November 29, 2016

The Strategic Importance of Convergence Zones

A convergence zone is an area where shipping lanes converge and then spread out. Because these are relatively narrow areas on a sea route through which many ships pass, the zones become important as shown below: Lots of ships passing an area means The area becomes economically important The area […]
November 30, 2016

Suez Canal to Bab-el-Mandeb

Suez Canal to Bab-el-Mandeb links Asia, India and the Arabian Gulf to Europe and the East Coast of North America. Important cargoes that pass through the Canal – Containers, oil, oil products; grain; minerals Times when the Canal was in the news – Although the Canal was not closed during […]
November 30, 2016

Turkish Straits

Turkish Straits comprise the Dardanelles (A), Sea of Marmara (B) and Bosphorus (c), and link the Aegean Sea (and therefore the Mediterranean Sea) with the Black Sea. The straits stand between Europe (to the west of the straits) and Asia (to the east of the straits). Across the Bosphorus is […]
December 1, 2016

Straits of Gibraltar

Straits of Gibraltar link the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. This means also that shipping routes between Europe or the east coast of North America or the east coast of South America and the Suez Canal pass through these straits. Thousands of ships pass through the straits each year. […]
December 1, 2016

English Channel and the Straits of Dover

English Channel and the Straits of Dover link the North Sea (and therefore the entire east coast of Britain, the ports of western Europe and the Baltic Sea) and the rest of the world. It narrows to about 20 nautical miles between the British port of Dover and Calais in […]