Global Scans · Ocean · Weekly Summary

• [New] As long as the planet is warmer, land ice will melt and ocean water will expand, rising the global sea level. U.S. Sea Level Change
• [New] Three forces: blanked sailings around the May Day holiday removed about 25% of TPEB capacity; the Strait of Hormuz closure and Cape of Good Hope routing continue to absorb effective fleet capacity; and fuel costs remain elevated, setting a higher cost floor for ocean carriers. SeaVantage
• [New] Indonesia will deploy a Liaison Officer to the Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region in Gurugram, strengthening maritime domain awareness. Legacy IAS Academy
• [New] Southern Hemisphere ETCs will shift towards Antarctica due to a poleward shift of the jet stream as well as slower warming in the Southern Ocean. IPCC Clearly
• [New] Climate models project that, under medium to high greenhouse gas emissions, the Indian Ocean could warm by 1.4 °C to 3 °C between 2020 and 2100. Down To Earth
• [New] Parallelly, however, a climatic phenomenon is developing in the equatorial belt of the Pacific Ocean that has the potential to destabilize global supply chains, hit the production of key commodities, and trigger another wave of food inflation. XTB.com
• [New] Exceptionally warm global ocean and atmospheric temperatures may amplify or modify expected climatic anomalies, including droughts and floods, and their associated public health impacts. PubMed Central (PMC)
• China has announced a new shipping route through the Arctic Ocean, which could ease the way for global trade amid the Middle East crisis that has paralysed critical waterways, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait on the edge of the Red Sea. Al Jazeera
• Today's date is of astronomical significance, with a total solar eclipse expected to be visible along a path that crosses Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and a small corner of Portugal. Newsweek
• Combined with exceptionally warm global oceans and the likelihood of a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, the developing El Nino is expected to shape weather patterns across many parts of the world in the months ahead. World Meteorological Organization
• A powerful El Nino has officially formed in the Pacific Ocean, with meteorologists warning Thursday that it is poised to reach historic strength and intensify extreme weather events across the globe. Elizabeth May
• Global mean near-surface temperatures and ocean heat content reached record highs, driving widespread extreme weather events and severe hydrological disruptions worldwide. Market Data Forecast
• The expected arrival of a strong, if not record-breaking, El Nino later in 2026 could further boost sea levels temporarily by heating up much of the Pacific Ocean. The Daily World
• With shared Austronesian heritage and interests in Indian Ocean maritime security, the growing relationship could create new opportunities for economic, diplomatic and defence cooperation between Indonesia and its African neighbour. Indonesia Council

Last updated: 21 September 2026