays a crucial role as a habitat for many countries and enables more than 80% of global trade through its sea routes. The region's abundant energy resources make it extremely important, leading great powers to compete for dominance. The rise of China in the region, together with the declining power of the United States, has forced the United States to assertively cultivate new alliances with regional states and strengthen existing partnerships. Simultaneously, China is making significant investments in neighbouring states to create and strengthen diplomatic relations. The ongoing power struggle between the US and China is having a negative impact on the neighbouring states in the region. The United States and India's strategic cooperation has prompted the area to indulge in an arms race, due to the longstanding hostilities with Pakistan. Due to Pakistan's crucial involvement in China's vital initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the country is unable to disengage from the complexities of intense competition among major powers.
Realization of Vessel Productivity Enhancement via Comparative Analysis of Liner Services: A case of Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT) DP World, Karachi
The landscape of the shipping industry is constantly evolving. The key aspect point among numerous issues is the efficiency of container loading and offloading on the quayside. This research aims to analyze the performance of Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT) DP World Karachi, Pakistan via Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) evaluation, based on data gathered fqictfrom QICT, and to find the critical factors affecting the overall productivity of QICT. Comparative analysis of liner services of Maersk between Mawingu (MWG) Express and Jade Express was performed via KPI’s data collection from the Operation Department of QICT. This research concludes that vessel Productivity is reliant upon several factors. The most significant among all is the competence of the operator, number of quay cranes utilized at the terminal, number of transfer vehicles, berth allocation, and yard utilization. The study recommends to the terminal regarding optimum number of crane allocation and appropriate yard management to enhance the productivity of the JADE liner service via proactive maintenance of the shipto-shore cranes.
Environmental Challenges – Focus on Indian Ocean: Evaluation of International Climate Change Agreements and Protocols
Environmental challenges are posing serious threats not only to humanity but to all creatures on Earth. Countering rapid ecological degradation in the last two decades has been a source of serious stress for the international community. According to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), human imprint is contributing to climate change due to many factors. The retrospective study highlights oil spills, plastic pollution, nuclearization, Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF), domestic waste, agricultural waste, and heavy metal pollution as reasons towards environmental degradation and negative impacts on marine ecosystems. Analytical study of international efforts for ecological protection highlights certain limitations to implementing international agreements and protocols. Parties’ non-compliance to surrender their sovereignty before international organizations is a serious matter. Such a situation needs revisiting the international attitude towards environmental protection not for the current population but for generations to come. Descriptive research approach employed for comparative analysis of international efforts results in region-specific recommendations. Consent of all participating states to make concrete efforts to save Earth's ecosystem will worth more for action. Regularly revised international regulations and protocols as per circumstantial needs will help to secure seas and maritime environment.
Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing