Maritime Matters Episode Title: Indo-Pacific Maritime Round-Up – 22 May 2025: Regional deployments and new capabilities

In this episode of Maritime Matters Jennifer Parker (https://www.jennifer-parker.com.au/) and Richard Dunley (https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/richard...) discuss the week that was in Maritime Matters, including:

🎙️ Episode snapshot

Jen and Richard break down a busy fortnight across the Indo-Pacific: HMAS Sydney heads to North Korea sanctions duty and Indo-Pacific Endeavour gets a makeover. We also run the rule over new submarines for Singapore, front-line frigates for Japan and the Philippines. Stick around for a “Did You Know?” on Sydney’s Captain Cook Graving Dock.

Regional developments

▪ HMAS Sydney joins Operation ARGOS

▪ Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2025 shifts to fly-in teams

▪ Mexican tall ship Cuauhtémoc bridge strike

▪ Houthis, Red Sea & Oman-brokered deal

Capability corner

▪ Singapore orders two more Type-218SG subs

▪ Philippines commissions BRP Miguel Malvar corvette

▪ Japan’s 7th Mogami-class frigate Niyodo—first with Mk 41 VLS

Did You Know?

Captain Cook Graving Dock—Australia’s only dock big enough for every RAN class (opened 24 March 1945)

🔗 Jen & Richard's recent work:

Richard

Undersea cable control: The information dimension

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/undersea-cable-control-information-dimension

‘Deterrence’—an agreeable word that obscures strategic debate

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/deterrence-an-agreeable-word-that-obscures-strategic-debate/

Inhumane, treacherous or uselessly cruel? Debating underwater weapons, 1880–1939

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23337486.2025.2509450

Jen

To strengthen defence, Canberra and London must turn good will into actual capability

https://www.jennifer-parker.com.au/post/to-strengthen-defence-canberra-and-london-must-turn-good-will-into-actual-capability

The Echidna Needs to Swim: Cut Off by Sea: How to Defeat Australia Without Firing a Shot.

https://chrisuhlmann.substack.com/p/the-echidna-needs-to-swim

🔗 Links & resources

ADF release – HMAS Sydney joins Operation ARGOS (12 May 25)

https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2025-05-12/hmas-sydney-deployed-sanctions-enforcement-against-north-korea

ADF release – Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2025 announced (13 May 25)

https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2025-05-13/indo-pacific-endeavour-embarks-new-phase

Sea Power Centre-Australia, Soundings No. 16 (background on IPE)

https://seapower.navy.gov.au/publications-and-research/indo-pacific-endeavour-reflections-and-proposals-australias-premier-naval-diplomacy-activity