Relationship Between Naval Operations and Maritime Environmental Issues
Involvement of Naval Operations in the Management of Maritime Environmental Issues
INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTERS 1 AND 2
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE CASE
Seas and oceans have traditionally been regarded as a source of great wealth, opportunity, and abundance by humans. As a result of its vast size, we have the desire to either use it for good or to abuse it. The majority of countries on this planet are connected by sea and ocean, which makes it simple to communicate and transport information across the globe through these means. Many years ago, when air transportation was impossible, land transportation could take up to a month to reach its destination. The sea and ocean lines were heavily utilized for a variety of purposes, including trade, communication, and the expansion of power beyond national borders. We have changed our point of view because of the increasing awareness we have gained, which has resulted in a sense of appreciation that is not only important for the economy and society, but also provides a sense of security. Issues of maritime security and safety are major and current topics of discussion today. All over the world, especially in this modern and globalized era where crime is no longer a national issue but rather an issue that affects all of humanity, it is spoken. It knows no boundaries and can occur at any time and from any location. Because of the large maritime area, it is extremely difficult to keep this crime under control, particularly in areas where enforcement is less effective due to a lack of security assets. This situation causes concern throughout the country, particularly among those who rely directly on the sea as a source of development.
Since the beginning of maritime commerce, there have been maritime threats. It’s just a matter of how much and in what dimensions you want it. Threats to maritime security and safety can come in many forms, including piracy, sea robbery, human trafficking, smuggling, and other activities, all of which contribute to sea pollution and other environmental problems. Almost twice the size of Malaysia’s landmass, its total sea area of 614,159 square kilometres is almost twice the size of the country’s landmass, and the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) alone is 453,186 square kilometers. An estimated 70 percent of the population lives along 4,800 kilometers of coastline, which contains a diverse ecosystem and biological diversity.] It has provided tremendous economic value and prospects to Malaysia because of its unique background. Offshore petroleum, marine transportation, marine tourism, fisheries, and aquaculture are among the most important economic activities. As a maritime nation, Malaysia is a signatory to a number of international conventions on marine pollution, which establish important guidelines for state parties to follow in order to prevent and control pollution in the ocean. Some reports have concluded that the quality of our country’s marine environment and marine life is deteriorating, and that this is the case. According to the 7th edition of the Oxford Dictionary, environmental issues are best defined as something that is connected to natural conditions and has an impact on the behavior or development of something. For greater precision, environmental issues are negative aspects of human activity that have an impact on the physical and biological environment. Conservation, environmental degradation, environmental health, nanotechnology, nuclear issues, water pollution, air pollution, and resource depletion are just a few of the maritime environmental issues that need to be considered. To provide further clarification, the following are the definitions of environmental issues from a legal standpoint:
Discharges, emissions, or deposits of environmental pollutants or wastes that alter the physical, thermal, chemical, or biological properties of any part of the environment in such a way that they adversely affect any beneficial use, cause a condition that is hazardous or potentially hazardous to public health, safety or welfare or to animals, birds, wildlife, fish and aquatic life or plants or that they cause a contravention of any environmental regulation are all considered environmental pollution.
Malaysia’s Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is one of the country’s maritime agencies, and one of its roles and responsibilities is to protect the country’s national interests. As a result, the RMN’s roles and functions are its bread and butter, and it is not restricting the use of Malaysian waters or the freedom of manoeuvres in Malaysian waters for any reason. In relation to maritime environmental issues, the RMN has a strong sense of commitment to upholding Malaysia’s community values, which is evident in their actions. Respect for the environment is at the forefront of these values, as is the growing need to ensure that naval operations are conducted in a sustainable manner and that the environment is preserved for future generations.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Because of the current capabilities and ageing of warships, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) faces greater challenges in adhering to environmental regulations and rules, which will have an impact on the conduct of RMN operations.
While it is true that new environmentally friendly technologies are being developed and that this will, in turn, increase operational efficiency, due to the limited budget available for the national defense sector, the RMN must wisely maintain its own assets while also keeping up with the demands of the environmental issue at the same time.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
The following are the objectives of this research:
It is necessary to investigate the relationship between naval operations and maritime environmental concerns.
In order to determine what the negative contribution of RMN warships is in relation to maritime environmental issues, a survey was conducted.
RMN’s ability to conduct operations is being evaluated to determine whether current environmental policy and legislation is interfering with this capability.
To make recommendations for improvements to the environment-friendly warship without jeopardizing the ship’s essential operations.
1.4 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESEARCH
In many ways, Royal Navy warships are no different from any other commercial vessel, and as such, they must adhere to environmental regulations such as the Environment Quality Act 1974. RMN should set an excellent example by complying not only with the act, but also by adhering to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 as well as a number of international maritime environmental conventions in order to maintain a positive reputation in the eyes of the general public. Warships of the Royal Navy should be able to operate without restriction in ports and on the open seas. As a result of some stringent environmental regulations, there are some restrictions and constraints on naval activity, particularly in terms of ship design and operation conduct. So the research team should be able to identify the most optimal solution for a win-win situation.
1.5 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
The research literature is primarily comprised of environmental thesis papers that have been completed by scholars and served as a source of reference. Overall, the literature discusses Malaysia’s environmental qualities, environmental justice, and the attitudes of the general public toward the environment in Malaysia. It is also discussed in depth about policies, practices, and Malaysia’s commitment to international agreements, all of which are subject to scrutiny. A wealth of information is available in the literature, including information on the effects of a development style that is moving at breakneck speed on our natural resources, health, life quality, and ecosystems.
ASPECTS OF THE STUDY THAT WERE INSUFFICIENT
The preparation of this research paper is based on secondary data, which was primarily gathered from books and other published articles for this purpose. The majority of the material derived from military references is classified as Restricted information. As a result, the subject matter of the research is restricted. The most significant setback was a lack of time, which prevented a more thorough investigation of the existing issues.
1.7 METHOD AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION
The primary method will be conducted through a review of the literature. So books and journal articles that have been published in recent years on Malaysian environmental issues and RMN operations will serve as the primary sources for this research project. Newspaper articles, speeches by relevant personalities, and interviews will all be sought after as additional sources of information. In addition, information will be gathered from official government or non-profit organization websites.
1.8 OUTLINE OF THE CHAPTERS
The paper will be divided into five sections, which will be as follows:
The first chapter is titled Introduction. This chapter contains an introduction to the subject and a description of the paper’s structure.
Maritime Operations are covered in Chapter 2. This chapter will elaborate on the concept and conduct of naval operations, with a particular emphasis on the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Chapter 3: Existing Maritime Environmental Issues and the Degree to Which RMN Compliance Has Been Attained This chapter looks at a number of environmental issues that are associated with the design and operation of ships. It goes on to discuss the degree to which each issue complies with existing environmental legislation and regulations in detail.
Chapter 4: Implications for the RMN This chapter will discuss the impact of current environmental policy and legislation on RMN operations, as well as whether the ability of RMN to conduct operations is restricted as a result of current environmental policy and legislation.
Chapter 5: Concluding Remarks This chapter includes a discussion on the possible outcomes and to suggest solutions towards an environment compliant warship without jeopardizing required operations.
CHAPTERS 2 AND 3 MARINE OPERATING SYSTEMS
2.1 INTRODUCTION
During the course of recorded history, mankind has perpetually looked towards the sea as a provider of nourishment, as a channel for trade and for the migration of people, culture or idea. The last three millennia has witnessed the development of maritime craft from simple design to the fully computerised ships of the modern day era. In relation to safe guard maritime national security, warship has been designed and developed as a symbol of supremacy and struggle for control of the seas and trade influence in faraway lands. Warships have been instruments of both good and evil and have influenced the evolution of mankind. As a maritime nation, Malaysia is not excluded in enhancing and developing its naval capabilities. Located at the crossroads of Southeast Asia and the sea are seen as an increasingly important factor in the economic and security aspect of this country.
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) started from humble beginnings with a rudimentary naval force of coal burning launches and small coastal patrol boats during the colonial time. Today, the RMN fleet comprises an assortment of modern warships, submarines and naval helicopters armed with state of the art command, control, communication, computers and information (C4I) armed with long-range guided missiles and protected by the most modern electronic warfare systems. This has completed the metamorphosis of RMN from the coastal Brown Water Navy into a Blue Water Navy, a modern armada.
In order to parallel with its vision ‘To be a World Class Navy (Always Excellent)’, RMN have to be a committed organisation, competent, forward looking, strive for quality and always seek for continuous improvement in managing its own source and technology. Presently, the roles of the RMN are two-fold; during wartime, the RMN is to ensure the maritime sovereignty of Malaysia while during peacetime, its role is to protect the nation’s maritime interest that included Malaysia’s offshore resources, especially oil and gas, shipping and fishing. Since environmental issues are a major challenge and concern throughout the world, the RMN has to develop its operations toward supporting the environmental friendly.
2.2 NAVAL OPERATIONS
Naval operations will be the largest contributor toward the maritime environmental issues if it is not being tackled well. To narrow down the scope of this research, the focus and discussions will be towards the RMN operations. Every naval exercise always associated with the universal role known as ‘The Trinity of Naval Functions’ (Figure 2.1) namely military, constabulary and diplomacy. The first role is the military which is to enforce of state sovereignty and defend the national jurisdictions in the sea by way of control and deterrence at sea. Secondly is constabulary roles, the navy carried this to enforce the security and law to protect marine resources and the national marine wealth, to maintain order at sea and to support the national development. The third role is diplomacy. Naval forces are the visible mobile and potent symbols of the nation state and such are the useful instruments of foreign policy. These roles and functions are the bread and butter to the RMN, and of course it is not limiting the usage, freedom of manoeuvres in Malaysian waters for whatever reasons.
Thus, freedom of manoeuvre and able to sustain long period of operations is the major requirements for the RMN warships.
2.3.2 Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW)
In order to counter subsurface threat, RMN warships must be able to detect the enemy using any available sensors. Therefore to locate a submarine requires a very hectic and thorough procedure which this will requires warships to stay longer at operational area. The elements of ASW as follows:
ASW comprises operations with the intention of denying the opponent the effective use of submarines. The ASW protection of a force depends on defence in depth and close coordination between ships, helicopters, Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), shore-based facilities and friendly submarines. The complexity of such coordination and the special environmental factor involved makes the submarine threat one of the most difficult problems to counter.
2.3.3 Anti Air Warfare (AAW)
Warships are vulnerable once detected at the open sea, therefore it exposed to be attacked, AAW in the maritime situation required fast reactionof its sensors and personnel, in order to counter the threat. The purpose of AAW is defined as:
Is the term used for the defence of friendly forces against the threat of aircraft and airborne weapon, whether launched from air, surface, or submarine platforms. AAW is the maritime term for defensive counter air operations and is part of the joint air defence system. AAW is based on the principle of defence in depth and layered defence, defeating air attacks at the maximum possible distance from maritime forces
