Sam Bateman
Biography
Publications
Dr Sam Bateman was a retired RAN Commodore and a Professorial Research Fellow at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) at the University of Wollongong in Australia.
His naval service included four ship commands, ranging from a patrol boat to guided-missile destroyer. He was awarded his PhD from the University of New South Wales in 2001 for a dissertation on “The Strategic and Political Aspects of the Law of the Sea in East Asian Seas”. He wrote extensively on defence and maritime issues in Australia, the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Costly cargo: The plight of seafarers in a pandemic
Is enough being done to look after international crews aboard “flags of convenience” ships and to maintain global trade?
Safety of life at sea: Covid‑19 and naval operations
Naval exercises are heavily affected by the pandemic, with crews even more vulnerable than people on a cruise liner.
At sea, safety is just as important as security
The Indian Ocean region needs stronger measures for maritime safety.
Australia in the Gulf: Will we make a difference?
Coalition ships and aircraft may escort ships through the strait but legally they cannot patrol in or over the strait.
South China Sea: Paracels in the spotlight
While Vietnam would welcome American warships sailing near the disputed islands, other Southeast Asian counties would be concerned about escalating militarisation.
US naval accidents revisited
Collisions attributed to poor on-board standards have damaged the US Navy’s credibility.
Why do US warships keep having accidents?
Neither destroyer was showing Automatic Identification System data at the time of their accident. This was done to keep their identity as American warships secret.
Chinese spy ships: The devil in the detail
It looks as though the United States is going back to its position during negotiations on UNCLOS, and setting aside the carefully balanced nature of the EEZ regime.
US FONOPs: Game on again in the South China Sea
The selection of Mischief Reef raises the question as to what particular freedom of navigation the US was seeking to exercise.
