Maritime Review (September-October 2018 Issue)
(click cover to download the magazine)
September 2018
China’s Maritime Strategy: A Whole of Nation Approach
The 2016 ruling of Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) did not dissuade China from conducting activities to demonstrate its military might in South China Sea (SCS), and its obvious disregard for rules-based international order. It dispatched a naval task group in the area in early 2017 consisting of an aircraft carrier and several surface and subsurface combatants for naval drills….
Revisiting the Sinking of the SS Corregidor
In the Mar-Apr 2016 (MR16-2) issue, I wrote about the sinking of SS Corregidor on 17-December-1941 that resulted in the death of my late father, an Army Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers on that fateful night, as he sailed on the SS Corregidor to rejoin his unit in Davao. He was the Assistant City Engineer and was called to…
TOBAW 2018 Awardees
The Outstanding Boholanos Around the World (TOBAW) Awards is the most prestigious award given to honor Boholanos who have shown professional excellence in their chosen field of endeavor, and whose community and humanitarian involvement have significantly contributed to the Boholano community, nationwide, or internationally, through philanthropic efforts and/or volunteerism. The 10 TOBAW Awardees were given recognition on 22-July-2018, coincident with…
The continental shelf, the exclusive economic zone, the Philippine Rise, they are not Philippine territory: Comments on the National Territory Provision
The Consultative Committee has presented to President Rodrigo R. Duterte the Draft Federal Constitution. Below are some comments that may be made in respect of the provision on National Territory contained in the draft that has been released online. ARTICLE I NATIONAL TERRITORY SECTION 1 The Philippines has sovereignty over its territory, consisting of the islands and waters encompassed by…
Dredging for Gold in the Bering Sea
The snow has thawed enough for the gold dredging season to kick off, and dredgers in Nome, Alaska, are ready to be on the water in search of hidden treasures on the Bering Sea floor. With boats in the water and deckhands aboard, these gritty and independent men and women are ready to hit the season hard in hopes of…
Defense Buildup
As far back as 1991, I was vocal about investing in our defense, should the government decide to let go of the U.S. bases on account of a provision in the 1987 constitution mandating “no foreign troops on Philippine soil.” Up to that point, the U.S. was our defense shield, and if we were to give it up then we…
Philippine Borders and Customs Security Concerns
The Philippines, being an archipelago, has no land borders with neighboring countries. Unlike some countries in Northern Africa like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, that have problems with porous borders between countries, the Philippines is spared of that kind of border problem. However, while these North African countries share the same stretch of coastline along the Mediterranean Sea, the…
New Spanish Submarine too Big to Berth at Naval Dock
Spain had designed a new submarine. However, the project encountered some physical and engineering problems. In turn, the solutions to these problems created even new problems. At first, it was a design error, which made the submarine unable to float. The solution was to make the submarine longer. As an unfortunate result, the new size of the submarine ended up…
Automation for Maritime: The Future of Shipping and Ports
Automation is only going one way. How will it impact you? It’s estimated that tens of thousands of dollars could be saved each day by introducing automation to a single container vessel – but is this realistically on the horizon? We’ve spoken at length about drones being used in the future, but what about ships and ports? Ports. Container cranes…
LIFT Project Streamlines Shipbuilding Process, Enables Increased Use of Lightweight Metals
Detroit’s LIFT, “Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow,” a Manufacturing USA institute, announced the creation of a new process which introduces the opportunity for shipbuilders to save production costs and improve build time — all while reducing distortion of lightweight materials. The Joining-3 Project, led by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division, with partners in government, NSWC-Carderock Division, NAVSEA and industry, including…
Autonomous Straddle Carrier Boosts Efficiency
A container straddle carrier with an autonomous navigation system is helping improve operational efficiency during its final testing phase. Developed by China-headquartered Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (B), the straddle carrier can undertake self-repositioning, handling, stacking, loading and unloading, as well as transporting empty containers. The benefits of automating these tasks include energy savings, lower maintenance costs, environmental protection…
Overview of Hull Design of Diesel Electric Submarines with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System
INTRODUCTION Stealth is the main reason for acquiring a submarine. Submarine-warfare is governed by avoiding being detected underwater by controlled sound propagation and crew activities on-board. Submarine invincibility is lost and the effective use of her weapon system would be denied once her presence underwater is detected. The submarine is a sitting duck because her location, rate of motion, and…
The Port of Davao
The Port of Davao is a seaport located in the island of Mindanao. The Port of Davao consists of a number of ports, all within the Davao Gulf, which is part of the Celebes Sea, but its main office and seaport is located at Sasa, Davao City. The Sasa Wharf is one of the largest and busiest piers in the…
The Top 10 International Shipping Centers
Singapore is considered as the top world’s shipping centre for the fifth year in a row, followed by Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, and Dubai. The outcome is based on the International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCD) issued by Baltic Exchange and Xinhua news agency. The index, which was first introduced in 2014, ranks 43 of the largest global ports and…
Size Isn’t Everything
It’s reassuring that even in the ports world, the best things can come in smaller parcels. Drewry’s new global container port connectivity index has thrown up some unexpected stars – and pushed some giants further down the list than they might ever have expected. Drewry launched its bespoke index in order to rank and monitor how well connected the world’s…
GenSan, South Cotabato – Tuna Capital of the Philippines
General Santos City (GenSan) is located in South Cotabato, in southwest Mindanao, and is a modern fish port. Its original name was Dadiangas, but was later renamed General Santos after the city’s founder, General Paulino Santos, who was a former commanding general of the Philippine Army. As the Tuna capital of the Philippines, GenSan carries the flag for South Cotabato…
The Saga of the Tañon Strait
The Tañon Strait is a body of water, situated between the islands of Negros and Cebu in the Visayas region. The Strait is about 100 miles (161 km) long, and connects the Visayan Sea in the north to the Bohol Sea in the south. Its width varies from 3-17 miles (5 to 27 km), with the narrowest point in the…
Maersk Supply Service to Support Ocean Cleanup
Maersk Supply Service will, in the coming months, provide marine support to The Ocean Cleanup, the Dutch non-profit that is developing advanced technologies to rid the oceans from plastic, and install their first cleanup system in the North Pacific. This moment will mark the start of the World’s first large-scale initiative for collection of floating ocean-plastic debris. Global plastic production…
Ocean Trash
We are killing the Earth with pollution. It’s true. Just have a look at the recent local news regarding Boracay Island and other notable tourist-resort areas in the Philippines. The problem is extensive and growing. But don’t stop there. Have a look at this problem on a global level. The world’s oceans are awash in trash. Due to ocean currents…
Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) The Search for the Country’s Outstanding Coastal Community
With the culmination of the second Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) The Search for the Country’s Outstanding Coastal Community, the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) is now accepting nominations for the third season of MMK. An annual program by the DA through the BFAR, MMK gives recognition and incentives to outstanding coastal communities for their…