Maritime Review (Jan – Feb 2020 Issue)
(click cover to download the magazine)
January 2020
Farewell to Peace?
With high spirits, the nation greeted the year 2020 with fresh hope that life would be much better and that the world would be more peaceful than the past year. That hope did not last long as renewed human conflict in the Middle East ensued three days after New Year with the killing of a top Iranian general accused of…
We Need to Address Forest Fires
Deforestation is a serious challenge for the whole world Forests cover about 30% of the planet’s land mass but humans are cutting them down, clearing these essential habitats on a massive scale. Intentional clearing of forests is one thing (not recommended, for sure) but deforestation likewise includes a major problem whose causes are mostly natural and accidental. Wild fires is…
Personality Sketch: VADM ROBERT ARUGAY EMPEDRAD AFP, 37th Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy
The path to becoming the 37th Flag Officer in Command was one set upon by VADM Robert A Empedrad AFP without full intention. In fact, several times in the course of his long career, his plan had not God’s plan. “It’s not my intention to join the PMA. Gusto ko talaga maging (I really wanted to be) an electronic engineer,”…
Being Amongst Living Heroes
I am often lost for words to truly describe my experience spending precious time with my classmates in Naval Command and Staff Course Class 86. All my life I wanted to be a soldier, but the Almighty God did not give me an answer to such calling, and the reason why is very much obvious to me. Simply…
Norwegian Researchers Find Viking Boat Burial Site
Archaeologists of the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU) have discovered a new ship burial site –by sheer luck– using new georadar technology that dates the find back to the Viking or Merovingian eras. The remains of the ship are located just below the surface within what was once a burial mound, making the ship most likely a Viking…
The Long Blue Line: Leyte Liberation—Merry Christmas From the General and the Dead of LST-66
People of the Philippines: I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God our forces stand again on Philippine soil—soil consecrated in the blood or our two peoples. We have come dedicated and committed to the task of destroying every vestige of enemy control over your daily lives, and of restoring upon a foundation of indestructible strength, the liberties of…
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA: Reframing the narrative from one of contestation to consensus-building and cooperation
(A presentation made by (DENR) Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta-Teh during the Roundtable Discussion on West Philippine Sea/South China Sea organized by the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations (PCFR) and Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) held on 9-October-2019 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) CURRENT STATE OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES IN…
India Joins the Hong Kong Convention
The Indian Union Cabinet approved the proposal of entering to the Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, being the 14th country to join the convention, following the most recent member, Germany. India is a leader of the global ship recycling industry, with a share of more than 30% of the market. The industry being…
International Law of Naval Warfare Is Set for an Update
In mid-December, the U.S. Naval War College gathered experts in naval operations and maritime law for a conference on an upcoming revision to the San Remo Manual, the principal legal document regarding armed conflicts at sea. “The San Remo Manual is one of the most respected compilations of the law of naval warfare, and we are so proud to engage…
South Korea’s Fisheries Laws Improve, but Vigilance Is Needed
South Korea’s revision of its Distant Water Fisheries Development Act is crucial progress in tackling illegal fishing, as it allows deterrent sanctions to be applied quickly and efficiently, say a group of international and Korean NGOs. However, they also raise concerns about the new head of a key agency that certifies seafood legality. The official was in post when serious…
New DNV GL Joint Industry Report Offers Recommendations for Enhanced Battery Safety on Vessels
In collaboration with the Norwegian, Danish and US maritime authorities, battery manufacturers, system integrators, suppliers of fire extinguishing systems, shipyards and shipowners, DNV GL has released a new report on battery safety in ships, titled “Technical Reference for Li-ion Battery Explosion Risk and Fire Suppression” dated 11-November-2019. The report assesses explosion and fire risks in maritime battery installations and the…
Global Expansion Efforts by China From My Perspective
My past research efforts have been mostly directed to Philippine environmental issues, maritime encroachment in Philippine waters as well as maritime safety issues as they impact the Philippines in both the West Philippine Sea as well as the China Sea to the north. I have since broadened my research to not only maritime issues –from the West Philippine Sea to…
ReCAAP ISC Incidence Alerts on Singapore Strait (September-December)
In the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre weekly report for 24-30 December, it informed of 3 actual incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia. Of these, 1 incident occurred while a ship anchored at Panjang Customary Anchorage, Indonesia; and 2 occurred to ships while underway in the Eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait. The…
Marlink Unveils Bridgelink Digital Enablement Platform
Marlink has unveiled BridgeLink, a technology agnostic solutions portfolio designed to interconnect onboard Operational Technology (OT) within a standardized data structure. BridgeLink addresses compatibility and interfacing challenges by providing an open, technology agnostic platform for unifying onboard equipment and sensors with network infrastructure and satellite IP connectivity, so that data from any system can be accessed, collected and shared in…
WindEurope Report “Our Energy, Our Future” – How Offshore Wind Will Help Europe Go Carbon-Neutral
E.U.’s offshore wind goals are achievable. The E.U. Commission’s goals for attaining 230GW-450GW of offshore wind by 2050 are achievable provided the right investments in electricity grids, and the European Governments take the right approach to maritime spatial planning. Such is the conclusion of the WindEurope Report, Our Energy, Our Future. The goal of 450GW offshore wind is…
Shipowners save Time and Money using CLIIN Cargo Hold Robot
The dry bulk industry could greatly reduce the risk of cargo contamination, surveyor non-compliance hold-ups, and charter party disputes while substantially reducing cargo hold cleaning costs, according to CLIIN, the safe and environmentally-friendly robot technology revolutionizing ship cargo hold cleaning. CLIIN, which has so far deployed robots to shipowners’ Ultrabulk A/S, Norden A/S, J. Lauritzen A/S, and Oldendorff Carriers, claims…
Timor-Leste Government chooses Damen for RoPax delivery
Recently, the Republic of Timor-Leste and Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract agreeing provision of a new RoPax Ferry 6716. The vessel will operate a route between the Timor-Leste capital Dili, the Oecusse enclave, and the island of Ataúro, providing regular transportation of passengers, vehicles and goods on the north coast of the island. The contract was signed at the…
10 Tips to Improve Ship Recycling
Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore urged the shipping industry to adopt higher standards in ship recycling. Thus, BVS provides insight into meeting ship recycling requirements, as well as 10 tips to achieve compliance. The NGO Shipbreaking Platform issued its Q3 2019 results noting there were 122 ships broken, of which 73 were sold to the beaches of South Asia…
The Cebu Port Authority
The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) was created through the enactment of Republic Act No. 7621 signed on 26-June-1992 to specifically administer all ports located in Cebu Province, thus, effectively separating these ports from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). On 01-January-1996, CPA began operations and officially took over all Cebu ports. The territorial jurisdiction of the CPA includes all ports, seas,…
PPA PMO MisOr/CDO shares Christmas Cheers to Stranded Passengers, Fire Victims
Some 280 passengers stranded at the Cagayan de Oro Port in Barangay Macabalan due to inclement weather brought about by Typhoon Ursula (International name: Phanfone) were fortunate they have a sympathetic port management office quick to react to the plight of the stranded passengers. Instead of proceeding to their intended destinations in Cebu and Bohol, the affected passengers had to…
Ten New Insights in Climate Science 2019
The world continues to emit greenhouse gases while our planet’s climate is changing faster than ever. The 10 New Insights in Climate Science 2019 report intends to take up the latest and most essential scientific findings published in an extraordinary year –the climate science year in review. The world is not on track Greenhouse gas emissions continue increasing; gap between…
Analysis of Storm Surges in Manila Bay
Background The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines storm surge as the abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide. The surge is caused primarily by storm winds pushing water onshore (NOAA, 2019). The amplitude of a storm surge is attributed to several factors…
Agusan Marsh
The Agusan Marsh, located in the province of Agusan del Sur, Northeastern Mindanao, was declared a protected area by Presidential Proclamation no. 913 dated 31-October-1996. Total protected area is 19,196.56 hectares (14,835.99 hectares core zone; and 4,360.57 hectares buffer zone). Agusan Marsh controls the flooding in the Agusan River by sponging the high level of water, thus preventing flooding in…