A global commons no longer: Sea control reimagined

In recent years the way in which states perceive the value of the seas has changed. The processes of legal and extra-legal territorialization have meant that the seas are now viewed as having value in terms of resources, security and sovereignty. The build up of critical maritime infrastructure has bestowed additional value on large areas of the seas. This shift in the perception of value is having a profound impact on the missions navies are expected to conduct. The requirement to protect this value means that sea control is being reimagined as a persistent and absolute concept.