Daily Times

Oceans are critical in safeguarding the sovereignty of any nation. In the case of Pakistan, our sustenance and economic prosperity are dependent upon maritime trade. Essentially to meet the energy security requirements, we are reliant on safe and secure sea-lines of communication.

Moreover, more than 80 per cent of national import and export is also conducted through seaports. Thus, the safety and security of the regional maritime domain and protection of national maritime zones are extremely important for Pakistan.

For the past few years, our region and the Western Indian Ocean have been experiencing active maritime issues like piracy, illicit trade, unreported and unauthorised fishing, narcotics and human smuggling, etc.

Emerging challenges of climate change, pollution and violation of regulations, oil spills, accidents at sea or other distress situations are also adding insecurity to the maritime domain. The presence of regional and extra-regional defence forces also greatly influences the delicate balance of power and results in force build-ups and arms races. Implications of contemporary threats in the maritime domain transcend national boundaries and regional jurisdiction. Therefore, the management of the maritime arena is truly a challenging task due to its multifaceted and comprehensive nature. By virtue of our dependence on the sea, it’s a compulsion for Pakistan to be vigilant about maritime borders.

Using technology to achieve improved security and stability in the maritime domain is critical. To understand the risks, challenges and vulnerabilities that we face today, it is necessary to have a comprehensive maritime picture of what is happening at sea. Integrated satellites, networked sensors and innovation in related maritime technologies has eased the task of law enforcement agencies but the real challenge remains to detect and track small objects and distinguish possible threats from legitimate activities like shipping, fishing and other maritime activities.

The risks of undertaking illicit activities, under the cover of regular maritime activities, can only be addressed through enhanced interoperability and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).

Instantaneous information sharing; ensuring effective coordination and integration of organisations involved in (maritime) safety management and security surveillance at the national and regional levels are rudimentary requirements to achieve MDA goals. These overarching tasks require capabilities and standards to be developed on technical as well as tactical levels.

By virtue of our dependence on the sea, it’s a compulsion for Pakistan to be vigilant about maritime borders

The national mechanism to share operational pictures and create overall maritime domain awareness has improved a lot in the past few years due to Pakistan’s strategy to leverage innovation and technological instruments. Pakistan has developed a cooperative network of entire maritime stakeholders through Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Centre (JMICC) for effective situational awareness. JMICC was established in 2013 under the auspices of Pakistan Navy (PN). It acts as an integrated platform for information-sharing amongst national and international bodies. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, JMICC has improved the standardisation of safety frameworks and security processes using sea-based technologies and the human network. The launch of Assistance Anytime Anywhere at Sea (AAAS) Mobile Application is another significant step; reflecting PN’s resolve towards creating an effective information-sharing mechanism. Use of these emerging technologies not only facilitates the organisation of the affective response to arising maritime challenges. This also makes the presence of law enforcement agencies in the sea more purposeful. It is worth highlighting that while charting the guidelines for the utilisation of oceans in 2030, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has identified knowledge development, innovation, advancement in technology and improved maritime security as key drivers to develop ocean economy.

Employing an innovative approach to maritime safety and security has been an extraordinary endeavour of PN towards efficient maritime space management. However, its sustenance requires prolonging government support in maritime security management, innovation and technology. The secure maritime domain is essential for the pursuit of national objectives related to defence and law enforcement. The due support to this sector will also ultimately promote national goals related to blue growth. It is, indeed, a virtuous circle. A secure maritime domain attracts investors and promotes maritime industrial activities; increasing businesses’ call for enhanced security arrangements to minimise risks. Therefore, support to this much-neglected sector will likely create a conducive environment for maritime development and promote the blue economy.

The writer is a maritime researcher at NCMPR, Bahria University