Thursday, June 25, 2015

GLOBAL TRADE AND NAVAL POWER: SLOCS AND CHOKEPOINTS

What is the relationship between economic trade and military power'?  Here one could explore the topic of SEA LANES OF COMMUNICATION (SLOC) which are the primary maritime routes between ports, used for trade AND naval military forces. SLOCs  are strategically significant, and may come under dispute, such as the case of the  current stand off between China and Japan over the East China Sea Islands (known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, Diaoyu Islands in China).
What are the world's most important SLOCS?  This map shows us visually why  countries want control over sea lanes. Source: https://nebraskaenergyobserver.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/sea-lines-of-communication/
Regarding SLOCS, military control over choke points (narrow sea passage way)  is crucial for trade flow. So for example, the Straits of Hormuz is vital for oil supplies, but may in the future be contested by Iran and the US. This is where military power is a factor in controlling trade flow, or blocking access to it.
There are eight major oil choke points in the world. Here they are visually:
oil chokepoints

2 comments:

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