25 Jul 13 - 14:30
USCG meets Arctic missions
Arctic Shield 2013 focuses on Western Alaska and the Bering Strait
This year, the Coast Guard will perform again its statutory missions to ensure the Arctic remains a safe, secure and environmentally protected region. After a successful Arctic Shield 2012 operation on the North Slope and Barrow, Arctic Shield 2013 focuses on Western Alaska and the Bering Strait.
This year's operation will continue the three-pronged approach of outreach, operations and capability assessments.
- Operations - Cutters, aircraft and personnel will maintain a presence in the Arctic region and will engage in operations encompassing a variety of Coast Guard missions.
- Outreach - The Coast Guard will leverage its partnerships with federal, state, local and tribal partners to combine efforts to ensure the safety of the maritime community.
- Capability assessment - Operating in the Arctic will give an opportunity to exercise capabilities to ensure the Coast Guard has the right resources to conduct maritime operations.
As part of Coast Guard Arctic Shield 2013 the forward operating location in Kotzebue was opened July 12, 2013, in preparation for the anticipated increase of maritime activities in Western Alaska and the Bering Strait.
For more informaiton and relevant pictures please click at http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2013/07/meeting-arctic-missions/
25 Jul 13 - 18:13
Piracy can only be managed not eradicated
Expert from the Institute for Security Studies support
Piracy will always remain a threat and can never be conquered, according to an expert from theInstitute for Security Studies, who believes that piracy can only be managed, not eradicated.
Johan Potgieter, Senior Researcher at the ISS in South Africa, said that the maritime domain was under great pressure, being misused, exploited and destroyed. Maritime threats include terrorism, piracy, pollution, oil theft, overfishing, smuggling, crime etc.
Speaking at the Land Forces Africa conference in Pretoria last week, he pointed out that 92% of global trade, 70% of crude oil and 90% of African trade is seaborne. Inland waterways should not be neglected as they are also important means of transit. However, piracy costs the global economy $18 billion per year, according to the World Bank.
