Maritime Security: Challenges & Responses in a Changing World
| Author: Vice Admiral Iftikhar Ahmad Rao (retd) Binding: Hardback Pages: 478 Language: English Year: 2023 Edition: 1st ISBN: 978-969-448-834-9 Price: PKR6000 / US$80 (Export) Publisher: IPS Press Content |  |
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About the Book
Maritime security, just like the blue economy, is a relatively recent concept. It is different and distinct from traditional naval security and maritime power projection. Maritime security is an evolving comprehensive construct encompassing several interwoven facets of the maritime domain. In this book, the reader will find the historical background of the maritime domain and how various powers of the times benefitted from the seas, at times exclusively. Then, as others became aware, some rules and understandings began to emerge, eventually leading to the adoption of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III). After that, the concept of maritime security started to evolve more clearly. The book discusses various challenges at sea, including the age-old curse of piracy and emerging criminal activities such as trafficking (human, drugs, arms, etc.); terrorism; illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing; and the marine environment. It then moves to responses to these challenges. As maritime strategy is gaining importance, many regions and countries have promulgated their maritime security strategies. This book explores the maritime security strategies of various important regions and countries. It also discusses Pakistan’s maritime aspects and the suggested contours of maritime economic and military security strategies. Hopefully, this book will significantly contribute towards creating awareness and understanding of maritime security.
About the Author
Vice Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Rao (retd) has over 40 years of maritime experience. He has served on board and commanded ships and is also a naval aviator, which gives him vast all-round expertise. He has been Chief Staff Officer of Fleet Command, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations), and Commander Coast. He was a member of the Gwadar Port Implementation Committee at the start of the port project and actively contributed to its development. As Managing Director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, he is credited with its turnaround. He remained an advisor to the Government of Pakistan for the development of the shipbuilding industry and is considered the brains behind the conception of this industry’s development, its vision and plan for Pakistan, which the Prime Minister has approved. He has been an advisor to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, too. Iftikhar Rao is a regular guest speaker at the National Defence University, Staff Colleges, National School of Policy Studies, and seminars on maritime subjects. This is his third book about the maritime sector after Elements of Blue Economy and Gwatar Bay to Sir Creek: The Golden Coast of Pakistan – History and Memoirs. Both books are widely recognized in Pakistan’s maritime sector and academia as pioneering research work in this domain.
