Straits, Sea Lanes and Maritime Security

Straits are strategically important, and also commercially important. Large amounts of commercial and other shipping transits them every year, and lots of money is thus involved. It could even be said that they are important to the entire world. It is thus no surprise that there are conflicts surrounding some of these areas, for various reasons; their geography also increases this. This, of course, is a maritime security threat, as it can threaten the shipping of many nations. Certain such places in particular are the scene of potential or actual violent and other conflict, and subject to other threats, and it is these which will be addressed here. They include the Strait of Malacca, the Turkish Straits, the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb, and also the important waters which are the South China Sea and the Northwest Passage.

The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water approximately 500 nautical miles long between West Malaysia and Sumatra (an Indonesian island). It is considered to be one of the most important shipping lanes in the world, on par with the Suez and Panama Canals. It links the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean and thus is very economically important. Over one-fifth of the world’s shipping passes through it, as does sizeable quantities of oil. Currently, main threats are piracy and accidents. The strait becomes very narrow and is very vulnerable to shipping accidents; the effects would be considerable, as the strait would be closed. This, of course, opens up the potential for terrorist attacks in the future; how serious that threat is at this point questionable, however. Pirates, though, plague these waters, and piracy continues to be a major problem, and the largest security threat.

The Turkish Straits are two straits which connect the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea; they are the Bosporus Strait and the Dardanelles Strait. The waterways are not as narrow as the Strait of Malacca, and they are longer when combined. They are important due to the oil trade which transits the straits and also due to their military value; the Russian Black Sea fleet is trapped unless it can freely transit the straits. The biggest security threat is likely a Russian attempt to seize control over the straits. Overall, though, the security threat is low.

The Strait of Hormuz is a very important strategic waterway leading from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. Due to its width, it is capable of supporting sizeable amounts of maritime traffic. It is significant as very large amounts of oil trade transit the strait, including the bulk of Middle Eastern oil. Current threats include piracy, terrorism, and attempts at closure by naval forces. The last is the most likely and dangerous threat, and the primary threat currently is the Iranian Navy. It has been the scene of sizeable amounts of conflict in the past, and may again in the future.

The Bab el-Mandeb is a strait connecting the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and separating Asia and Africa. It is strategically important and is also one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. This is in no small part due to the fact that nearly all vessels which wish to transit the Suez Canal either way must go through the strait. Presently, it is heavily affected by piracy, and terrorism remains a credible threat. Piracy in the region is at an epidemic level, presenting a significant security threat.

The South China Sea is a sea south of China, bordered by the Philippines, Indonesia, Indochina, China, and Malaysia. It has currently assumed significant importance due to the presence of islands which may be on large oil fields. This has been a point of dispute, and is a potential source for armed conflict. Piracy also remains high in the area. Large quantities of shipping transit the area. Currently, the threat of armed conflict is the most significant security concern in the region.

The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean which goes through islands and ice fields above Canada’s mainland and Alaska. Until recently, with the melting of some of the ice fields, a viable passage had proven elusive, having been sought for some time. Currently, there are disputes over sovereignty which will have great importance regarding the future of the sea lane. There are also disputes in the region over sovereignty over the sea floor of Antarctica, a dispute which could affect the area. While the chances are minimal, armed conflict over control of this area is the only real threat which is apparent at this time, meaning that it is relatively secure. Currently, though, minimal shipping travels through it, and it could be some time before it becomes a more viable shipping lane.

Two of the areas with significant potential or actual threats are the Strait of Hormuz and the South China Sea. The Strait of Hormuz, as has been mentioned, is very important from a strategic and economic perspective. Oil is crucial to the economies of many nations, including, perhaps especially, the United States, and this makes the strait even more vital. There has been conflict over it in the past. During the Iran-Iraq War, Iranian, Iraqi, and American naval forces all engaged in combat within, and sometimes without, the Persian Gulf, to which the strait leads, and shipping was even attacked near the strait. The conflict demonstrated that mines, shore-based missiles, aircraft, and warships (including submarines) all could be used to effectively attack shipping in the strait and around it.

Currently, the main threat is still Iran. Its navy can attempt to cut off the strait. This would have a major economic impact and an impact on shipping, and would most definitely lead to a major naval engagement, as the United States and other nations would not tolerate it. Iran also has the will to do it if they feel that it is necessary, which makes this threat to security more credible.

The strait is also threatened by terrorism, as it is in the Middle East, which has been a hub for terrorism recently due to the rise of radical Islam. There is the potential for there to be shipping attacked by maritime terrorists, and it has been done in the region. Piracy also remains an issue, although it is not as significant as it used to be.

The South China Sea has as the greatest threat to its security the potential for armed conflict over islands, and possibly chokepoints, within and bordering it. Islands, such as the Spratly Islands, are or may potentially be sitting on large quantities of oil. Oil is in greater demand than ever, and crucial to the economies of many nations. China especially requires it, as domestic oil is short on supply. This has led to multiple claims over the various islands. This is partly due to the Exclusive Economic Zones and Continental Shelf areas which would be claimed by whoever claims the respective islands due to the Law of the Sea Treaty. China, or another country, may attempt to seize the islands by force, leading to what potentially could erupt into a major armed conflict; this is an obvious threat to maritime security. Piracy is also high in the region, and thus remains a threat as well, but it pales in comparison to a potential armed conflict.

Despite the threat in the South China Sea, ultimately the greater maritime security threat is in the Strait of Hormuz. The chances of conflict are greater due to the nature of the nation most likely to initiate a conflict. Since lots of oil transits the strait, it has profound importance and the impact on the world of a conflict would be considerable, as would the impact on shipping. The threat of terrorism is also far more significant in the region than in the South China Sea. The degree of the impact of potential maritime security threats in the Strait of Hormuz, combined with the greater likelihood of major threats becoming reality, means that one must consider it to be subject to a greater maritime security threat than the South China Sea.

Straits and other significant sea lanes and choke points are very important to the world. This is the case from both an economic and strategic aspect. Large amounts of trade and shipping transit these areas every year. This results in conflict and the potential for conflict, along with other forms of threats, which in turn makes these areas of interest to those studying maritime security.