Today, shipping is playing an increasingly vital role as primary transportation mode for world trade, and sea lanes serve as "main arteries" in the global distribution system. On the other hand, in accordance with a sharp increase of demand for food and energy, many countries are launching into exploitation of marine resources. However, the waters where heavily trafficked sea lanes run are fraught with danger from piracy and terror, whilst interstate conflicts have emerged in recent years on such issues involving sovereign rights over marine resources as delimitation of jurisdictional waters and territorial rights over mid-ocean islands. Thus, maritime security has now become more important than ever to realize sustainable use of the ocean.
Against this backdrop, we opine that extensive collection and adequate analysis and evaluation of maritime security information is indispensable to help develop policies on national security and defense. OPRF is issuing "OPRF MARINT Monthly Report" for the perusal of our readers interested in maritime security issues.

2009

December 2009

• Major Events in December 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • Review of the Article "How the United States Lost the Naval War of 2015"

November 2009

• Major Events in November 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • Military side views about the South China Issues

October 2009

• Major Events in October 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • 2.1 Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in 3rd Quarter of 2009
     - Characteristics viewed in the IMB Report -

September 2009

• Major Events in September 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • Status of Incidents of Piracy Attacks off the Gulf of Aden and Somalia in 2009

August 2009

• Major Events in August 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • Rivalry among concerned nations in South China Sea
     - Territorial Claims and over pros and cons of military activities of third nations in EEZ -

July 2009

• Retrospect: the First Half of 2009

1. Security
2. Military
3. Diplomacy and International Relations
4. Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous

• Major Events in July 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  Hot Topic: Defense of Japan 2009 Description of "Chinese Objectives of Maritime Activities" and China's Reaction
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships during the first half of 2009
     - Characteristics viewed in the IMB Report -
     Piracy and Armed Robbery in Asia in 1st Half of 2009
     from ReCAAP Half Yearly Report -

June 2009

• Major Events in June 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  Topic : 7 former Soviet republics creates CSTO and standing collective force
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • The National Security Strategy of Russian Federation to 2020

May 2009

• Major Events in May 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  Hot topic：Status of China's aircraft carrier "Shi Lang" (ex-Name: Varyag)
  - Moved to dry dock for final conversion? -
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • The Australian Defense White Paper: A Maritime Strategy?

April 2009

• Major Events in April 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • IMB Report in first quarter of 2009 and characteristics of Somali piracy incidents

March 2009

• Major Events in March 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • U.S. Defense Department Report on China's Military Power 2009

February 2009

• Major Events in February 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • Patterns and Trends of Piracy and Armed Robbery in Asia
     —From ReCAAP Annual Resarch Report 2008—
   • Enclosure 1: Status of hijacking incidents in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia in 2009 (As of March 10, 2009)
   • Enclosure 2: Status of unsolved hijacking incidents among all cases in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia in 2008 (As of March 10, 2009)

January 2009

• Retrospect: the Second Half of 2008

1. Security
2. Military
3. Diplomacy and International Relations
4. Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous

• Major Events in January 2009

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Security
  1.2 Military
  1.3 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.4 Shipping, Resources, Environment and Miscellaneous
2. Intelligence Assessment
   Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in the year 2008 (1 January - 31 December)
   - From IMB Annual Report -
   
   • Enclosure 1: Hijacking incidents in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia in 2008 viewed from IMB Report and other sources (As of December 31, 2008)
   • Enclosure 2:
     1. Status of hijacking incidents in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia in 2009 (As of February 15, 2009)
     2. Status of unsolved hijacking incidents among all cases in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia in 2008 (As of February 15, 2009)