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.

2010

December 2010

• Intelligence Summary in December 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Developments
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• Review on “Power and Choice: Asian Security Futures”

November 2010

• Intelligence Summary in November 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  Topic : Mother ships, Attacks on Pirate groups before their departure, and BMP:
  Recent Features of Incidents of attacks by Somali pirates
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• Incident of collisions between Japan's Coast Guard's patrol vessels and Chinese trawler off Senkaku Islands: From perspective on China's diplomacy and internal affairs

October 2010

• Intelligence Summary in October 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• 2.1 Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships up to 3rd Quarter of 2010
  i1/4Characteristics reviewed in the IMB Reporti1/4
• 2.2 Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships up to 3rd Quarter of 2010
  i1/4From ReCAAP Quarterly Reporti1/4

September 2010

• Intelligence Summary in September 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• Review of “Chinese Missile Strategy and the U.S. Naval Presence in Japan: The Operational View from Beijing”

August 2010

• Intelligence Summary in August 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• Introduction of the original article entitled; “Five Dragons Stirring Up the Sea: Challenge and Opportunity in China’s Improving Maritime Enforcement Capability”

July 2010

• Retrospect: the First Half of 2010
  • Maritime Security
  • Military Developments
  • Maritime Boundaries
  • Diplomacy and International Relations
  • Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  • Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
  • Intelligence Assessment

• Intelligence Summary in July 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Developments
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
  
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • 2.1 Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships during the first half of 2010
     - Characteristics viewed in the IMB Report -
     2.2 Piracy and Armed Robbery in Asia in 1st Half of 2010
     - from ReCAAP Half Yearly Report -

June 2010

• Intelligence Summary in June 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• Outline of Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of U.S. Navy

May 2010

• Intelligence Summary in May 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Marine Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• A Commentary on the Article : "The Geography of Chinese Power" by Robert D. Kaplan

April 2010

• Intelligence Summary in April 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.5 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• 2.1 IMB Report in 1st qtr of 2010 and Characteristics of Somali Piracy
• 2.2 Report on Piracy and Armed Robbery in Asia in 1st Quarter of 2010
  (From ReCAAP ISC 1st Quarterly Report in 2010)

March 2010

• Major Events in March 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• 2.1 New Strategic Structure over the Global Commons
  

February 2010

• Major Events in February 2010

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Sea Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
• 2.1 Quadrennial Defense Review Report
  
• 2.2 The Military Doctrine of Russian Federation

January 2010

• Retrospect: the Second Half of 2009
  • Security
  • Military
  • Diplomacy and International Relations
  • Shipping, Resource, Environment and Miscellaneous

1. Information Digest
• 1.1 Maritime Security
  1.2 Military Development
  1.3 Maritime Boundaries
  1.4 Diplomacy and International Relations
  1.5 Shipping, Shipbuilding and Harbors
  1.6 Ocean Resources, Energy, Marine Environment and Others
2. Intelligence Assessment
   • Piracy and Armed Robbery against in the Shipsyear 2009
     - From IMB Annual Report -
   • Piracy and Armed in Asia in the year 2009
     - ReCAAP Annual Report -