Sea Power

“The Sea Is One”

All of Earth’s oceans and seas connect, covering 70% of the planet’s surface. The most significant are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic oceans and the Mediterranean, South China and Caribbean seas. The English saying that the sea is one reflects the British navy’s historic domination of the world’s oceans. The island nation relied on “sea power” to control its former empire.

The idea of one immense sea makes sense geopolitically. For the past 2,000 years, dominion on the water has been significant for the world’s great powers. The history of the oceans is the history of the people who sailed the seas – for sustenance, for commerce, for discovery and for conquest.

The oceans are busy waterways traversed by fleets of all types. These include 50,000- to 60,000-ton commercial vessels: “bulk carriers, cargo ships, tankers, container ships, chemical ships, passenger and roll-on/roll-off ships, and liquefied natural gas tankers.”

The Greeks and the Romans sailed constantly. The Ottomans fought on the seas. So did the Hapsburgs. The American Revolution featured fierce naval engagements. The Barbary pirates...