Chuck Hill's CG Blog

Chuck Hill's CG Blog

“U.S. and Independent State of Samoa sign addendum to existing maritime law enforcement agreement in the Pacific” –CG News

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Estimated exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). The EEZs of countries that are the Parties to the Nauru Agreement are shown in darker blue. Note that not all EEZs of PICTs have been officially delineated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Source: Patrick Lehodey

Below is a CG news release (includes photos of the signing). The State of Samoa, like Papua New Guinea, is not one of the three nations included in the Compacts of Free Association that include the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau that have similar agreements. Of the three Compact of Free Association nations, only the Republic of Marshall Islands does not have the enhanced agreement that permits the US Coast Guard to act in their behalf without a national law enforcement officer on board.

All these island nations have a huge combined EEZ. We are offering help, but our assets in the Western Pacific are thin compared to the assets we have in Atlantic Area policing a much smaller EEZ.

If the illegal fishermen know where the few cutters are, they may just fish illegally in a different area and wait until the cutter leaves. The long-term solution is to help these nations control their own waters and provide enough assets to effectively police the US EEZ in the 14th District. Over and above ships, we need a multinational domain awareness system that can track the illegal fishing and provide intelligence driven enforcement. It looks like we are working on that in the form of the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Domain Awareness (IPDMA) program.

PRESS RELEASE | April 5, 2024

U.S. and Independent State of Samoa sign addendum to existing maritime law enforcement agreement in the Pacific

HONOLULU — The United States and the Independent State of Samoa had the honor to share and sign an addendum to the existing 2012 Bilateral Agreement, at U.S. Embassy Apia in Samoa, to continue and expand operational cooperation to suppress illicit transnational maritime activity, on April 5, 2024.

“In partnership with Samoa, the United States stands committed to safeguarding and ensuring security of Samoa’s economic exclusive zone, by preserving its marine resources, environment, promoting sustainable development for future generations” said U.S. Embassy Apia, Samoa’s Charge d’Affaires, Noriko Horiuchi.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Independent State of Samoa signed the addendum to the existing Bilateral Agreement allowing enhanced maritime law enforcement operations, maritime domain awareness and assists with implementation of integrated operations between the U.S. and Samoa by extending U.S. Coast Guard operability to deter predatory and illegal fishing activities in Samoa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The enhanced maritime law enforcement agreement represents another tool for Samoa to use to help combat transnational illicit maritime activity and illegal fishing activities within its EEZ. This enhanced agreement enables Samoa to request the U.S. Coast Guard to inspect vessels and enforce their coastal state regulations without a Samoan officer present. This agreement does not replace the joint work conducted with Samoan shipriders; rather, it augments the capability and plays a crucial role in protecting marine ecosystems and the sustainable livelihoods they support.

These enhanced agreements demonstrate the United States’ commitment to a stable, secure and prosperous Pacific region. The strengthened partnerships in the Pacific have been invaluable in increasing the number of boardings within partners’ EEZs, which in turn has led to the deterrence, observation and reporting of vessel crew activities and fishing operations for partner nation’s enforcement agencies.

This advancement follows the similar agreements signed by the Federated States of Micronesia in October 2022, the bilateral defense agreement signed with Papua New Guinea in May 2023, and the enhanced maritime bilateral agreement with the Republic of Palau in August 2023.

“We’re honored to sign this enhanced maritime bilateral agreement with our valued partner, the Independent State of Samoa. This agreement strengthens our collaborative efforts within the region,” said Capt. Tom D’Arcy, chief of response for U.S. Coast Guard District Fourteen in Honolulu. “This agreement serves as a testament to the importance of maritime security in maintaining national sovereignty and regional stability, and we look forward to working even closer with Samoa to effectively address common maritime challenges in the Pacific.”

Through bilateral law enforcement agreements, community engagements and senior leader visits, like the recent U.S. Coast Guard Commandant visit, and subject matter exchanges between maritime agencies, we continue to demonstrate how these partnerships significantly enhance our collective capacity to safeguard shared resources and build a prosperous Oceania that is inclusive and secure for all law-abiding nations.

“US, Philippines, Japan to tackle South China Sea incidents in trilateral summit, says Manila official” –Reuters

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Philippine Coast Guard vessels join Japanese and U.S. Coast Guard ships during joint exercises off the coast of Bataan, Philippines, in June 2023. IMAGE CREDIT: Philippine Coast Guard

Reuters reports,

A trilateral summit between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines will include a discussion of recent incidents in the South China Sea, Manila’s foreign ministry said on Friday.

The summit begins April 11.

Can’t help but think this may result in some additional tasking for the Coast Guard.

“Stateless Cargo Ship De Yi Detained: South Korea’s Bold Move Against North Korea” –Regtechtimes via MSN

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North Korea

MSN reports,

“A cargo ship called De Yi was recently detained by South Korea as it was traveling between Korea and Japan and was berthed close to the port of Yeosu. The ship’s detention is a component of South Korea’s stepped-up unilateral measures against North Korea, which also include sanctioning ships that trade arms with Russia and stepping up monitoring for sanctions violations… The South Korean Coast Guard acted quickly after the vessel’s crew—13 people total—refused to cooperate with orders to stop, including a Chinese captain and crew members from China and Indonesia. For further investigation, the ship was escorted to the port of Busan… Authorities from South Korea and the United States (emphasis applied–Chuck) are closely examining the ship to make sure it is not carrying any illegal goods.”

“Coast Guard Commandant challenges workforce to move the service forward” –MyCG

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Just passing this along from MyCG (looks like access to the townhall video is limited). This seems to be a promising sign that the leadership does not expect all solutions to come from the top down.

Coast Guard Commandant challenges workforce to move the service forward

By Kathy Murray, MyCG Senior Writer

The U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan encouraged members to help her improve the service during a Workforce Town Hall on Wednesday.  Here’s the link: workforcetownhall.mov (sharepoint-mil.us)

“We’re all in different places in the team, but each and every one of us contributes to the well-being and organizational success of the Coast Guard,” Fagan said. “It’s OUR Coast Guard. It’s not mine, it’s not somebody else’s. There is no they or them. It’s us, ours, collectively. And so together we – WE – make the changes. Together we create the opportunity and together we create the culture that we aspire to.”

Adm. Fagan described her vision of a modern service, with a thriving, efficient, effective workforce.

According to Fagan, too many talented people with the Coast Guard are stuck trying to create success around inefficient processes. She challenged members to think in new and creative ways.  “Like if somebody comes to you and says, ‘We’ve always done it this way,’ that is a red flag, right? It may have served Joshua James well, but it doesn’t serve us well now. And so do not be burdened or encumbered by a legacy view when that [view is no longer] right.”

“The status quo is the risk position,” Fagan said.

Fagan took questions with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Master Chief Heath Jones, during the hour-long event which was live-streamed from a packed auditorium at Coast Guard Headquarters. The pair answered questions submitted online in advance and from in-person attendees.

Sexual harassment remained a top concern. Two attendees shared their personal experiences with sexual assault, and concerns about access to resources for both military members and civilians.

Fagan thanked them and reiterated the steps the service has taken to address sexual assault, by creating a world-class Sexual Assault Prevention, Response and Recovery program available to both military members and civilians. But there’s more to do. “I want an environment where everyone always experiences a workplace that is free from harm,” she said, and noted the Service was engaged in a long-term effort to strengthen service culture.

“We have the devotion part down,” Fagan said, noting that more than 200 servicemembers are currently supporting the Baltimore bridge collapse. “When the Coast Guard is at its best,” she added, “we work together. We hold each other accountable. We hold each other up.”

Additional highlights:

  • On managing workforce shortages and decommissioning of vessels:   Although Jones noted improvements in recruiting, Fagan said she expects workforce shortages to persist and that more ships could be tied up in upcoming assignment years. “I see it as an opportunity to challenge some operating assumptions,” she said, mentioning ways we are working differently to conduct missions and avoid putting members at risk, but she reiterated that the Service, “cannot do the same with less.”
  • On the impact of budget-related stress on less senior employees:  Jones said he thinks members across every level of the workforce are impacted by the Coast Guard’s budget, as well as federal shutdowns and continuing resolutions. He said he is encouraged by a bill that currently seems to have bipartisan support that would continue to pay all military members in the event of a shutdown. Fagan added that since the 2019 shutdown, the Coast Guard has learned ways to mitigate some of the pay issues, if necessary.
  • On reducing civilian hiring delays: Fagan agreed that the process was not nimble enough. She said leaders are working to find ways to make it more efficient and advocating for budget increases to hire more human resources staff. But she asked for help in finding efficiencies and different ways to speed the process while generating, “the most robust talent pool we can find.”
  • What encouragement would MCPOCG offer to E-6 and below: “Don’t ever close the door to any opportunity in your career,” Jones said. He confessed that late in his career he almost missed a great opportunity that way.

Over 100 members of the workforce submitted questions before the Town Hall, and the Commandant and MCPOCG plan to respond to the remaining questions directly or on their social media platforms in the coming weeks.

“Maritime Nation S3 E3: The USCG: At the Intersection of Diplomacy, Law, and Security” –Navy League Video

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Above is a great video interview of the Commandant conducted as part of a Navy League Series of video podcasts entitled Maritime Nation. I was frankly surprised by the depth of the interview, and impressed by the Commandant’s willingness to think outside the box.

Thanks to Lee for bringing this to my attention.

South Korea Seizes Chinese Fishing Vessels –Newsweek

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A picture taken on November 16, 2011 from a South Korean helicopter shows Chinese fishermen wielding sticks to stop an attack by South Korean coastguard commandoes armed with clubs aboard rubber boats during a crackdown on alleged illegal fishing in South Korean waters in the Yellow Sea off the southwestern coast county of Buan. South Korea’s coastguard mobilized 12 ships, four helicopters and commandoes for a special three-day crackdown on illegal fishing by Chinese boats this week. REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT AFP PHOTO / DONG-A ILBO (Photo credit should read DONG-A ILBO/AFP/Getty Images)

Newsweek reports,

“South Korea’s Coast Guard seized five Chinese vessels for allegedly fishing illegally in the country’s waters late last month, confiscating boats and deporting several crew members…The joint patrol’s 30 participating vessels and three aircraft waters were operating in the vicinity of Jeju Island from March 25-31, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

“The country’s coast guard said that, on average, 300 Chinese vessels fish illegally in the country’s exclusive waters each day, with that figure dropping to an estimated 140 during periods of intensified crackdowns.”

As you can see from the photo above and below. This is not a new problem.

A picture taken on November 16, 2011 from a South Korean helicopter shows Chinese boats banded together with ropes, chased by a coastguard helicopter and rubber boats pacted with commandoes, after alleged illegal fishing in South Korean waters in the Yellow Sea.
Credit: Dong-A-Ilbo

In many cases these encounters have become violent. The South Koreans have not been afraid to seized Chinese fishing vessels, but on the other hand they have not been successful in stopping large scale illegal fishing.

“WORLD ICEBREAKERS OVERVIEW” –Aker Arctic

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Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) and crew conduct formation steaming exercises with Candian Coast Guard Ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier and crew in the Beaufort Sea, July 28, 2023. The crew conducted a passenger exchange with the Sir Wilfrid Laurier off the coast of Utqiagvik, Alaska. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Underwood)

Below is a publication of Aker Arctic. I assume they will not mind if I pass it along. It is after all something of an advertisement for their expertise. I was surprised to find the US has 16 icebreakers. I don’t know where they got that figure. There are of course Polar Star, Healy, and Mackinaw. They might also count Polar Sea. That leaves 12 or 13. The National Science Foundation has two or three depending on what you count and there is the Aiviq that the Coast Guard is likely to buy. That leaves eight or nine. Maybe they are counting the nine 140 foot Bay class icebreaking tugs. Clearly, they are not including the 16 Juniper class buoy tenders that do have an icebreaking capability, because there are too many of them. This highlights the wide range of capabilities that fall under the icebreaker label and the difficulty of classifying multi-mission ships.

Wikipedia also has a list of icebreakers, including past as well as present icebreakers.

ARTICLE / 13.03.2024

WORLD ICEBREAKERS OVERVIEW

For those who share our passion, we present a snapshot of the world icebreaking fleet as of 1st January 2024.

There is a multitude of ice-strengthened vessels designed for various purposes in the world. Some possess exceptional ice-going capabilities while others are suited only for light ice conditions. Only a select few can truly be classified as icebreakers.

Icebreakers pave the way

An icebreaker is a vessel designed for icebreaking duties. Its core features include a reinforced hull shaped to break the ice, a robust and powerful propulsion system, and appropriate winterization against low ambient temperatures. All characteristics are meticulously selected based on the intended area of operation and planned tasks. These typically include escort or ice management functions.

Major classification societies such as American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas, Lloyd’s Register, Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and — most recently — China Classification Society have established rigorous standards and guidelines for icebreakers to ensure safe navigation in ice-covered waters.

Hard to draw the line

The diversity of icebreaking ships makes compiling an exhaustive list of icebreakers challenging. It is difficult to draw a clear line between ships that should be included and ships that should be left out.

In addition to purpose-built icebreakers, many research ships, offshore vessels, and even one luxury cruise ship have been officially classified as icebreakers. However, their ability to operate independently in difficult ice conditions is merely a means to carry out other tasks.

Although smaller ice-strengthened tugboats are often used for icebreaking operations in harbours, they are not considered as icebreakers. Oil tankers, LNG carriers, and other cargo ships are also excluded even if they are fully capable of independent year-round operation in the most challenging Arctic ice conditions.

Market intelligence

At Aker Arctic, we keep a close track on all world icebreakers, including ship type, size, ice class, primary mission, icebreaking capability, and other technical characteristics in addition to expected lifespan.

“This is a cornerstone of our expertise, rooted in our keen interest in monitoring market evolution in our field,” notes Senior Naval Architect Tuomas Romu, who has compiled the overview of the world’s icebreaking fleet presented here.

“However, different countries’ fleet sizes should not be directly compared due to the diversity in the sizes, capabilities and characteristics of individual ships on the list,” Romu adds.

As of 1 January 2024, the complete list of icebreaking ships includes 243 ships: 179 in service worldwide, 29 under construction, and 35 in the shipyards’ orderbooks or included in various procurement programs. While the global fleet is gradually increasing in numbers, many of the new icebreakers are built as replacement to older ships.

World icebreaking fleet 1 January 2024.

Although an icebreaker is a very specific ship type, a review of the global icebreaking fleet must consider not only the diversity of the vessels themselves but also the different ways icebreaking ships are perceived and classified worldwide. For example, United States and Canada each use their own way of classifying icebreakers as “heavy”, “medium” or “light”. On the other hand, Russia’s vast icebreaking fleet can be split into a number of categories based on type, purpose and key technical characteristics.

Examples of two different classification systems: Canada.
Examples of two different classification systems: Russia.

Finland leads the world

Following World War II, Finnish companies made rapid advancements in icebreaking technology, pushing the state of the art in icebreaking design, construction, power supply, and propulsion systems. Today, Finland is a global leader in icebreaker design and construction, with most of the world’s icebreakers originating from Finnish expertise. Naturally, every single icebreaker in service in Finland has been designed and constructed locally.

The strong Finnish maritime cluster is composed of engineering offices, shipyards, equipment manufacturers, universities, model testing facilities, and other related entities. The cluster collectively fosters research, new ideas and innovations, continually inventing ways to improve operations in ice.

The task of how to break ice more efficiently and sustainably has intrigued naval architects and ship engineers for generations, constantly pushing the boundaries of the icebreaker design using new hull forms, alternative fuels, different propulsion systems, and new engine types.

 

Full-scale references

The Finnish maritime industry also maintains the most extensive full-scale reference database, ensuring that every new vessel meets its performance requirements set before construction.

“Anyone considering acquiring an icebreaker looks to Finland first. With over 80 years of experience, we consistently pioneer new market innovations,” says Romu. “Moreover, our vessels have received global acclaim for their performance and quality.”

Environmental stewardship

The global icebreaker market represents a diverse and dynamic sector, essential for supporting operations in challenging ice conditions worldwide. Finnish leadership in this field, marked by decades of innovation and excellence, sets a high standard for icebreaker design and construction. With increasing demand for efficient icebreaking vessels and sustainable maritime solutions, the Finnish maritime cluster remains at the forefront of technological innovation and environmental stewardship.

We at Aker Arctic are dedicated to monitoring developments, sharing our insights and fostering collaborations to further enhance our own capabilities. We believe this is vital for pushing the state of the art of icebreaking in order to ensure safety and optimal efficiency for maritime operations in icy waters in a constantly evolving world.

Text: Catarina Stewen

“India Rescues Iranian Fishing Vessel Hijacked By Pirates Off Somalia” –gCaptain

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An Indian Navy carries out a rescue operation of an Iranian fishing vessel Al-Kambar 786 after it was seized by armed pirates off Somalia, in the Arabian Sea, according to a naval statement, in this handout photo released on March 30, 2024. SPOKESPERSONNAVY VIA X/Handout via REUTERS

gCaptain reports,

The Indian Navy said it had freed the 23-strong crew of an Iranian fishing vessel which was seized by armed pirates off Somalia….The vessel was intercepted by the navy’s INS Sumedha and INS Trishul, leading to “over 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures” forcing the pirates to surrender…”

INS Sumedha (foreground in the photo above) is a Saryu-class 105 meter (344′) offshore patrol vessel, and was the first Indian vessel on scene.

Interestingly, the 23 member crew of this Iranian fishing vessel were all Pakistani nationals.

Peru to Build OPV(s) With Aid From S. Korea’s HHI

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Artist impression of the Frigate, Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) and two Landing Craft Units (LCUs) for the Peruvian Navy. HD HHI image.

Naval News reports, that Peruvian shipyard Servicios Industriales de la Marina (SIMA) will be building the first of a new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Peruvian Navy, along with a frigate and two LCUs. Korean Shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will provide the design, equipment & material package, and technical support.

“The OPV ordered is based on HD HHI’s HDP-2200 OPV solution, which is 95 meters long, 14.3 meters wide, with a maximum speed of 20 knots and a range of 6,000 nautical miles, capable of operating medium-sized maritime operation helicopters. She is designed with space for two containerized mission modules enabling versatile capabilities.”

Another four OPVs of the class are planned. These Offshore Patrol Vessels appear to be closely related to six similar ships being built by HHI in Korea for the Philippine Navy.

Note, it appears at least some versions of this design have a stern launch system. The other versions of the design also claim to have a top speed of 22 knots, so this may apply to the Peruvian ships as well.

This will not be the first time SIMA has teamed with a South Korean shipbuilder. SIMA also built BAP Pisco (AMP-156), an 11,394 ton full load Makassar-class landing platform dock, designed by Daesun Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd. commissioned in 2018. They have reportedly launched a second. In the 1980s SIMA completed two Italian designed Lupo class Frigates.