It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Thursday, October 10, 2024
USS Boxer Arrives in the Philippines for Typhoon Relief Mission
The U.S. Navy amphib USS Boxer and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit have arrived in the Philippines to join disaster-relief efforts after the passage of Typhoon Krathon, which hit the northern tip of Luzon on September 30.
The Pentagon and Indo-Pacific Command dispatched Boxer in response to a request from the Philippine government, along with civilian disaster-relief personnel from USAID. Boxer's crew and her complement of Marines will help distribute much-needed disaster relief goods from USAID to the local population, including tarps, shelter kits and food packets. They are joining forces with other Marine Corps units who have been working on the ground in Cagayan Province since the storm passed.
"The primary focus of our mission is helping the people of the Philippines recover as quickly and safely as possible," said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer of the 15th MEU. "Humanitarian assistance in an expeditionary environment is what we train to do, and it is one of the reasons we are forward deployed as an amphibious force."
The successful deployment will come as good news to the Navy and to the ship's crew. Boxer was out of operation for years due to repeated maintenance problems, including failed repair efforts, and the ship's long journey to resuming service became a case study for Navy maintenance planners.
Boxer went into a two-year refit period in 2020 and got out in 2022, but soon had to return to the pier due to propulsion problems. Contractor issues, crew errors and improper parts plagued the ship through a pierside repair period that lasted through 2023. The amphib left San Diego at last for a deployment in April 2024, well behind schedule, but had to return shortly after because of rudder problems. Successful sea trials occurred three months later, and the ship finally got under way for its Western Pacific deployment on July 16.
ICTSI Fights Maersk After Court Delays Deal for Durban’s Container Terminal
Court delayed the execution of the privatization so Maersk's APM Terminals can proceed with its challenge (Transnet)
Philippines-based International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) announced that it will be fighting Maersk’s legal challenge to the awarding of the concession to operate Durban’s container terminal. The company won in July 2023 a tender process conducted by Transnet to invest in the terminal and operate it under a 25-year concession but has faced opposition to the deal which so far has prevented it from proceeding.
A court in South Africa has now issued an interdict against Transnet’s selection of ICTSI permitting the case to proceed in court and further delaying the effort to privatize operations of the beleaguered terminal. APM Terminals, the port operating company for A.P. Moller-Maersk, filed a protest in March against the awarding of the concession. The court ruled yesterday that Maersk can proceed with its claims.
The delay is another blow for South Africa which decided to pursue the privatization of terminal operations after a long history of operating challenges. Durban has ranked at the bottom of reports such as the World Bank’s annual index and has been considered to be one of the least efficient ports. It experienced significant backlogs which the government owner-operator of the port Transnet conceded were due to a lack of investment in port operations.
ICSTSI which bills itself as the largest independent terminal operator was selected after a two-year process that initially received 18 responses to the original tender. APM was the runner-up in the process but quickly protested that ICTSI did not meet the terms of the tender including a solvency threshold. The tender established a minimum solvency ratio as a requirement for bidding. Maersk is seeking to disqualify ICTSI from the tender.
APM in a statement welcomed the court’s decision and said it will continue to voice its objection. The company said it is committed to playing a role in the development of South Africa’s terminal operations.
“While ICTSI is fully respectful of the court, it strongly disagrees with the decision,” the company said in a stock exchange filing. “ICTSI maintains that it met or exceeded the tender requirements set out by Transnet and will be countering this case in the appropriate legal manner.”
Transnet finds itself caught in the middle saying it will evaluate its options after the court’s decision.
“Transnet is committed to concluding the transaction expeditiously in the interest of economic growth and development,” the company said in its public response to the court’s decision. Transnet had hailed the selection of ICTSI and the potential for significant investment in Durban’s operations.
The Durban Container Terminal (DCT2) is the key import center for South Africa handling 46 percent of the country’s container traffic. It is also the largest terminal operated by Transnet. Overall, it handles 72 percent of the annual volume in Durban.
Transnet has announced plans to proceed with additional privatizations. In April 2024, it announced the beginning of a search and tender for an operator to run Cape Town’s liquid bulk terminal. To further address the challenges in South Africa’s port operations, it is also reported to be preparing a tender for the RoRo terminal in Port Elizabeth.
China Dominates Shipbuilding in 2024 Booking Three-Quarters of Orders
China continues to expand its shipbuilding output as its grows it lead in new orders (CSSC)
Chinese officials released figures for the shipbuilding industry in the first nine months of 2024 reporting that its yards have dominated new orders and expanded their global leadership. The numbers will undoubtedly further fuel the growing global sentiment against China’s shipbuilding dominance and the specific protests by trade groups in the United States and Canada.
China’s Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) reported that its yards had received nearly 75 percent of the overall orders placed in 2024 or a total of 87.11 million dwt. The report said the volume is up nearly 52 percent over 2023 as China continues to grow its shipbuilding output. They calculated the Chinese enterprise now accounts for 61.4 percent of the global newbuilding orders or a total of 193.3 million dwt.
The report highlights that China is now leading the orders for 14 out of the 18 major types of shipbuilding projects and that many of its yards are exceeding their annual targets. Major companies are adding additional capacity which helped China to grow its shipbuilding output by over 18 percent in the first nine months of 2024. Chinese shipbuilders completed 36.34 million dwt so far in 2024.
Chinese media reports cite the country’s well-established supply chain, ability to deliver vessels on time, and cost-reduction efforts. However, critics point to a heavily subsidized state-controlled industry while they contend that commercial shipbuilding is being used to support the rapid growth of the Chinese navy. Most of the shipbuilding is carried out by the multiple companies controlled by China State Shipbuilding Company (CSSC), a state-controlled enterprise that is further moving to consolidate its dominance. It recently announced a reorganization to further absorb its subsidiary China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
South Korea has long been the only significant rival to China, but recent data shows it is slipping. Just released September numbers from Clarkson Research said that the South Korean yards accounted for only 12 percent of the orders placed in the month. Order volume was down overall by 25 percent year-over-year, but 90 ships were contracted with 65 going to China and just 14 to South Korea. China won orders for 2.48 million CGT versus just 340,000 for the Korean yards.
Clarkson calculates that China has 55 percent of the global shipbuilding backlog while Korea has 26 percent of the orders. Japan is a distant third.
The U.S. Trade Office is reviewing a complaint filed by a collation of unions including steelworkers that cites China for unfair trade practices and state subsidies for the industry. They are calling for the U.S. to impose a tariff on Chinese-built ships, which was also picked up by trade groups in Canada. The Canadian Marine Industries and Shipbuilding Association (CMISA) at the end of August issued a call for the Canadian government to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese-built ships.
Chinese officials have called the U.S. complaint protectionism. They said that the problems in the U.S. shipbuilding industry are long-term, endemic problems, going far beyond competition from China.
World’s First Autonomous, Battery-Electric Ferries Propelled by SCHOTTEL
A series of four zero-emission and autonomous ferries to be built by Turkish Tersan shipyard for Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 will be propelled by SCHOTTEL EcoPellers. The double-ended vessels will be the first of their kind in the world. Norwegian HAV Design will deliver the ship design and an engineering package.
Thrusters will reinforce Fjord1’s focus on efficiency and sustainability Two electrically driven SCHOTTEL EcoPellers type SRE 340 will be installed in each of the 120 metre long and 18.60 metre wide vessels. The L-Drive variant (“embedded L-Drive”) significantly reduces the installation height of the thrusters. By eliminating the upper gearbox, mechanical losses are further reduced. Together with the high hydrodynamic efficiency, this results in significantly lower energy consumption and therefore lower battery capacity, which in turn reduces opex and capex - all of which underlines Fjord1's focus on efficiency, sustainability and continuous innovation.
Improved passenger comfort The omission of the upper gearbox brings another significant benefit: reduced vibration and noise levels, which considerably improve passenger comfort on board. Each unit has a propeller diameter of 2,100 mm and an input power of 1,200 kW. The thrusters will be equipped with SCHOTTEL’s condition monitoring system MariHub to enable condition-based maintenance.
Built in Turkey by Tersan Shipyards Fjord1's new autonomous ferries will improve connectivity on the Lavik-Oppedal route from September 2026, with the aim of providing passengers with a seamless travel experience. Each vessel will have a capacity of 399 passengers including crew and 120 passenger cars. To replace manual functions with a high degree of autonomy, a land-based control center is planned to monitor and potentially remotely control the ferries.
The ferries will be deployed across the Sognefjord, approximately 60 miles north of the city of Bergen on the west coast of Norway. Beginning September 2026, the zero-emission ferries will operate between Lavik and Oppedal, Norway. Implementation of automation functions and autonomous systems, including autocrossing and autodocking, will take place in 2027, while autonomous navigation will be implemented in 2028.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
Stella Maris New Life at Sea Report Focusing on Seafarers’ Mental Health
Many seafarers still fear the stigma of speaking openly about their struggles while working at sea, so shipping needs to keep crew mental health and wellbeing high-up on its agenda, a leading global maritime charity has urged.
Stella Maris' Life at Sea Report 2024 is launched today on World Mental Health Day. This year’s edition focuses on the importance of mental health in the maritime industry and the role played by hundreds of Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers around the globe to support the mental wellbeing of seafarers.
“Seafarers are tough, they have to be. Being part of a small crew is inherently challenging. The work is relentless, and emotions such as loneliness, fear and boredom are difficult to endure,” said Stella Maris CEO and National Director Tim Hill.
“But it can be hard for seafarers to talk about their worries. The fear of being judged or lowering morale among crew often keeps them silent. When seafarers are concerned about their families, they can feel powerless and isolated,” he added.
“At Stella Maris, we believe that face-to-face interaction makes a huge difference. A friend in port. A listening ear. A welcoming smile. When you ask seafarers about life at sea, they often say they miss the feeling of being connected. Human connection is what Stella Maris chaplains provide in their tens of thousands of ship visits each year. And when crisis strikes, the value and impact of our chaplains’ support is even greater, providing a unique service to the world's seafarers wherever they are.” he explained.
As with previous years, the Report features excellent case studies of how Stella Maris’ support has provided a lifeline for many seafarers caught up in crises. It includes examples of Ukrainian seafarers anxious about their future and that of their families, seafarers worried about sailing through the current conflict zones of the Red Sea and the Black Sea, a case of a seafarer in emotional distress after being arrested, and a crew under enormous financial strain after not being paid for weeks.
The Report also highlights how Stella Maris’ partnership with the shipping industry including P&I Clubs, shipping companies and other welfare agencies, has been vital in helping to address and solve crews’ concerns.
Reg. Charity in England & Wales no. 1069833 Reg. Charity in Scotland No. SCO43085 Company Registration no. 3320318 “One of the most important things the industry can invest in is making sure seafarers continue to get caring, compassionate human contact,” says clinical psychologist Charles Watkins, who is featured in the Report.
“Stella Maris has chaplains around the world, in all cultures, and they have a really good feeling for culture and what that means for mental and physical health. These small things – going on board, chatting to crews, asking about their families – they are not small at all. They are huge. I’ve been on board vessels with Stella Maris chaplains and have seen for myself. This is significant, impactful work,” he added.
According to satcom provider Marlink, cyber treat activity is on the rise and is rapidly evolving as hackers find new ways to bypass security measures.
Marlink operates a cybersecurity center that covers the operations of 1,800 vessels around the globe. In the last six months, the center has observed a significant rise in malicious activity compared with the first half of 2023, including 79 "major incidents" across the managed fleet.
The threat landscape is still dominated by phishing attacks, which involve tricking a company employee into giving up login information so that the hacker can access a corporate network. The human factor remains the most frequently exploited vulnerability in the security chain, and advanced hackers are coming up with new ways to exploit unwary users. Marlink has seen a marked increase in the number of attacks that use "reverse proxy phishing," a method of stealing login credentials without alerting the employee that anything has happened. In a reverse proxy phishing attack, the attacker does not have to fraudulently recreate a fake version of a legitimate website. Instead, they create a proxy in between the user and the real website, and the user never knows that their login information is passing through the hands of a hacker.
Once an attacker has stolen login credentials through a fishing attack, they can move on to other ways of exploiting the system. This could be installing command & control software so that the corporate system can be misused remotely; enslaving the system into a botnet; or installing persistent remote access software that allows the hacker to watch and steal data over time.
In addition to threat actors who want to steal data, maritime operators have to watch out for ransomware groups, which have caused some of the most disruptive attacks in industry history. Marlink has identified nine ransomware gangs that are active in targeting maritime, including some of the biggest household names in this form of crime - BlackCat, PLAY, Black Basta and BianLian, among others.
"Ransomware remained one of the primary threats to maritime targets in the first half of the year, as it significantly disrupts operations and causes considerable economic damage. Attacks have paralyzed critical systems, delayed shipments, and compromised logistics, resulting in operational downtime and costly ransom demands," warned Marlink. "This combination of operational impact and financial loss makes ransomware remain a major concern for the maritime industry."
The best defense, according to Marlink, is to have a good security operations center (SOC) on your team to provide proactive monitoring.
Canada's federal labor investigators have found that Canadian fisheries officers need better body armor and training to keep them safe while interacting with armed criminals, an increasing issue in Nova Scotia's lucrative lobster trade.
After voicing concerns about an increasingly dangerous threat environment on the water, an estimated 50 percent of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) field officers in Nova Scotia refused to go out on duty, and they filed refusal-to-work petitions with Canada's federal workers' rights regulator, the Labour Program. The program's compliance division investigated the petitions and agreed that DFO officers need more to stay safe while dealing with well-armed criminals and gangs.
In a report obtained by the Canadian Press, the Labour Program found that DFO officers in the Maritimes regularly confront suspects carrying weapons, including cases where the suspects are known to have a semiautomatic rifle on board. "Their current body armor does not protect them [against this class of weaponry]," explained Shimen Fayad, president of the Union of Health and Environment Workers, speaking to CTV Atlantic.
The inspectors also cited officers' interactions with "outlaw motorcycle gangs are armed with firearms" and "convicted violent criminals" while performing their mission. Some suspects in illegal-fishing enforcement actions have made direct threats against DFO officers or their families, either in person or online.
The labor department concluded that the fisheries officers do not currently have enough training or protective gear to keep them safe on an increasingly dangerous waterfront. It ordered Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to rectify this before sending the officers back out to work in the field.
“We have taken action to address the direction received," a DFO spokesman told The Canadian Press, emphasizing that the officers are returning to work. "Fishery officers are dedicated, well-trained professionals, and acts of violence and threats towards them will not be tolerated."
Local fishermen are enthusiastic about getting a more muscular law enforcement presence out on the water, because criminals are taking an excessive share of the catch.
"We want real, tangible enforcement activity placed upon the illegal, black market lobster activity that's ongoing throughout the Maritimes," said Dan Fleck, head of a local lobstermens' association, speaking to CTV.
Lost New Zealand Survey Vessel's Tanks are Intact, Limiting Pollution
Manawanui on the morning of Oct. 6, shortly before her sinking
The Royal New Zealand Navy received good news Tuesday when salvage divers visited the wreck of the survey vessel HMNZS Manawanui, which ran aground, burned and sank off Samoa last weekend.
Manawanui went down on the slope of a reef, damaging about 5,000 square meters of coral on the way down, and initially there was uncertainty about how far she went down before coming to rest on the bottom. Given the steepness of the bank, the wreck's depth could have been as much as 150 meters, making pollution-response and salvage operations much more difficult.
Instead, the responders found the ship in just 30 meters of water, well within reach for commercial diving methods. Manawanui came to rest on her starboard side on a flat rock shelf, rather than an uneven bed of coral - a further stroke of luck.
"There are salvage techniques which would basically allow an organization to remotely drill into the side of the hull, and it's fairly easy at 30 metres depth to extract the fuel - because the vessels lying on it's side - you don't have to start drilling down through superstructure to get at the fuel tanks which are mostly lying at the bottom of the ship," salvage consultant John Riding told RNZ.
In further good news, divers found that Manawanui's fuel tanks are intact and undamaged, and the ship is only seeping diesel fuel from three pipe locations. Almost all of her 950 tonnes of diesel fuel remain in place. The limited release of pollution has produced a sheen at the surface and a strong smell of diesel on shore, but so far no major spill effects have been observed on the adjacent reef. This will come as a relief to local subsistence fishermen, whose families are reliant on the reef for sustenance and income.
The divers also managed to recover the vessel's voyage data recorder (VDR), so investigators will have much more information to work with to determine the cause of the casualty. The service has launched a board of inquiry process to determine root causes and make recommendations.
Three shipping containers from Manawanui's deck drifted loose and came to a rest on the reef, according to 1News. A visible sheen was also observable.
"We want to get all the hazards out of the water, all the hazards off the beach. We need to interact with the locals, we need to get to villages and understand the situation," dive team leader Lieutenant Christian Lloyd told 1News. "We want to help, we're here to help, and we'll stay as long as it's needed."
ExxonMobil Signs Largest U.S. Lease for Offshore Carbon Storage
ExxonMobil has doubled down on its plans for subsea carbon storage, signing the largest ever seabed lease for carbon sequestration in the United States.
Exxon announced Thursday that it has purchased 271,000 acres worth of lease rights from the Texas General Land Office. The areas are located in shallow water just off the coast of Texas in Chambers, Jefferson and Galveston counties, near the Galveston Bay and Beaumont petrochemical hubs.
Exxon is advancing a longtime plan to add CO2 capture and storage to its service portfolio along the Gulf Coast, where there are a large number of oil and gas stakeholders with an interest in mitigating their emissions. Exxon already operates the largest CO2 pipeline network in the United States, and it also holds 69 offshore lease blocks in federal waters for CO2 sequestration.
Exxon did not disclose the terms, but it said that the lease payments will benefit the Texas Permanent School Fund. In a statement, Texas GLO Commissioner Dawn Buckingham emphasized the importance of funding childhood education as part of the deal.
"This is yet another sign of our commitment to CCS and the strides we’ve been able to make," said Dan Ammann, president of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions. "With our growing roster of customers ready to deploy CCS, we’ll be driving substantial emissions reductions along the Gulf Coast through a comprehensive solution that includes capture, transportation, and storage—capabilities that make us a clear leader."
Study Highlights Potential and Challenges of Onboard Carbon Capture
Report used Stena's MR tanker as the basis saying the class could lead industry adoption (Stena Bulk)
An engineering study exploring the potential for the use of carbon capture aboard vessels highlights the feasibility of the technology both for retrofits and newbuilds demonstrating that it can be a key step in the efforts to reach the IMO’s decarbonization goals. The results showed despite the high current costs of the technology it could significantly extend the economic life of a vessel while also achieving meaningful reductions in CO2 emissions with a small fuel penalty.
The study was launched 18 months ago as a cooperation between the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD), and Stena Bulk together with a consortium of the world’s leading maritime organizations. The goal was to identify the potential for using carbon capture as well as practical barriers, such as port readiness, which need to be addressed before OCCS can be widely adopted across the maritime industry.
“OCCS has gained traction in recent years as a feasible approach to meet the 2023 IMO revised GHG emissions reduction targets,” said Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD. “However, its adoption faces numerous hurdles, including the need to balance the tension between maximizing CO2 capture rates while maintaining commercially acceptable CapEx and OpEx.”
For the engineering study, they selected a medium range tanker highlighting that it is a common class of vessel with 1,700 in operation in the 40,000 to 50,000 dwt range. However, they note that it is not the most efficient segment but if successful with the technology it could lead to broader adoption in the industry.
Working with Stena Bulk they studied the Stena Impero (49,683 dwt), a modern product tanker built in 2018. The vessel uses a common two-stroke MAN diesel engine for propulsion and is currently fitted with an exhaust scrubber.
The engineering project analyzed the design and cost implications of retrofitting a carbon capture system on the vessel. It found that the technology could reduce the vessel’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by as much as 20 percent per year, with a fuel consumption penalty of just under 10 percent.?
The cost of building and installing the full system on the Stena Impero was estimated at $13.6 million, with an abatement cost of avoided CO2 for the first-of-a-kind prototype evaluated at $769/ton CO2. However, the consortium believes that further research and development will drive down costs, making OCCS increasingly viable for the shipping industry.
With the use of OCCS technology, the report concludes that the Stena Impero could maintain its CII rating of “C and better” for an additional nine years. The vessel would be able to remain in compliance until the end of its economic life, assuming a CII reduction factor of two percent from 2027 onwards.
Dr. Michael Traver, head of OGCI’s Transport Workstream called the study a “major milestone in understanding the potential of using carbon capture technology.” The technical feasibility demonstrated in the project he said “is highly encouraging.”
The study also looked at incorporating OCCS on newbuild vessels, with the findings that improvements to capture rate and fuel penalty may be achieved using more efficient engines, heat pumps, and alternative solvents.
“For OCCS systems to be practical, the industry needs to manage captured CO2 effectively. To this end, GCMD has previously completed a study to define the operational envelope for offloading onboard captured CO2, contributing to the whole-of-system approach to emissions reduction via carbon capture,” commented Professor Loo.
The study provides quantitative insights on managing the trade-offs between the actual cost of operating OCCS and its emissions reduction potential. It also highlights that many challenges remain to be addressed. This includes the lack of a defined regulatory framework and operational challenges include recurring additional costs due to fuel penalty, amine solvent replenishment, manpower, maintenance, and offloading services.
The study points out that offloading captured CO2 is in its nascency, with a lack of national and port policies for accounting for captured CO2 and its final deposition. There is also a lack of infrastructure at ports to support offloading and storage. The results are detailed in a 139-page report released by GCMD.
They are calling for collaboration and support from stakeholders across the value chain needed to develop offloading infrastructure and onshore storage. Logistical and policy support for permanent sequestration or utilization of the offloaded CO2 they conclude will also be necessary to encourage the adoption of OCCS solutions.
Gulab Bheel, 44, was working on his land in the village of Ukraro, Tharparkar when heavy clouds started gathering towards the east. Loud claps of thunder accompanied by flashes of lightning dominated the horizon. In a beeline, Gulab and nine of his family members hastily started walking back home; each carrying a branch of crown flower over their head.
Locally known as ‘Auk’, the flower has become a common sight in the Thar desert in recent years, especially during the monsoon season.
Legend has it that Kans, the king of Mathura — the birth city of the Hindu deity Lord Krishna — was told that he would be killed by the eighth child of his sister Devki. Scared, Kans imprisoned his sister and her husband Vashdev for life. Each time Devki gave birth to a child, the king would kill it.
At the time of the birth of her eighth child — Lord Krishna — Devki exchanged her baby with that of her friend, a girl, doing so with the help of divine powers so that no one but them knew what had happened. When Kans found out about the baby girl, he hit her with an ‘Auk’ branch with the intention of murder.
A branch of crown flower placed on the roof of a house in Thar. — All photos by author
According to Hindu mythology, the infant did not die, but floated up high into the sky and became the “light”. It is now believed that the baby — goddess Yogamaya — possesses the power of lightning, but never strikes the crown flower. Hindus in Thar believe the plant guards them from lightning strikes that have drastically increased in the past few years.
However, even the crown flower could not protect Gulab from what awaited him on the fateful day of July 29.
‘A mad wolf’
The 44-year-old recalled that he was passing under a tree with his family when he felt a storm brewing above his head. “I don’t know what happened afterwards,” he said. When Gulab regained consciousness, he was at the Nagarparkar taluka hospital.
Gulab’s world came tumbling down when he learned that a lightning strike had hit his family, killing his 16-year-old daughter Sugna, seven-year-old son Vikram, brother Bhamro and niece Anita. “My daughter was carrying my son who was born after five daughters and countless manats [prayers],” he cried.
“The tree under which we were passing was also dead … this proves that she [Devi Yogamaya] does not spare anyone or anything,” he added.
A burnt tree following a lightning strike in Thar.
Fifteen minutes after striking Gulab and his family, the lightning reached five young men — all between the ages of 13 and 20. While two of them were quick to find safety under a nearby makeshift hut, Ranjeet and Ramesh failed to make it out alive. “It was like someone hit me in the head,” recalled the fifth man, Neebraj, who was critically injured.
Among the casualties were also seven cows.
Residents of the Ukraro village relayed that they witnessed over 100 instances of lightning strikes within half an hour that day. They struck within a radius of 1.5-2 square kilometres, described as a “mad wolf running here and there”.
Until some years ago, lightning strikes were a rare strike in Thar. “But for the past couple of years, these incidents have dramatically risen, with one reported every other day,” Gulab said. He attributed the increase to “coal mining and power generation” in the Thar desert.
Lightning and coal mining
According to research conducted by Prem Sagar at the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Tharparkar experiences an estimated annual average of 100,000 lightning strikes, while the global average is just 25,000.
Another study carried out by the Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED), found that 87 human casualties were recorded between 2019 and 2024 during 46 lightning incidents — 19 of which were reported during winter season and the remaining during the monsoon month of July — in Thar. It added that 326 animals were also reported dead or injured including goats, sheep, camels and cows.
‘Safe zones’ created in fields for protection from lightning strikes.
As per the report, these incidents were reported in Nagarparkar, Chachro and Diplo tehsils. But it was Islamkot that emerged to be a hotspot for lightning strikes. Interestingly, the Islamkot tehsil is located at a distance of 15-18km and 26-28km from the Thar Coal Block-1 and Block-2 mining and power plant sites, respectively.
While there is no research conducted in Pakistan regarding the correlation between coal mining and lightning, a 2013 study titled, ‘Enhanced cloud-to-ground lightning frequency in the vicinity of coal plants and highways in Northern Georgia, USA’, found that there was a threefold increase in lightning occurrences near coal plants and highways. It further showed that lightning amplification has been detected in areas with enhanced aerosol — small particles suspended in the atmosphere — concentrations.
“Coal-burning power plants are a leading source of a large collection of aerosols, including cloud-activating aerosols,” it said, adding that the enhancement of lightning near coal plants extends to distances exceeding 100km.
The changing face of Thar
Tharparkar, Pakistan’s largest desert, is home to 1.7 million people and 7m livestock. About 45 per cent of its total area contains reserves of brown coal, which are divided into 13 blocks. Currently, Block 1 and Block 2 are producing 2,620 megawatt electricity and contributing to the national grid.
A lot has changed in Thar ever since coal mining began in the desert in 2015. New roads and communication networks have been developed in the last decade. But for the people of Thar, the last 10 years have only ignited their concerns — from pollution to worsening groundwater quality and lightning incidents.
After the Ukraro incident in July, Tharparkar District Council Chairman Dr Ghulam Hyder Samejo invited a team of experts from the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology to the desert for a probe into the causes of lightning strikes.
A crown flower is perched atop a mud house in Thar to protect the occupants from lightning.
The team’s head, Dr Zubair Memon, said they had submitted a report to the vice-chancellor, adding that a detailed study was recommended to ascertain the increases in lightning. When asked about the causes of the same, he stated that climate change was the leading force behind changing weather patterns.
However, it was premature to link these lightning incidents to either climate change or coal mining since it required detailed research, Dr Memon added.
The people of Thar have also urged the government to hire fulminologists to conduct a thorough research into the rising incidence of lightning strikes. At a moot organised in August last year, Comrade Nandlal Malhi, convener of the Thar Action Forum, said that the lightning strikes had created terror among Tharis and forced them to remain indoors. “
“Tharis, who are completely dependent on rainfalls, used to eagerly await rains but now they have started getting scared of the blessing due to inexplicable rise in the strikes of thunderbolts and subsequent deaths of humans as well as their livestock,” he said.
Relying on myths
Meanwhile, Gulab and Neebraj have been struggling to recover from the grief of losing their family members and the injuries they sustained. Still on medication, Neebraj complained of developing eyesight problems while Gulab suffers from stomach aches.
A few local politicians and representatives visited them to offer condolences, but no compensation for their losses has been announced by the government yet. “They can compensate for our material loss but how will they compensate for human lives?” said Gulab.
Children in Thar look outside their homes.
The 44-year-old’s brother, who was killed by the lightning strike, has left behind a widow and five sons, with the eldest aged 15. “He was the only breadwinner of the family,” said Samjhu, Bhamro’s wife.
She recounted that they had just arrived from the barrage area, in the hope of ploughing their land after rains. “What do I say to my kids now who are crying out for their father? Where are they supposed to go?”
In Thar, where water is scarce and droughts hit every few years, residents make long journeys in search of water and pasture. But rain, once the main source of their livelihoods and a blessing, has now become a monster that everyone fears.
After July 29, the people of Ukraro locked themselves up in their homes. They are now hesitant to leave the safety of their tiny abodes and venture into the fields or tend to their crops, which affects their socio-economic well-being.
Those who are courageous enough to step out keep a branch of the crown flower close to them, forced to rely on folklore and mythology in the absence of government action. But scepticism has now seeped even into devout hearts.
“We have carried six bodies in a day … you can’t imagine the pain we feel,” said a villager. “It is now better to live without rain than bear more losses.”
