May 2016

UP Periscope: In this issue -- and more!

UP Periscope: In this (MR-2016-3) issue — and more…

IN THIS ISSUE….. Hot and Fresh. Just in case you haven’t heard, this is true: for every MR, an MBF. For every Maritime Review, there is a Maritime Breakfast Forum, a Maritime Lunch Forum occasionally, depending on the calendar or gastronomic preference of the MBF host. the first copies of the Review in the hands of the attendees of the…



Public Consultation on IRR of RA 9993

Remembering VADM Mariano J. Dumancas, Jr.

The idea of giving credit where credit is due on the separation of the Coast Guard from the Navy came about when I got the suggestion last year that we should award VAdm. Mariano J. Dumancas Jr. (FOIC, PN1990-93) with a citation for exactly agreeing to help achieve that result in 1992. I missed to include that idea in our…



US President Obama speech to US and Filipino soldiers at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

Philippine Vulnerabilities in its Rift with China

“[Beijing is] building a Great Wall of sand over islands claimed by several countries. China’s pattern of provocations toward smaller claimant countries on the basis of the sweeping 9-dash Line which is inconsistent with international law, and the wide asymmetry between China’s capabilities and of her weak neighbors, raises serious questions about Chinese intentions.”


2016 Ferry and Safety Conference

The 2nd Annual Ferry and Safety Conference 2016

The goal of the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association’s (WFSA) has been to identify and disseminate approaches, primarily technology-based, to reduce ferry fatalities. They focus on technology because it is often an impetus for social change. The 1st Ferry Safety and Technology Conference 2015 hosted by WFSA sponsored its annual vessel design competition, commissioned student research, convened a technology-based conference, and…


Alusafe 1500 MPV

The Port Authority of Aalesund’s New “Swiss Army Knife”

In early April, Alusafe 1500 MPV, a well-equipped workboat was delivered from Maritime Partner AS. It is the Port Authority of Aalesund’s new workboat, a virtual “Swiss army knife” multi-purpose vessel, named Skansen. The newly developed MPV will carry out an array of assignments along the coast, in the harbour, and along the quay fronts of the Norway’s Aalesund-Sunnmøre region….


G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Continuing Uncertainties

Part I: MILITARY DANGERS AND ECONOMIC RISKS “War is the worst option. Peace is the common goal of all mankind…” — Sun Tzu, “The Art of War” Taiwan’s major newspaper, China Post’s headline on 06 April augured bad news for all of mankind because it announced a huge rise in military spending by countries around the world, thus: “Global military spending…


low tech submarine cartoon

The Philippine Navy should start acquiring submarines, no matter how low tech. Is this a good start, or what?

This reminds me that the United States Navy and the US Department of State in the mid-‘60s had great hopes for the Philippine’s future. After Japan, the trios Taiwan, ROK and [ROK] Singapore had started to take off and they thought we would be the next. That was the message I got from them when they gave us a briefing…


Philippine Forest Turtle

Marine Turtles and the Philippine Forest Turtle

Five of seven marine turtle species (Testudines) in the world can be found in the Philippines. These are the Green turtle, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Olive Ridley, and the Leatherback. These sea turtles are commonly called “Pawikan” in the Philippines. The two other species not present in the Philippines are the Flatback (Natator depressus) and the Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles….