April 27,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, Christy Tagye at Productive Passions, for a live podcast that dove into some of the key issues of current events like how the Secretary of the Navy being fired may steer the course of the war, and how the course of the war may affect agricultural production in the United States.  Watch the podcast HERE. 

April 24,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, returned to ABC News with Kyra Phillips to discuss the increasing confusion around the seizures of vessels . It touched on what the US is doing, what Iran is doing and even what is happening with the latest pirate attacks! Watch the interview HERE. 

April 22,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, went live on AsiaOne News to try to make sense of the vessel seizures by the US and Iran. Watch the interview HERE. 

April 19,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, went live on morning radio in Australia, speaking with Sarah Morice of ABC. The discussion went into depth on both the legal aspects of the US seizure of an Iranian flagged vessel in the Gulf of Oman, and the security aspects of the negotiations breaking down between the US and Iran. Listen to the interview HERE. 

April 17,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, went live on primetime Canadian news with CBC to provide a candid take on the false narratives from both Washington and Tehran that the Strait of Hormuz is open.  His analysis not only touched on why these narratives are false, but what is going to be a longer-term impediment to transit through the Strait. Watch the interview HERE. 

April 17,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, is quoted in this article by Deutsche Welle about European equities in the efforts to reopen the Strait.  As he says, it is not a question of choosing which horse to back, it is about figuring out what is best for Europe in a very messy situation with highly volatile parties that keep escalating the intensity of both the conflict and its impact. Read the article HERE. 

April 16,  2026

Our Secretary and Head of Resource Responsibility, Dr. David Soud, jointed Perspectiva with Tom Philpot on AsiaOne News to discuss the growing tensions between the American Administration in Washington and the American Pope in Rome. Watch the interview HERE. 

April 16,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, recorded a radio interview with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) yesterday - it covers a lot of ground on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.   Things are moving fast, but this is still applicable to what is happening today. Listen to the recording HERE. 

April 16,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, is quoted in this piece  by ABC News on AIS transponder spoofing, quoting some of his comments from other interviews.  It is going to be a bigger problem now that that US seems to have invoked the laws of capture and prize today. Read the article HERE. 

April 13,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, was featured in the opening segment of PBS NewsHour with Liz Landry this evening.  He spoke about the implications of the American blockade and the likelihood of a military and economic response from Iran.  Watch the clip HERE. 

April 13,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, joined a panel on Al Jazeera Arabic to talk about the legality of the American blockade of Iran.   Watch the clip HERE. 

April 12,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, went live on AsiaOne News to speak with Tom Philpot about the breakdown in negotiations in Pakistan.  As he went on the air, President Trump put out a statement that the US would start blocking the Strait of Hormuz, so he was able to integrate that into his comments.  He went back on the air less than an hour later, but this first clip stands as a good discussion of what is at stake.  Watch the clip HERE. 

April 8,  2026

From Rome, our President, Dr. Ian Ralby joined AsiaOne live to discuss the important role Pakistan is playing in negotiating  both the ceasfire and the end to the war. He also addressed maritime security cooperation and the growing role Pakistan could play in the region.  Watch the clip HERE. 

April 8,  2026

From Rome, our President, Dr. Ian Ralby joined Perspectiva on AsiaOne to discuss the comments of Pope Leo XIV on peace and war.  While he normally comments on global affairs through the lens of maritime security, our Founder and Chair, Rohini Ralby, taught him to be able to also speak credibly on religion, spirituality, faith and God. We at Auxilium Worldwide appreciate the voice of the Pope - supported, as well, by other leaders including the Dalai Lama - reminding us of our nature, and showing us we do not have to choose to adopt the lust for violence that seems to be gripping the world.  Watch the clip HERE. 

April 7,  2026

As we all wait to see what will happen at 8pm Eastern tonight, our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, went live on ABC News with Kyra Phillips today to talk about what is going on in the Strait of Hormuz and how extreme the rhetoric and pendulum swings have become.  How can anyone reach a deal on firm ground when a week ago the United States did not need the Strait of Hormuz and this week it is threatening to kill an entire “civilization” over it?  We are truly in uncharted waters at this point.  Watch the clip HERE. 

April 2,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby went live on AsiaOne News this afternoon to discuss the current situation in the Persian Gulf.  In the interview, he talked about deterrence v. compellence, the false narrative of overmatch, and the likelihood that this will all just go away, even if the US leaves.  This is a longer, more extensive analysis that covers a wide array of critical topics.  Watch the interview HERE. 

March 31,  2026

In his monthly "Expert Discernment Series on Maritime Affairs" with the Diplomatic Courier, our President looks at China's naval response - or lack there of - to the Houthis, and analyzes the current PRC posture toward the war in Iran.  Despite American insistance that China send naval vessels to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz, China is more likely to emerge as the leading guarantor of Iranian economic survival.  By taking that approach, China is able to avoid military confrontation while also accessing large oil supplies at a discount, and at the same time, undermining US hegemony.  Read the article HERE. 

March 29,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, joined AsiaOne News to discuss the prospects for peace in Iran and what might inhibit negotiations.  Have a watch HERE. 

March 27,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, is featured in this explanatory segment by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), examining the "toll" scheme that Iran has implemented. As Dr. Ralby says, this is flat out illegal... but it is happening.  Have a watch HERE. 

March 20,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, is quoted by Lisa Louis at Deutsche Welle in this article on the the ARCTIC METAGAZ - a Russian tanker carrying diesel and LNG that was attacked in the Mediterranean south of Malta and has been abandoned and is now drifting toward Libya. His comments are about sanctions and salvage, but the gist of it is: we’re likely to see more maritime attacks around the globe and at some point there will be catastrophic harm to both the economy and the environment. Read the article HERE. 

March 18,  2026

In our monthly Making Sense of Maritime Matters (MSOMM) series, we looked at financing small-scale fishers as a crime reduction strategy. Small-scale fishers play a vital role in the Caribbean’s food security, economy, and cultural identity, yet they face increasing challenges. In addition to pressures from depleted fish stocks, pollution, and climate change, many fishers struggle economically as they lack the resources to repair engines, upgrade vessels, or replace equipment. Simultaneously, accessing formal financing and insurance is often difficult due to the nature of artisanal fishing, including cash-based transactions and limited income reporting. These barriers leave fishers vulnerable to predatory lending from criminal actors, which undermines both their livelihoods and regional security. This session in which our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, and our Head of Resource Responsibility, Dr. David Soud, joined with Environmnetal Crimes Desk Officers from CARICOM IMPACS, Tenika Griffith and Melanie Garib,  shared pratical approaches to confronting htis challenge.  For those with access to CBSI Connect, watch HERE. 

March 17,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, returned to WION to discuss the emerging divide within the NATO Alliance over the Strait of Hormuz.  The American President told the Alliance he did not need them, and now is demanding they help address the second and third order effects of his unilateral decision to join Israel in attacking Iran.  Watch HERE. 

March 14,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, returned to Sky News Live, early in the morning, to discuss the situation for maritime commerce in the Strait of Hormuz.  Ships are crewed by human beings, so telling ship owners to risk losing not only cargo and the vessels themselves, but the men and women who operate them is a tough sell.  Even with greater military presence, it is unlikely the Strait will be truly safe for commerce any time soon.  Watch HERE. 

March 13,  2026

Auxilium Worldwide, in partnership with INTERPOL, was delighted to deliver the third of a series of Maritime Law Enforcement Tabletop Exercises in the Caribbean.  This TTX involved the full spectrum of maritime agencies in the Turks and Caicos Islands and was led by our president, Dr. Ian Ralby, our Head of Resource Responsibility, Dr. David Soud and our chair, Rohini Ralby.  Through a mix of discussions and scenarios, the engagement sought to both offer new ideas, insights, tools and resources for the TCI agencies, and to help identify gaps and weaknesses that could be addressed through future efforts. Ian, David and Rohini found the engagement extremely productive and hope to offer long-term support to TCI.  

March 11,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, returned to ABC News to speak with Kyra Phillips, live, about the global food, fuel and economic crises resulting out of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and the subsequent efforts by Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz. Watch HERE. 

March 4,  2026

Please join us in congratulating our Board Member Yousra Elbagir who has just been named the Royal Television Society's Network Television Journalist of the Year. Yousra's remarkable reporting on her home country of Sudan - the locus of the world's worst humanitarian crisis - has provided a unique glimpse into the most ignored conflict on earth.  She and her team at Sky News deserve all the many honors they receievd tonight!  Congratulations as well to Rohini Ralby, our Chair, who serves as her mentor.  Watch one of Yousra's post-award interviews HERE. 

March 1,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, went live on WION for an extensive discussion of the maritime implications of the US and Israeli attack on Iran and Iran's retaliation.  Watch HERE. 

February 28,  2026

The Untied States and Israel launched major military strikes against Iran today, and Iran retaliated across a wide geography of states in the Middle East. Amid the chaos, our President, Dr. Ian Ralby went on AsiaOne News to share some real-time analysis of the unfolding situation.  Watch HERE. 

February 25,  2026

Originally from Sudan, our board member Yousra Elbagir has experienced the current civil war both personally and professionally. As the Africa Correspondent for Sky News, she has returned repeatedly to her country during some of the critical flashpoints to report on the war. In this new piece for TIME Magazine, she shares her experiences of finding hope in the glimmers of humanity what has become the world's worst humanitarian disaster.  Read the article HERE. 

February 23,  2026

In our monthly Making Sense of Maritime Matters (MSOMM) series, we reflected on everything from Cricket World Cup, Carnival and Crop Over to national and religious holidays and looked at how celebrations often come with surges in criminal behavior. Drug traffickers look to introduce new drugs and routes and to supply the tourists with their products, arms move to facilitate the illicit trades, and humans are trafficked as both laborers and sex workers to account for surge in people.  Additionally cigarettes, alcohol and meat present new challenges for cutoms and health officials alike.  And new forms of money laundering - including pre-paid credit cards or gift cards to bypass bulk cash laws - can create new challenges.  The discussion also addressed the possibility of using the events schedule to target IUU fishing for specific species.  For those with access to CBSI Connect, watch HERE. 

February 17,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, returned to AsiaOne News to speak with Tom Philpot about the tone and substance of remarks by US officials at the Munic Security Conerence.  While some took the remarks to be reassuring regarding the Trans-Atlantic Alliance, other found them to be of great concern, painting a picture of an expansionist Western Civilization.  With a return to some of the key drivers of 19th Century national identity, much of the rest of the world was also put on notice of a major shift in both NATO and the Euro-Atlantic relationship. Watch HERE. 

February 7,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, returned to AsiaOne News to discuss the end of the New START cap on the number of nuclear weapons held by the two largest nuclear powers, the US and Russia.  He discussed some of the challenges for reestablishing an agreement, particularly with China in the mix, and the implications of what this means for US allies. Watch HERE. 

January 31,  2026

Two years ago today, our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, testified before the United States Congress, and specifically the The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation regarding the "Menace in the Red Sea" and the long-term threats the Houthis would pose.  A full two years later, his predictions - both in the opening statement and in the highly engaging back and forth - have sadly come true.  The Red Sea remains closed to most legitimate maritime commerce, and the governance picture in Yemen still deprives most Yemenis of safety, security, sustenance and sovereignty. It is interesting to watch in retrospect.  Dr. Ralby's remarks begin at 25:50. Watch HERE. 

January 29,  2026

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, presented on "Maritime Law and Security in the Arctic" to the Canadian Embassy as part of its internal Knowledge Initiative.  Dr Ralby talked about the lack of physical capcity, including for search and rescue and response to spills, the shortfall in intellectual development around the Arctic, including legal issues and potential areas for hybrid aggression, and some of the erroneous assumptions about the Arctic that are clouding thinking about how to approach it. 

January 26,  2026

This  new article by our Chair Rohini Ralby and President Dr. Ian Ralby argues that there is a close nexus between IUU Fishing and the destruction of cultural heritage.  It uses the case of Ghana as representative of a phenomenon that is visible around the world where large-scale fishing operations by foreign actors, particularly the Chinese, are working to destroy the cultural heritage of coastal communities, and in the process, weaken the national identity and resilience of those states.  This makes them more susceptible to other forms of malign influence and paves the way for greater foreign control.  This may be a way to help inspire greater political will to counter IUU Fishing - as it is not just about the fish! Read HERE. 

January 22,  2026

The World Economic Forum in Davos has seen a new entity - the Board of Peace - established with unclear mandates and an approach that seems to tee up competition with the United Nations.  Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, shares some perspective on it.  Watch his analysis HERE. 

January 21,  2026

Our president took some time to speak with Charlotte Leslie, former MP and Director of the Conservative Middle East Council, about what is happening in the Red Sea.  The discussion touches on many of the states along the Red Sea coast as well as the extra-regional actors who have contribue to the current security challenges.  Watch and listen HERE. 

January 15,  2026

This new piece by our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, provides a clear and understandable explanation of the legal issues around the tanker chases and seizures that are taking place right now. It also looks at some new wrinkles in how Russia and Iran are operating at sea, as well as how Western foreign policy has helped its key adversaries and competitors form an increasingly close alliance.   Read his article HERE. 

January 15, 2026

The BRICS are more than an economic bloc and their naval exercise expressly seeks to demostrate that.  As the key adversaries and competitors of the United States and Europe increase their military cooperation with naval drills off South Africa, our President, Dr. Ian Ralby offers his perspective.  Watch his analysis HERE. 

January 10, 2026

Only a few months since the Iranian nuclear program was attacked by the United States Armed Forces, the American Administration is threatening a broader intervention in Iran. Our President speaks with AsiaOne News to discuss the likelihood that the United States will act on its threats, the sentiments in Tehran, the comibnation of internal and external pressure and how the sitution in Iran differs from that of Venezuela.  Watch his analysis HERE. 

January 6, 2026

The United States seizure of two vessels in 24 hours raises a variety of new questions about how the US will seek to administer its aggressive positions toward Venezuela.  As one of the tankers was allegedly registered in Russia, geopolitical tensions are running particularly high. Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, offers a bit of clarity amid the chaos. Watch his analysis HERE. 

December 19, 2025

The painting (in the background), “The Deeper War,” by Rohini Ralby, is a gift to the Embassy of Yemen from Auxilium Worldwide. The leadership of Auxilium - Rohini Ralby, Dr. Ian Ralby and Dr. David Soud - worked tirelessly, pro bono, to raise attention to critical issues in Yemen, most notably the implications of the FSO SAFER, and to marshal meaningful action to protect Yemen and the Yemeni people. This painting is a tribute to that effort. (These are the words on the inscribed plaque). 

December 19, 2025

The Caribbean Sun Times published an article covering the launch of our reports on Fish & Flags: Supporting the Caribbean States in Moving from Threatened to Thriving.  Read the coverage HERE.  

December 16, 2025

A new article by Auxilium's Dr. Ian M. Ralby and co-author Philippe Cousteau, published in The Diplomatic Courier, addresses why countries should designate coral reefs as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).  Read article: HERE

December 4, 2025

A new Policy Brief by Auxilium's Dr. David Soud offers groundbreaking insights into the "Illicit flows of gold concentrates in the maritime space."  Perhaps the most overlooked arena for the illicit gold market, large quantities of gold concentrates move, hidden in plain sight, across the world's waterways with impunity.  This Policy Brief is a major resource for maritime law enforcement officials and policymakers around the world. Read the Brief: HERE

December 1, 2025

Auxilium's President, Dr. Ian Ralby, lent his voice and analysis to the Lloyd's List podcast regarding the possibilities of a return to the Red Sea.  As he notes, thinking the Houthis are finished would be a mistake! Have a listen: HERE

November 25, 2025

Coinciding with a release of a new article by Virun Lutchman of CARICOM IMPACS, Dr. Ian Ralby of Auxilium Worldwide and Dr. Ife Okafor-Yarwood of St. Andrews, the three authors came together to speak at this month's iteration of Making Sense of Maritime Matters. They discussed the challenge of our terrestrial focus blinding us to what is really going on at sea. Too often, that means we blame the things we can see for the maritime problems we experience. For those with access to CBSI Connect, watch HERE. 

November 19-20, 2025

As part of its initiative on Fish & Flags: Supporting Caribbean States in Moving from Threatened to Thriving, Auxilium Worldwide has been working with CARICOM IMPACS to address different areas of fisheries crime in the region. Our Head of Resource Responsibility Dr. David Soud spent several days in Barbados this week to serve as the lead subject matter expert on an Eel Trafficking Workshop  Read a write-up of it: HERE

November 13, 2025

Our President Dr. Ian Ralby went on Asia One News to discuss the  end of the US Government shutdown and what challenges remain ahead. Watch the interview: HERE

October 22, 2025

While European States seem to be wanting to take a more aggressive approach to the "shadow fleet" and start boarding all such vessels, our President Dr. Ian Ralby shares with Lloyd's List his concerns that such boardings should not occur without a sense of what will happen next.  It is much easier to board a vessel than to seize it and if the boardings are just to interfere with the navigation of tankers, aggressive states in other parts of the world - like China, Russia or Iran - could use the EU undertaking as a pretext for interfering with freedom of navigation.  Read the article: HERE

October 9, 2025

The Auxilium Worldwide team worked for years to ensure that the Red Sea was not destroyed by a catastrophic oil spill from the FSO SAFER - a floating facility that became a hostage of Yemen's civil war.  Their work helped to catalyze an effort to transfer the oil to a seaworthy vessel, funded by the UN, in 2023.  That new vessel, the YEMEN, is still under UN oversight but now appears to be being used by the Houthis to transfer and store sactioned oil.   Read the article: HERE

September 28, 2025

In our work in the Caribbean, we discovered that nearly every state in the region had at least 2 vessels in another part of the wold, illegally. In this article with the Maritime Executive, Dr. Ian Ralby, our President, analyzes the situation and explains why it matters. This piece arose out of our work with CARICOM IMPACS and the Government of Bermuda, funded through Oceans 5 and the Waitt Institute, respectively.  Read the article: HERE

September 25, 2025

China behaves differently than other states.  This piece by our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, looks at how China's "non-kinetic warfare" effort is actually killing people at sea.  The casualties, however, are neither Chinese nor from the West, and their deaths need to be recognized. Read the article: HERE

August 21 , 2025

Intentionally broadcasting statelessness might seem a strange thing to do to avoid law enforcement, but even though every state would have the right to board (visit) a vessel without nationality outside of 12 nautical miles, very few states would have any plan for what to do once on board. Taking jurisdiction over such a vessel is a dangerous and costly prospect - physically, economically, leagally and politically - and if the coastal state does not perceive any real benefit from doing so, it is likely to avoid the issue. Criminals have used this tactic for a while, so it is unsurprising that sanctioned actors are now adopting the approach. Our Presiden explains this dynmaic in a new piece by Bridget Diakun at Lloyd's List. Read the article: HERE

July 23 , 2025

In this second part of the Lloyd's List podcast on the FSO SAFER, our President Dr. Ian Ralby talks about the use of the SAFER's replacement - the YEMEN - by the Houthis.  Listen to the podcast: HERE

July 21 , 2025

Can you picture what the Sint Maarten flag looks like in your mind? It is the latest obscure flag to be used and abused by sanctioned actors looking to avoid law enforcement. The problem is, Sint Maarten is not actually involved. The United States - home to the company that is perpetrating the fraudulent flagging - is actually more involved in this effort to evade U.S. sanctions (among others).  Follow the Money quotes our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, extensively in this piece.  Read it: HERE

July 9, 2025

Our President, Dr. Ian Ralby, offered eight points on what needs to happen to counter the Shadow Fleet at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. He argued for: 

 
1. A criteria based definition so that Maritime Operations Center watch standers know what too look for in identifying the "shadow fleet."

2. Operational guidance on enforcement jurisdiction and operational art in countering the "shadow fleet" at sea within the confines of existing law, including how to deal with the diversity of sanctions and who can enforce each of them.

3. A legal toolkit to leverage as many national laws as possible that might be useful in lawfully disrupting the "shadow fleet" the way that the mafia was taken down by tax laws and mail fraud.

4. A multinational agreement that, using the agreed definition of the "shadow fleet," declares the "shadow fleet's" transits through the territorial sea as per se non-innocent.

5. Caution regarding the tent problem - if we continue sanction so many different actors around the world (pushing them out of our tent), we may make more challenges for ourselves by creating a tent we can't access. The same is true for de-flagging - they may just choose to operate without flags and find ways to operate with enabling partners. Given most states' challenge of dealing with stateless vessels, this could become a new challenge.

6. Mutual legal assistance to pursue asset forfeiture and take some of the sanctioned assets back from these bad actors.

7. Care in ensuring we do not take actions that diminish the freedom of navigation such that the likes of Russia, China, and Iran use our efforts as an "tu quoque" excuse for diminishing freedom of navigation in other ways.

8. Constant reminders of the difference between peacetime law and wartime law, lest we blend them and tacitly suggest we are embroiled in a world war.