Value of Oceans (SL IB Geography)

• Oceans are valuable places, particularly for global superpowers 
• They are vital for economies, maritime trade and security

Economic Value

• Oceans have extensive economic value
• They provide trade routes around the world. Roughly 80–90% of all trade around the world moves through the oceans
• This movement of goods sustains the world’s economy 
• It is a building block of globalisation

Security

• Oil transit chokepoints are channels inside trade routes
• Some chokepoints are canals, which act as shortcuts for trade routes  
  • Over 60% of world oil is transported via the sea
  • Chokepoints must remain open to ensure energy security and reduce international conflict
  • Examples of chokepoints include:
    • Strait of Hormuz
    • Strait of Malacca 
    • Suez Canal
    • Panama Canal
• Stronger maritime powers can control chokepoints and routes, increasing the country’s security
• Countries like China, India, the UK and the US are global maritime powers. They have a significant naval military force:
  • Having military control over chokepoints and routes makes a country much more powerful. They are ideal for attack and defence strategies

Global Transit Chokepoints

Global Transit Chokepoints 

• Oceans are areas of international conflict 
• Conflicts at sea can impact global superpowers and the world economy

Transit chokepoints, canals and islands 

• If chokepoints close, it can cause huge problems for the world economy and countries that depend upon oil imports
• Some countries can threaten to close chokepoints, which could cause a huge rise in oil prices:
  • Ships and tankers would need to find an alternative route, one which is typically much longer
  • In 2012, Iran threatened the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz
• Sometimes, large shipping vessels get trapped in the chokepoints:
  • In 2021, the Ever Given ship blocked the Suez Canal 
  • This caused major disruption of goods transportation 
• Political turmoil exists (and has existed) at canal and transit chokepoints, where countries rival over ownership and power:
  • Iran has conflict with the UAE over the Strait of Hormuz: 
    • Iran controls most of the islands in the strait, yet the UAE demand their sovereignty 
    • These islands are vital for the control of the chokepoint 
  • The Suez Crisis in 1956 involved Britain, France and Israel invading Egypt to claim control of the Suez Canal:
    • In the end, Egypt won, leaving a trail of political issues for Britain

Piracy and terrorism 

• Chokepoints are often at risk from piracy and terrorism 
• Piracy takes place out of the territorial watermark (of the UNCLOS Maritime Zones)
• Pirates hijack ships, capture the crew and goods and hold them as ransom 
• Chokepoints are typical places for marine terrorist attacks to take place

Resource exploitation 

• Oceans contain vast amounts of resources 
• Both biotic and abiotic resources from oceans are vital 
• Exploitation of these resources occurs daily
• Many conflicts occur as a result of resource exploitation and claims for territory 
• With climate change and risks to food security, resource conflicts will inevitably rise

The South China Sea

• The South China Sea is a contested environment 
• China states that they have ownership over the majority of the sea, marked by the 9-dash line
• Countries like Taiwan and Vietnam contest the 9-dash line
• The vagueness of the intentions of China’s 9-dash line raises questions over territorial claim, sovereignty and resource use 
• In a 2016 tribunal between the Philippines and China, the 9-dash line was legally proven insignificant, but China still believes it to be true
• Maps of the area now conflict with each other
• China continues to assert its dominance, ignoring the legal outcome of the 9-dash line

China’s 9-dash line and conflicted islands

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China’s 9-dash line and conflicted islands 

Value

• Trade
  • The South China Sea links the Pacific and Indian Ocean
  • It is a crucial trade route for resources like oil and gas
  • Economies in the area are dependent on the sea for importing and exporting goods 
• Resources
  • It is a very biodiverse environment
  • There is a bounty of fish in this area. Roughly 12% of the world’s fishing takes place here
  • This brings food security and economic growth to the surrounding areas 
  • The area could also be a huge deposit of oil and gas, yet to be explored 

Competition 

• There are major sovereignty conflicts over the Islands in the South China Sea e.g. the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands
• Ownership of these islands belongs to Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, The Philippines and Brunei
• Troops are stationed in these islands from all countries except Brunei
• Much of China’s land lies under the water:
  • To combat this, China is building islands on coral reefs for military bases
  • China are also increasing their military presence around the islands 
  • This poses a threat to superpowers like the US:
    • Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) run through the South China Sea
    • These are used for trade and naval movement – it is a vital area for the US
  • The US is increasing its military presence, as China poses a threat
  • China’s military presence in the South China Sea is still dominant 
  • Although war could occur, both sides value the importance of the area
• The states all claim different areas, overlapping each other. This, combined with the so-called 9-dash line, creates a very complicated map

Competing claims in the South China Sea

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Competing claims in the South China Sea

• Despite their being a tribunal, which gave other states the power to claim territory, China continues to reject it
• As China is a member of the UN Security Council, the country would have the ability to get rid of any sanctions posed upon it for ignoring the tribunal
• Future conflicts could occur as China continues to mark its sovereignty of the area, whilst surrounding states use the waters for resource exploitation