Category Archives: High Seas

By Cameron Sothern

The volume of oil that flows through the Strait of Hormuz gives it geostrategic importance. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, In 2018, its daily oil flow averaged 21 million barrels per day (b/d), or the equivalent of about 21% of global petroleum liquids consumption.1 If freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz were hampered, an energy crisis would ensue. Maritime insecurities anywhere are a threat to the circulation of global trade. In the Persian Gulf and its adjacent seas, these insecurities mostly originate from Iran and its proxy forces, such as the Houthis in Yemen. By controlling the Strait of Hormuz and placing forces along the Bab el-Mandeb in Yemen, Iran can contest energy flows to US allies as well as to China.2 This article identifies Iranian maritime threats and proposes a course of action for the U.S. Navy to continue and improve upon its efforts in the region to deter them.

Iranian Maritime Capabilities

The Islamic Republic is well suited to draw on the rich millennial heritage of Iranian society and culture and the significant heritage of the Islamic Revolution, particularly its indigenously derived and sustained participatory model of governance. Iran can use such strengths to help realize the deeply cherished national aspirations of the Iranian people, including the achievement of long-term development and regional ascendance commensurate with the countrys capacities and stature. Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif3

It is important to note that while the Islamic Republic of Iran is a relatively young state, its heritage stems from the legacy of the Persian Empire, and there are overtones of restoring a similar sense of greatness. Irans current strategic goal is to create a regionally hegemonic state. The goal is divided into four pillars: continuity of clerical rule, addressing internal and external threats, stabilizing regional influence, and attaining economic prosperity.4 Irans maritime and naval capabilities play an important role in supporting its strategic goal, especially when employed in the gray zone.5 By operating in the gray zone, Iran can make incremental changes to the status quo, which currently favors the U.S.-led International Rules Based Order (IRBO). When the United States and its partners in the region attempt to counter Iranian actions, Iran can fall back to its area of access denial, let things cool off, and reinitiate incremental changes.

Within the Persian Gulf, the naval arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Gard Corps, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN), operates hundreds of small craft that are used in swarm tactics and special operations. The vessels are cheaper and faster than conventional military vessels, allowing them to respond quickly and in mass anywhere in the Persian Gulf or Strait of Hormuz. The IRGCN harasses military and commercial vessels. Their tactics involve surrounding the targeted vessel and cutting across its bow. The IRGCN has also diverted and detained certain foreign vessels in response to economic sanctions. Examples of aggressive IRGCN actions since 2019 include attacks on Norwegian, Japanese, Saudi Arabian, and Israeli vessels. The IRGCN vessels are often emboldened by ambitious regional commanders, acting without orders from the state or supreme leader.

If Iran were to attempt to control the Strait of Hormuz, it would rely heavily on the capabilities of the IRGCN. As stated above, Iran can move in and out of its area of access denial; but it also has the capacity to expand this area. In such a scenario, the IRGCN would likely lay naval mines and board or attack commercial vessels. Moreover, while not an exclusively maritime capability, Iran has shown an affinity for the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to attack land-based infrastructure in the region. Regarding Iran, General McKenzie Jr. stated in the CENTCOM posture statement, For the first time since the Korean War, we are operating without complete air superiority.6 Iran has employed many of these tactics in the past without consequence, and the protentional for them to do so in a less limited manner could send shock waves through global markets.

Iran relies on two other maritime forces to support its state strategy. The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) is a traditional naval force comprised of surface ships and submarines. The IRIN operates in the Persian Gulf, Caspian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and beyond. The IRIN is an aging fleet and does not present a major security threat. It participates in counter piracy and escort operations in the Gulf of Aden and northern Indian Ocean; however, it is mostly employed by Iran as a diplomatic tool. The IRIN can train with Chinese and Russian naval forces, allowing Iran to project limited power outside of the region. The IRIN has also made port calls in Sri Lanka and China. For now, Irans maintenance of a green-water navy is more of a status and reputation builder than a threat to maritime security.

In addition to the IRIN, Iran maintains state control of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL). Iran manufactures much of its own military equipment and relies heavily on the IRISL to export it to Iranian proxies and state actors, often in violation of international sanctions. Irans biggest customers include Syria, Hizballah in Lebanon, and Iraqi Shia militias, but Iran has also provided weapons to the Houthis in Yemen, Palestinian groups, and the Taliban in Afghanistan other state customers of Iranian military equipment have included Iraq and Sudan7 The military equipment includes small arms, ammunition, artillery systems, armored vehicles, equipment for unmanned explosive boats, and communications equipment. These exports benefit the Iranian economy; expand Iranian influence and power; and, when used by proxy forces, support Iranian military objectives.

Breaking Down Irans Maritime Threats

Irans geographic position and maritime capabilities have allowed the state to continue its pursuit of altering the status quo.8 Recurringly, Iran has acted aggressively to create short-term tension, while retaining the ability to prolong and diversify its actions as a means to avoid escalation to war. It is commonly agreed that Irans desire to avoid direct warfare is a result of its experience in the 1980 Iran-Iraq War, in which both sides of the conflict lost tens of thousands.9In this conflict, Iran learned the necessity of a passive defense. Passive defense tactics focus on denial and deception to mitigate vulnerabilities and increase survivability, ensuring a strong retaliation. Examples of this [denial and deception] include, using camouflage and concealment, hiding, and dispersing forces, building underground facilities, and developing highly mobile units.10

These tactics contribute to Irans deterrent strategy, which seeks to highlight how long and costly a direct conflict with Iran would be. The denial and deception aspects of passive defense are also used by the IRGCN. The IRGCN is the primary operator of Irans hundreds of fast attack craft (FAC) and fast inshore attack craft (FIAC). These platforms have been the mainstay of the IRGCN since its inception in the 1980s, although the Iranian FAC/FIAC inventory has grown significantly in terms of size and lethality since that time.11 These vessels are highly mobile and allow for the dispersion of equipment and personnel along Irans coastline in the Persian Gulf, which would help mitigate Irans losses should they endure a strike.

Irans maritime threats closely align with contemporary academic knowledge regarding hybridized maritime threats. The four necessary components of hybridized aggression in the maritime domain are: a state with major power, deniable but clear orchestration on behalf of the state, illegal action, and control over levels of aggression to match responses.12 Iran has performed elements of hybridized maritime aggression in the past, especially through its proxies. In early March 2021, Houthi forces in Yemen used over a dozen drones to attack the Ras Tanura oil facility in Saudi Arabia.13 The Houthis are increasing their missile salvos against Saudi Arabia because they have no fear of shortages. As the Biden administration and the UN have pointed out, the rebels can draw on covert shipments of Iranian-supplied drone engines, ballistic missile motors, and electronics.14 The attack on the oil port shows Irans ability to direct proxy attacks on maritime infrastructure.

Iran also uses state forces to perform hybridized maritime aggression. While the most blatant example is the use of the IRGCN to place limpet mines on commercial vessels, the conduct of IRGCN vessels at sea also qualifies. In late April of 2021, several Iranian FIAC quickly approached the USS Firebolt and the USCGC Baranof, To an unnecessarily close range with unknown intent, including a closest point of 68 yards.15 The article continued, The U.S. crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and loud-hailer devices, but the IRGCN vessels continued their close-range maneuvers. Again, in May 2021, thirteen Iranian FAC rapidly approached U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz. After failing to respond to radio and horn signals, and coming within 300 yards of U.S. vessels, USCGC Maui fired warning shots towards the Iranian FAC.16

The conduct of these vessels was hazardous and violated the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, which establishes standard practices for vessels maneuvering in proximity to one another. The Iranian FAC/FIAC acted without regard for proper communication, signaling, or the safety of life at sea. Although none of the incidents resulted in a collision or loss of life, the risk was significant, as was the potential to escalate tensions between the United States and Iran to dangerous levels. The variety of Irans maritime aggression, from proxy attacks on oil ports to dangerous maneuvering at sea, highlights Irans ability to use varying levels of maritime tactics and fulfills the requirements to categorize Iran as a hybrid actor in the maritime domain.

A Course of Action for the U.S. Navy

Several actors and ongoing initiatives are working towards greater security in the Persian Gulf. These include U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and its naval element, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, which oversees the operations of U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). Comprising 34 member states, CMFsmain focus areas are counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, suppressing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation, and engaging with regional and other partners to strengthen relevant capabilities in order to improve overall security and stability, and promoting a safe maritime environment free from illicit non-state actors.17 Additionally, the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) was formed in July 2019 to provide updated information for merchant vessels that transit the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf.

Many states benefit from the security provided by these initiatives and contribute to them, but the U.S. Navy plays an especially important leadership role. In addition to the frequent presence of a U.S. carrier strike group and independently deployed destroyers within and outside of the Persian Gulf, the latter of which often support CMF operations, the United States has led the multinational Combined Task Force 152 (CTF 152), one of three task forces under the CMF, 10 times. CTF 152 oversees maritime security operations within the Persian Gulf. Other states that have commanded CTF 152 have done so four times or less.18 Due to its large capacity and leadership experience, there are several things that the U.S. Navy should do, or oversee, to further increase Persian Gulf security.

The U.S. Navy should continue to increase its mine countermeasure and air defense capabilities. Anti-mine capabilities will create higher assurances of safe navigation and further mitigate the threat of naval mines. It is already part of CENTCOMs effort to increase the number of Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships and Sea Dragon helicopters to protect the navigation of vessels in the Persian Gulf.19

The threat of drones, rockets, and missiles to vessels, port facilities, and other key points. The U.S. Navy should work with CENTCOM and regional states to solidify potential targets and work collaboratively on air defense. The March 2021 drone attack on Ras Tanura oil facility was thwarted by Saudi Arabia, who received early warning from U.S. systems and a U.S. airborne early warning aircraft.20 This has also been identified by CENTCOM as a significant threat and area for further regional development.

An additional approach to limiting Iranian proxy groups is the continuation of patrols by CTF 150 and CTF 152, which patrol within and outside of the Persian Gulf, respectively. These patrols often intercept weapons and narcotics shipments, although they are not explicitly targeting shipments from Iran. In May 2021, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard intercepted, dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launchers.21 Participation in CMF is not mandatory, but the United States could encourage additional states to participate and help manage their contributions.

The U.S. Navy should continue to work with other naval forces and regional states to quantify Iranian capabilities. Quantifying Irans capabilities will help decision makers in the U.S. Navy, U.S. government, and U.S. partners to create more accurate risk assessments in order to dispatch the most appropriate resources to mitigate or respond to threats.

There are diverging legal perspectives between the United States and Iran regarding passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Navy should continue to exercise its right to transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran recognizes its own maritime laws, which incorporate a modified version of innocent passage through the Strait of Hormuz.22 The United States recognizes the Strait of Hormuz as an international strait and does not recognize the strait as territorial waters of Iran. Therefore, the United States makes its passages according to transit passage, which is the movement of a vessel from one part of the high seas/Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to another part of the high seas/EEZ. In transit passage, U.S. vessels and aircraft maintain normal operations, such as flying in a defensive formation.

Conclusion

In combination, these actions could further mitigate and deter Iranian maritime threats while supporting the IRBO. As a highly capable and influential naval force, the U.S. Navy should continue to strongly advocate for and lead maritime security efforts in the Persian Gulf and its adjacent seas. An increased naval approach to the region will provide the United States flexibility and mobility in addressing challenges. While Iranian maritime threats present an immediate challenge in the Persian Gulf, they also prompt larger questions about how the U.S. Navy can better address gray zone operations and hybrid aggression in the maritime domain. Considering the economic and military strength of the United States relative to Iran, the United States should focus on Iran to gain insights into effective strategies that could apply to similar challenges elsewhere, such as those posed by Russia in the Black Sea and China in the South China Sea.

Cameron Sothern is a 2021 graduate of the California State University Maritime Academy. He holds a BA in Global Studies and Maritime Affairssumma cum laude and has been accept to attend the U.S. Navys Officer Candidate School in November.

References

[1] Barden, J. (2019, June). The Strait of Hormuz is the worlds most important oil transit chokepoint. U.S. Energy Information Administration. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=39932#

[2] Clark, B., Walton, T. A., & Cropsey, S. (2020). American Sea Power at a Crossroads: A Plan to Restore the US Navys Maritime Advantage. Hudson Institute, 72.

[3] Zarif, M. J. (2014). What Iran Really Wants: Iranian Foreign Policy in the Rouhani Era. Foreign Affairs, 93(3), 4959. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.csum.edu/stable/24483405?seq=5#metadata_info_tab_contents

[4, 7, 11] Defense Intelligence Agency. (2019). Iran military power: Ensuring regime survival and securing regional dominance. Defense Intelligence Agency.

[5] Mazaar, M.J. (2015). Mastering the Gray Zone: Understanding a Changing Era of Conflict. Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. War College Press, p.17. https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/2372.pdf

[6, 19] General McKenzie Jr., K. (2021, April). POSTURE STATEMENT OF GENERAL KENNETH F. MCKENZIE, JR., COMMANDER, UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND BEFORE THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. U.S. Central Command. https://www.centcom.mil/ABOUT-US/POSTURE-STATEMENT/

[8] Eisensdadt, M. (2020-b, January). Operating in the Gray Zone: Countering Irans Asymmetric Way of War. The Washington Institute. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/operating-gray-zone-countering-irans-asymmetric-way-war

[9] Kurzman, C. (2013, October). Death Tolls of the Iran-Iraq War Charles Kurzman. Death Tolls of the Iran-Iraq War. https://kurzman.unc.edu/death-tolls-of-the-iran-iraq-war/

[10] Office of Naval Intelligence. (2017). Iranian Naval Forces: A Tale of Two Navies ((DOPSR Case 17-S-0836)). https://www.oni.navy.mil/Portals/12/Intel%20agencies/iran/Iran%20022217SP.pdf

[12] Ralby, I. (2017). Examining Hybrid Maritime Threats. Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence: Cutting the Bow Wave, 1317. http://www.cjoscoe.org/infosite/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CJOS_COE_Cutting_the_Bow_Wave_2017_Final_compressed_v2.pdf

[13-14, 20] Knights, M. (2021, March). Continued Houthi Strikes Threaten Saudi Oil and the Global Economic Recovery. The Washington Institute. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/continued-houthi-strikes-threaten-saudi-oil-and-global-economic-recovery

[15] U.S. Navy Office of Information. (2021, April). IRGCN Interaction with U.S. Naval Vessels in the North Arabian Gulf. United States Navy. https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/2587098/irgcn-interaction-with-us-naval-vessels-in-the-north-arabian-gulf/

[16] U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs. (2021-a, May). Unsafe and Unprofessional Interaction with IRGCN FIAC in Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. https://www.cusnc.navy.mil/Media/News/Display/Article/2602006/unsafe-and-unprofessional-interaction-with-irgcn-fiac-in-strait-of-hormuz/

[17-18] Combined Maritime Forces. (2021, May). CTF 152: Gulf Maritime Security. CTF 152: GULF MARITIME SECURITY. https://combinedmaritimeforces.com/ctf-152-gulf-security-cooperation/

[21] U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs. (2021-b, May). USS Monterey Seizes Illicit Weapons in the North Arabian Sea. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. https://www.cusnc.navy.mil/Media/News/Display/Article/2600829/uss-monterey-seizes-illicit-weapons-in-the-north-arabian-sea/

[22] Convention on the Law of the Sea, Dec. 10, 1982, 1833 U.N.T.S. 433. https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201833/volume-1833-A-31363-English.pdf

Featured image:April 2020 Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels approach theguided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) at close range while conducting joint interoperability operations in support of maritime security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (Credit: U.S. Navy)

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featured article - CIMSEC

When the HMAS Sydney sank 80 years ago, only one body from the 645 people on board was ever found.

And now he has a name: Thomas Welsby Clark.

It was a gruelling two-decade long process to identify the 21-year-old Able Seaman whose body washed up in a lifeboat on Christmas Island months after the warship was attacked in November 1941.

Able Seaman Clark was believed to have been the only person to survive and was found with tucked legs, meaning that despite having shrapnel in his head and floating alone, he still tried to row himself home.

After speaking to the able seamans niece, Veterans Affairs Minister Andrew Gee said knowing he was at sea, alone for all those months, caused anguish for the family.

But burying the body under a marked headstone also brought a sense of pride.

By identifying Tom, our nation honours all those who lost their lives in HMAS Sydney, Gee said.

His story helps Australia understand the immense sacrifice made for our country and also the loss and grief that is still felt by the descendants of those who perished on that day.

The Brisbane-born Clark signed up to the forerunner of the reserves in 1939 before deciding to join the Navy in August 1940.

He gave the ultimate sacrifice 15 months later.

The sinking of the HMAS Sydney at the hands of the disguised German merchant raider HSK Kormoran was a terrible day in Australias history after Europe had descended into darkness and the United States was yet to join the war.

Gee lamented the sacrifice made by the people aboard the Sydney, who fought until their last breath.

The loss was devastating, not only for families but it was a great hit to Australias morale during the Second World War - it shook our nation, he said.

It was only a few democracies like Australia who stood up and fought against tyranny, and that is what the crew of Sydney were doing.

More than 360 sea mines were going to be laid by the German vessel off the coast of Australia.

It had already sunk 10 merchant vessels and captured one more.

The Kormoran has been inflicting devastating losses on the high seas up until the day it met the Sydney, Gee said.

By removing the threat of the Kormoran the crew of the Sydney undoubtedly saved many, many Australian lives.

Developments in technology mean more identifications are expected in the future.

At least 200 people were involved in the identification process and the vast majority did so on their own time and dollar to help return the seaman to his family.

The bodies of more than one third of all Australian soldiers in World War I have no known grave.

This morbid statistic has been reduced in subsequent wars as Australia sadly got better at bringing bodies home.

But in once sense, the countless others like Able Seaman Clark who lay in unmarked graves have always been known to us as (their) name is on the honour roll upstairs, Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson said.

Read the original here:

Unknown sailor from sinking of HMAS Sydney in 1941 finally named after 80 years - 7NEWS.com.au

Wellington Harbour will soon boast the Southern Hemispheres first battery-powered commuter ferry, as Kiwi firms make waves in the electric marine revolution. Todd Niall reports.

Jeremy Ward seems almost surprised to be within weeks of putting a new electric ferry into service in the capital.

The 135-seat carbon-fibre-hulled catamaran should join East by West Ferries cross-harbour run by Christmas, the most tangible achievement so far for New Zealands local marine industry as the world goes electric.

I dont quite understand why little old East by West is leading this, said Ward, its managing director and the one who started the talk of going electric with the next ferry.

READ MORE:* Southern Hemisphere's first fully-electric passenger ferry to launch on September 9 * Diesel, batteries and biofuels: Setting our ferries on course for a green future* Who should get Auckland's clever ideas over the line?

The ferry operators sister firm Wellington Electric Boat Building Company (WEBBCO) is just one of around 20 Aotearoa firms making big or small waves in the electric marine revolution.

Electric is an exciting development, said Peter Busfield, the executive director of the Marine Industry Association.

As exciting as moving from black-and-white to colour television - after ones got it, everyone else will want it.

Wellington is an unlikely place to be leading the electric marine revolution, a city that Ward points out lost its boat-building industry about 20 years ago.

Ward had been pondering a new ferry for the fleet, and on an overseas trip got hooked by a 40-metre-long, 400-passenger electric tourist ferry running in Norways fiords.

Back home, he met up with Fraser Foote, an experienced ferry-builder, and WEBBCO was formed in 2018, setting up in Gracefield.

Jericho Rock-Archer/Stuff

East by West Ferries owner Jeremy Ward, left, and WEBBCOs Fraser Foote, right, with the Ika Rere.

Partners included Whangrei-based McKay a big marine electrics and electronics builder and SSC Design in Auckland. So far, Ika Rere has outperformed the design expectations.

With the boat going faster than we thought, our resistance is down, therefore energy use is below what we expected we can go further and faster, said Foote.

WEBBCO is looking at two smaller boats for a service from downtown to Miramar and connecting to the airport, but the big opportunity is overseas, where the ferry has sparked interest.

WEBBCO/Supplied

East by West Ferries Ika Rere in sea trials on Wellington Harbour.

We are waiting now till everything is proven and the boat is in service, and we have actual data, then we will be looking to grow those enquiries, he said.

WEBBCO believes it can service orders in Australasia from the Wellington base, fed by suppliers in Napier, and Whanganui, but further afield, deals might involve licensing builders in export markets.

Grants from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (EECA) and Callaghan Institute have helped, but most of the nearly $9 million development cost has been self-funded.

In Auckland, friend and rival EV Maritime appears close to a green light for the first carbon-fibre electric ferries to go into service on the Waitemat Harbour.

LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff

Michael Eaglen, co-founder and CEO of Aucklands EV Maritime.

EV Maritime spun out of established boat builder McMullen and Wing, and has had a contribution from ferry operator Fullers360.

Its hopes are linked to Auckland Transports protracted work to devise a new strategy and funding for up to 20 public transport ferries, but it also has eyes overseas.

Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong, all have significant ferry fleets doing long distances, that have to go fast there are substantial fleets of diesel ferries serving those cities, said Michael Eaglen, CEO and co-founder.

He said fast electric commuter ferries were a logical part of the market to start in: They are such busy boats, commuter ferries work hard, so lower operating costs give a real payback for investment.

EV Maritime/Supplied

EV Maritime has designed an electric ferry for commuter service in Auckland.

East by West estimated the premium to go electric could be clawed back in six to seven years.

A diesel [engine] youll be rebuilding after 15,000 hours, and theres daily checks, but an electric motor you wont touch for 50,000 hours, said Ward.

Fraser Foote put the fuel savings at $200,000 a year, and maintenance a further $50,000.

Jericho Rock-Archer/Stuff

Boat builder Fraser Foote, left, and East by West Ferries owner Jeremy Ward in the control room of the Ika Rere.

New Zealands place at the pointy end of the electric maritime sector was no mystery to Eaglen.

That performance drive has often been our [New Zealands] speciality, not just in yacht racing, but even superyachts, which we were very busy with in the 90s and 2000s; quite novel, one-off boats taking on the challenge of technical tasks, he said.

A bit further along Aucklands eastern Tmaki Estuary, Seachange is working another niche - a hydrofoiling, carbon-fibre car ferry, with a small prototype destined for the Cook Strait run.

Seachange/Supplied

Artists impression of the electric hydrofoiling car ferry being developed by Auckland firm Seachange.

A team of 25 is led by founder and chief executive Max Olson, who has his own take on Kiwi activity in the sector.

My pick would be we have a really strong composites [carbon fibre] industry, and a bunch of really talented generalist engineers, who can tackle those hard cross-functional problems, said Olson.

Jason Dorday/Stuff

Max Olson is the CEO and co-founder of Seachange in Auckland.

A lot of the work put into Americas Cup boats over the last two decades has really helped funnel that, and kept it pushing along.

Seachanges team includes engineers hired from the Americas Cup and from the SailGP racing circuit, and one of its backers is Sir Stephen Tindalls K1W1 investment vehicle, which is also a backer of Rocketlab.

Seachange/Supplied

Seachanges eventual electric hydrofoiling ferry would carry 20 cars and 150 passengers.

Seachange is working on a 24-metre-long, six-car, 30-passenger vessel to trial on the Cook Strait by late 2023.

The production version is likely to be 40 metres, carrying 20 cars and 150 passengers, riding on foils 5 metres above a calm surface, enabling smooth passage in high seas.

While we dont have a super-deep car ferry market in New Zealand, Cook Strait aside from a few minor differences looks like a lot of routes in Europe, and Europe is a $30 billion car ferry industry.

Seachange/Supplied

Seachanges battery-powered car ferry will ride on foils 5 metres clear of the surface.

Nearby Zerojet, formed in 2015, has developed a battery-powered jet propulsion system for small runabouts and dinghies.

Zerojet hopes to have the first boats in the water before Christmas, aiming for 100 local sales before selling into the world market, where production boat builders have already shown strong interest.

Theres huge demand from overseas weve got more demand than we know what to do with, and people are very excited about the product, said Bex Rempel, the co-founder and chief executive.

Jason Dorday/Stuff

Bex Rempel is CEO and co-founder of Zerojet in Mt Wellington, Auckland.

For launching we are focused on [the] tender market, the dinghy on the back of bigger yachts, to go from the yacht to a beach and back, or a neighbours boat, sightseeing or other activities on the water, she said.

Europe is Zerojets initial most-promising market, followed by parts of the United States.

Regulations are changing around the world, very fast putting increasingly higher emissions restrictions on outboards, to the point it wont be economical to produce combustion outboards under, say, 40 horsepower, she said.

Zerojet is not alone globally, but Rempel says there is room for a lot of players.

Zerojet/Supplied

The first dinghy with a Zerojet battery jet unit is due on sale by the end of 2021.

Theres no one solution thats going to make everyone happy; the industry is in infancy with so much room for growth and so much room for innovation.

Like the other firms, Rempel saw a big future for New Zealand operators, as the marine sector followed land transport into switching from combustion engines, to clean electric.

Electric is the future, if you look at the current market its only about 1.5 per cent of total sales, said Rempel.

Being in New Zealand is fantastic for us, we are definitely in the right place.

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'Electric is the future': Kiwi boat builders ride wave as first battery-powered ferry service nears - Stuff.co.nz

For most Americans, the COVID-19 pandemic meant shifting where and how they did things. Working from home instead of the office. Getting groceries delivered rather than going to the store. Playdates for the kids at the park, not somebody's house.

But for the denizens of the travel industry, those shifts represented an existential threat. Life went on, but with a whole lot less moving around. Cruises shut down, road trips were postponed, and flights were reserved for acts of desperation.

Nearly two years in, with effective vaccines nearly universally available, the industry is coaxing Americans out of their bunkers and starting to understand the many ways we've changed how we all think about movement.

For the Travel section of this year's edition of Insider's 100 People Transforming Business, we've highlighted 10 of those transformers, people working to accommodate those shifts and make the most of them, whether they're helping us get across town or around the world.

The dream of the self-driving car has been knocking around nearly as long as the car itself, but now that the technology is approaching ready for wide-scale deployment, it's time to figure out how to work it into people's lives.

At Argo AI, much of that work falls to Cynthia Kwon. The Waymo competitor's VP of strategy and business development is in charge of striking the deals to do all the non-technological stuff Argo doesn't want to take on. Lately, that means partnerships with Walmart to deliver goods in Miami, Austin, and Washington, D.C, and with Lyft to put robo-cars on the ride-hail platform in Miami this year and Austin in 2022.

At Zoox, the self-driving startup acquired by Amazon last year, CEO Aicha Evans is working to make good on the outfit's promise not just to change the role of the human in the vehicle but to rethink the nature of the vehicle itself. "The hard problems aren't something to be feared," Evans told Insider, "but rather an opportunity to learn."

Meanwhile, Uber veteran Raquel Urtasun is going back to the beginning of the process. This summer, she launched her startup, Waabi, with the goal of building a self-driving car from the ground up, based heavily on her expertise, machine learning. "When you don't have a solution yet, everybody thinks the same," Urtasun said. "Everybody's going for the same approach. Chances of success actually diminish."

If managing director of global operations for United Airlines David Kensick gets his way, we could see the end of a time-honored airport tradition: sprinting through the airport, desperate to make your connection. Kensick is the force behind the airline's ConnectionSaver program, which prioritizes helping people make their flights over traditional performance indicators like airplane turnaround time. "This is such a leap that I do think at some point the industry will start to evolve towards these metrics," Kensick said.

Roei Ganzarski wants to make a bigger change to the flying experience. The aviation industry may be many years from erasing its Bigfoot-sized carbon footprint, but Ganzarski's startup, MagniX, is looking to take it down a size by developing a 40-seat, hydrogen-powered, electric aircraft set to take off in 2024.

Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Frank Del Rio is dealing with a much more imminent problem: how to safely return to the high seas, especially after multiple virus outbreaks on cruise ships in the early days of the pandemic. His answer: a strict mandate that everyone on board be vaccinated, even if that means saying no to families with kids too young for the shot and battling with politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

The biggest travel-related changes stemming from the pandemic may be those hitting the hospitality business, as people rethink where they want to spend their time, whether they're working or on vacation. At Sonder, an Airbnb competitor that rents out properties it owns itself, CEO Francis Davidson says he's witnessed a decade's worth of "behavioral progress" in about 18 months.

Hopper's head of fintech, Anwesha Bhattacharjee, has deployed a "price freeze" tool to let customers lock in rates. "People wanted to travel, but we had to create something that made them comfortable booking it," she said. "We constantly kept our ears to the ground as we shifted to understand what customers wanted out of this product."

Since becoming Airbnb's global head of hosting in July 2020, Catherine Powell has been helping the company's hosts navigate those shifts. "Their ability to be resilient, their willingness to adapt, and their desire to continue to really create the best possible hosted experience has been really humbling," she said.

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How the Covid-19 Pandemic Reshaped How We Travel, Forever - Business Insider

Pupils marched to the Southern Water pumping station Photo Steven Collis

Year 5 pupils at Northdown Primary School have held a protest over the pollution of our seas which has been filmed and will be screened at Turner Contemporary.

Forty youngsters marched with banners and sea creature sculptures made of recycled plastic along Palm Bay to the Margate wastewater pumping station to air their concerns over plastic and sewage dumped into the sea.

The action followed a 12 week school project with youth charity Arts Education Exchange, with the children researching, writing, discussing and making art about the devastating impacts of plastic and sea pollution.

Youngsters have also written letters to Asda and Coca-Cola about their project and constructed sea creatures out of recycled plastics which were animated using iPads, but the group decided it wasnt enough.

The pupils say they discovered that 8 million tonnes of plastic gets dumped into the oceans every year, making enough dumped materials to stretch to the moon and back three times!

Initially the young artivists were going to carry out a beach clean but this was cancelled due to a wastewater release which put the beach below high tide off limits, prompting the protest from the disappointed youngsters.

So, on the morning on November 17 the children assembled in the reception of their school, wrapped up against the wind and, with banners and plastic sea creatures on sticks held high, they stomped to the sea and began their march towards the water pumping station at Botany Bay chanting: Plastic pollution is in our oceans, theres no cure or potion, stop using plastic, it is drastic.

Arts Education Exchange director/founder Ollie Briggs said: Children are the future and I get the feeling well be ok. If education is about consciousness, agency and community action then Im happy to report that these year 5 pupils of Northdown Primary School are getting theirs.

Huge thanks to the fantastic teachers Tammy Provost-Lines, Sinead Ford and Sasha Bryant for inviting us to be part of this special occasion.

Year 5 teacher and writing lead Tammy said she contacted Arts Ed Exchange to get involved with the children on their topic of plastic pollution with the question will our oceans ever recover?

She added: We were meant to do a beach clean to collect plastics for our project with them at Turner Contemporary but it was cancelled because of sewage in the sea. The children were really disappointed and so took it a little bit further so instead of just been a structure created for Turner Contemporary it turned into a protest.

The event was documented by local filmmaker and artist Nathan Ryan-Jones and will be screened at Turner Contemporary on December 2 alongside the banners and sculptures made by the children.

It was also photographed by Ramsgates Steven Collis and was supported by Haeckels Director Dom Bridges and environmentalist and activist Daniel Webb of Everyday Plastic.

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Northdown Primary pupils highlight sea pollution with filmed protest which will be screened at Turner Contemporary - The Isle of Thanet News

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Three Decades ago, the journey began in the coastal city of Dana Point, Ca. Drawing inspiration from the ocean, nature, travel, and culture, we are dedicated to converting fine art to cloth which is tailored and brought alive on each one of our Hawaiian shirts. Our shirts have been designed and made in California since 1988.

High Seas Trading Co. is a family run company and is proud to be in the less than 2% of apparel companies that manufacture in the USA. Being a local company gives us the speed and flexibility to make limited edition and small runs of rare fabrics. We are passionate about art and design which drives us to constant design and release 7-10 new prints monthly.

High Seas Trading Co. would like to thank our many customers who have supported us for more than 32years. We have gained valuable feedback and great ideas which has helped us to continually improve our line.

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High Seas Trading Co.- Hawaiian shirts | Aloha Shirts ...

Billy Wilder once said, Theres not much difference in making a good movie or a bad movie. You still have to wake atfivea.m. Thats how I felt in August of 1987 working on the filmAct of Piracyon the Greek island of Skiathos.

For nine straight days,itrained. Wed shot all our interior scenes and were at a standstill until the weather improved. The crew was restless. People killed time in the hotel lobby reading or playing cards. Everyone complained.Whose brilliant idea was it to come to a Greek island in winter, thesecondAssistant Director asked. How can we film a boat movie when we cant even leave the docks?

Jorgos, the hotel concierge, shut us all up. Its the Curse! Wed heard about the Curse since we arrived. No one paid it much heed at first, but two months into production we were becoming believers. There had been too many freak events. During the first week of shooting, an electrician positioning lights on the hotel roof stepped into an abandoned elevator shaft and fell 90 feet to his death. The hotel fired the maintenance man who then drank himself into a stupor and fatally drove off a cliff.

Other accidents followed. A boat anchor fell on director Bud Cardos foot, breaking his toes. Cardos son crashed a motorcycle on an abandoned road and nearly bled to death. Gary Busey, the films star, was knocked unconscious when an out-of-control camera crane struck him on the head. A Greek grip was electrocuted when a cable shorted on a leaking motorboat nearly killing him. Added to this was a bladder infection afflicting half the crew.

What is this curse, I asked Jorgos.

Do not talk about, he said. Is no good.

John Belyeu, the special effects coordinator, shook his head and laughed. You cant deal with these Greeks, man. Theyre still paying rent to their crazy gods. Belyeu was the latest bladder case and hadnt urinated in days. He also had a painful case of piles forcing him to walk hunched forward as if in a wind tunnel.

This is my last damn location picture. When I get back to Los Angeles Im getting a studio gig. This shit aint worth it.

Co-Star Ray Sharkey was holed up in his hotel room battling a bad cold. I brought him a case of Nyquil, but he couldnt shake the illness. I think I got sick when I was jogging near the harbor, he told me. I was hit by a breeze and then my whole body started shivering. (Two years later, Sharkey was diagnosed HIV positive. He died of complications from AIDS in 1993.)

Making movies is always difficult. The 14-hour days, six-day weeks and constant combat fatigue are standard fodder. But the problems we encountered seemed magnified. The film became a negativity magnet.

Act of Piracywas an action-adventure on the high seas. The story was straightforward. The hero played by Busey takes his wife and two kids on a boat trip to the Mediterranean. The villain Sharkey raids the boat with his gang and takes Buseys family hostage. Busey spends the rest of the film trying to rescue his family and kill Sharkey.

My job wasThirdAssistant Director. I did everything no one else wanted to. I brought coffee to the actors, distributed call sheets, coordinated extras and stood around with dry towels for the wet crew. I learned to pilot a motorboat where I became a liaison between the hotel production office and the ocean-bound set.

The crew numbered 85 people representing seven countriesAmerica, Greece, South Africa, Italy, Britain, Spain and Australia. Nearly a third of the crew were Greek. This posed a serious communication problem. I soon realized that the Greek language sounded like you were reciting the names of 20th-century gangster legends in quick cadence. Al Capone translated to quiet on the set. Owney Madden, meant next setup. Dutch Schultz-Machine Gun Kelly was interpreted as, Thats a cut. Time for lunch. I had lengthy conversations over the walkie-talkie with Stavros, the generator operator. One day I told him, Stavros, John Dillinger, which I thought meant Would you like some coffee? He thought Id said, Stavros, Im going to crucify you. That was the last of my off-the-cuff Greek.

Most of the Greek men I encountered had one of four names: Jorgos, Stavros, Nikos or Kristos. One morning I answered the hotel commissary phone during breakfast. The caller was looking for Jorgos. I yelled out, Is Jorgos here? Ten heads turned my way.

In the summer, Skiathos was a popular island resort. Since we were filming in winter, the only locals we encountered were fisherman and priests. Strangely, there were no women. This meant we had a crew of randy, testosterone-spewing hound dogs with no outlet. On our day off, I asked Jorgos the concierge if there were any women on the island.

There are plenty of women, he said.

Where?

Come back 2:00. I show you.

That afternoon I drove with Jorgos in his battered Jeep beyond the tavernas and olive groves. He turned onto a thin dirt road and weaved the vehicle up a steep hill. He stopped in the middle of a large, dry field. TheAegeanwas visible on the horizon.

Here we are, my friend, he said.

Where?

I saw nothing but dirt and distant trees.

The women. Come with me.

We walked across a barren pasture. I assumed he was taciturn to protect the location of the hidden females. Halfway across the field, I smelled the acrid stench of livestock. We neared a forest of Aleppo pine. A thin wave of light spilled through a forest clearing.Jorgos stopped and spread his arms wide.

We are here.

Cordoned off in a 50' x 50' area surrounded by barbed wire was a well-lit enclosure with several dozen sheep. An elderly man in a wool suit stood at the paddock entrance. Behind him, a Greek man with pants down to his ankles, crouched behind a sheep pumping away. The sheep bucked and bleated but the mans grip was tight. The sheep suddenly lurched forward out of the mans grasp. The man fell face first into the dirt.

Jorgos laughed. I was horrified.

I pay for you, my friend, Jorgos said. Only 300 drachmas.

You go ahead. Ill wait in the car.

You make mistake. Is beautiful.

Jorgos paid the sheep pimp and entered the paddock. I watched as he carefully studied the flock. He seemed attracted to a smaller sheep in the corner. He slowly unbuckled his belt.I walked away at this point, not wanting bestial voyeurism on my conscience.

Back at the hotel, production problems continued. The most recent batch of dailies were overexposed. The director of photography blamed the film lab while the lab technicians blamed the camera department. If the negative couldntbe salvaged, this meant a weeks worth of filming was ruined.

Adding to the difficulties, the hotel staff (except Jorgos) went on strike. This meant no maids to clean rooms, no clerks to wash laundry and no chefs. The actors had a stipulation in their contracts promising five-star accommodations so they were threatening to fly back to the States.

A few crew members, including myself, went into the hotel kitchen and cooked large batches of pasta. The result was a disgusting, pasty gruel that we tried to improve with sauteed garlic and canned tomato sauce. The industrious crew members ordered food care packages from Athens so they could cook their own meals. This further alienated people since some dined on fresh meat and vegetables while others were stuck with canned tunaand bread. All the restaurants and markets in town were closed for winter. The crew resorted to heavy drinking.

Greek alcohol was horrendous. The Ouzo tasted like mouthwash, Metaxa smelled like turpentine and the Retsina wine was like pine sap. Drinking became an act of self-flagellation as if the crew were taking revenge on the island by destroying themselves. We all became obnoxious drunks, yelling and smashing plates. Someone broke into the prop room and fired rocket flares into the ocean.

Its the Curse, Jorgos reminded us. You no should stay here. Is no good.

Shut up, John Belyeu screamed. Shut your mouth before I stuff it with grape leaves.

Belyeu finally crumbled. We all saw it coming. As Special Effects Coordinator, his job was to detonate and sink the main characters boat, the dramatic climax to the film. The explosion was beautiful, with wood planks shooting hundreds of feet into the air. Unfortunately the camera wasnt rolling. Belyeus Greek assistant thought the rehearsal action was the actual action. The mockup boat that had taken six weeks to build was destroyed. This left the movie without a final scene.

I cant wait to get out of this shithole, Belyeu moaned. They dont even have beer. What kind of fucked up place doesnt have beer? Thats what I get for coming to a place where everyone looks like Ernest Borgnine.

As the rain continued, the crew grew despondent. We were in a state of cinematic paralysis until the weather improved. Rumors spread that production would be shut down.The producers gathered everyone for an emergency meeting. They informed us of the new plans. Several exterior scenes were cut from the script. Extensive dialogue scenes were changed from exterior to interior. All that was needed was five days of decent weather to complete the film. Any rumors of lack of funds or production cancellation were false.

The next day, the rain stopped. The crew resumed work with a new Theshow must go on attitude. Everyone was lighter, happy to be busy. We glimpsed the sun for a few minutes, though the clouds soon returned.

In his zeal to prepare a congratulatory dinner, Jorgos acquired a batch of Thessaloniki oysters. The entire crew was leveled with a bout of food poisoning. Conditions became so grave that shooting was cancelled for two days.This is when the sun reappeared.John Belyeu damned the entire nation of Greece.No one mentioned a word about a curse.

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Curse on the High Seas - Splice Today

SWASHBUCKLING festive fun is on course for the Trinity Centre in Lickey when award-winning Jigsaw Players stage their annual pantomime which this year is Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates.

The audience can set sail into a world of adventure, hilarity and traditional family theatre at its best where they will meet a host of quirky characters along the way.

They will play out a journey of madness an mayhem from Brazil to the depths of the ocean, onto a desert island and finally back toBrazil in time for Mardi Gras.

Director Maggie Bishton said: This is a panto full of fun, a great story and fabulous songs for the whole family to enjoy, all on your doorstep.

The shows take place at the Old Birmingham Road venue at 7.15pm next Friday, 1.30pm next Saturday and 7pm next Sunday, November 26 to 28.

Further performances will be staged at 7.15pm the following Friday, 1.30pm and 7pm on the Saturday and 2pm Sunday, December 3, 4 and 5.

People should book early to avoid disappointment.

Tickets, at 12, are available by emailing jigsawplayers15@gmail.com or by calling 07772 645722.

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Swashbuckling fun on the high seas as Jigsaw's Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates heads to Lickey's Trinity Centre - Bromsgrove Standard

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Wednesday said it has nabbed three persons and seized 24 kg of Pakistan-origin heroin worth Rs 120 crore in global market from Devbhumi Dwarka district of the state, days after the arrest of three others from Morbi district with heroin worth Rs 600 crore.

Mukhtar Hussain Rao, one of the three accused held by the ATS on November 14 from Morbi, had confessed during his remand that he had hidden 24 kg of heroin inside a house at Navadra village in Kalyanpur taluka of Devbhumi Dwarka district, the ATS said in a release.

An ATS team reached the spot with Mukhtar on Wednesday and recovered the narcotics worth Rs 120 crore from the house, it said.

Further questioning of Mukhtar and two other accused - Samsuddin Saiyad and Ghulam Hussain Bhagad - had revealed that 12 kg of heroin, which was part of the main consignment delivered to the accused by Pakistani smugglers in the high seas, was delivered to one Iqbal Qadri aka Iqbal Bhangariya, the ATS added.

Later, Qadri had delivered the drugs to Ankit Jhakar and Arvind Yadav, both working for dreaded drug mafia Bhola Shooter aka Bharat Bhushan Sharma, who is currently in Punjab jail and running the drug racket through his men, it said.

Upon learning that Iqbal, a resident of coastal town of Salaya in Devbhumi Dwarka district, had arranged a meeting in Rajasthan with Bhola's henchmen to plan the next delivery of drugs, the ATS kept a watch at a place in Sirohi district and nabbed both Iqbal and Yadav, a resident if Sri Ganganagar of the neighbouring district, the release said.

The ATS also nabbed one Hussain Rao from Jodia town of Jamnagar, as he was involved in transfering the heroin from Salaya to Navadra in his car at the behest of other accused held earlier, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Gujarat ATS nabs three more persons with heroin worth Rs 120 crore - Business Standard

Its been well over three years since Disney first announced that Johnny Depps Jack Sparrow would no longer be the focal point of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but fans have completely and utterly rejected that notion.

There are currently two swashbuckling blockbusters in development, one that will act as a direct sequel to Dead Men Tell No Tales, and the other a spinoff being developed by Birds of Prey duo Margot Robbie and Christina Hodson. Petitions and campaigns to see Depp reinstated have gathered millions of online backers, so its clear that a large section of the intended target audience simply have no interest in a high seas adventure without Captain Jack.

That brings us to a new rumor emanating from Giant Freakin Robot, who claim that Disney are developing a solo Jack Sparrow project, but they have no intention of allowing Depp to reprise the role. Bear in mind, there is precisely zero information provided beyond that as to the who, what, when, where and most importantly why, so its about as vague as it gets.

The Mouse House may be confident enough that Pirates of the Caribbean can exist without Jack Sparrow, but a solo outing would be franchise suicide. Can you imagine how people would react? Who would be foolish enough to step into Depps shoes? What purpose could it possibly fill? What would it actively achieve from a creative or commercial perspective? All of these questions, and many more, remain unanswered for now.

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Jack Sparrow Rumored for Solo Project Without Johnny Depp, and We Have Questions - We Got This Covered