October 2020


Securing All Sides of the Philippine Maritime Territory

As an archipelagic State, the Philippines’ maritime interests go beyond the West Philippine Sea / South China Sea, although it usually gets the most public attention. While promoting and protecting the rights of the Philippines in that area, the Department of Foreign Affairs, in particular the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, has also been tirelessly making efforts in addressing other…


The Global Commons

The global commons refer to the four domains where mother earth’s shared natural resources, outside of national jurisdiction, are found: maritime, air, space and cyberspace. Among these, the oldest is the maritime domain, followed by air in early 20th century with the discovery of human flight; followed by airspace with the launching of satellites into outer space in the 1950s;…


Very Significant U.S. Foreign Policy Statements on the Disputes in the South China Sea

Notably preceded and followed by major military movements, I wonder what would be the impact on RP’s claim on certan islands and sea areas in the SCS. Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914), graduate of the US Naval Naval Academy, wrote of the interdependence of military might and seaborne commerce, “whoever controls the sea lanes controls the islands; who controls islands controls…


51 Incidents of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia and 2 Incidents in Batangas

ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) today released its Half-Yearly Report 2020 (January-June). Highlights of the Report, whose information is verified by the respective government agencies, also known as ReCAAP Focal Points, and regional authorities, are summarized below: Overall Situation 51 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships (comprising 50 actual and 1 attempted incident) were reported in Asia during…



Vessel Call Optimization

Many actors including those[1] who participated in the recently published guide on “Just In Time” acknowledged the need for improved communication between ship and shore-side. Although, the guide focuses only on ships that sometimes wait due to the lack of updates from port stakeholders, it is also important and fair to remind that cooperation between shipping lines and port terminals…


Reefer Shipping to Outpace Dry Cargo Trade Despite Container Shortages

Growth in seaborne perishable cargo slowed in 2019 but is forecast to better weather the COVID-19 induced economic storm than the dry cargo trade given the broader resilience of the food supply chain. Meanwhile, availability of refrigerated container equipment is forecast to tighten as buoyant trade and continued modal shift boost expansion in reefer cargo carried by containerships, according to…



Marine Lubricants Market to Brace Itself for Robust Growth

At a time when maritime transport has become the backbone of international trade, marine lubricants have gained significant traction. Given that around 80% of global trade by volume and more than 70% of global trade by value are handled by ports and undertaken at sea, developing and developed economies have upped their investments in marine lubricants. With the share of…


Liquid Carbon Dioxide Transport Project to Start in Sweden

Gothenburg and Sweden could be the first in the world to create a joint infrastructure for the transport of liquefied. The project called CinfraCap is a collaborative venture between Göteborg Energi, Nordion Energi, Preem, St1, Renova, and Gothenburg Port Authority. CCS is widely regarded as a key component in the transition of the global energy system, and several research and…


What is MGO?

The mega ships burn tons of fuel everyday to propel their engines and deliver their massive loads to different ports. Ship engines have been known to use low-grade fuel oil to lower the ship’s operating costs, since the share of fuel cost can reach between 30-50% of total operating costs of a ship. It is not a simple decision to…



Japanese Consortium Working on World’s First CO2 Capture at Sea

A Japanese consortium is working to conduct test operations and measurements for a small-scale ship-based CO2 capture demonstration plant. Under the name “Carbon Capture on the Ocean” (CC-Ocean), the project seeks to achieve CO2 capture at sea in a world’s first. The Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, K Line and…


Six New Energy Efficient Container Vessels

We continue to fulfill our commitment to create a positive impact on the environment with the addition of 6 new energy efficient reefer container vessels to our fleet. The addition of the new vessels named – Del Monte Gold, Del Monte Rose, Del Monte Harvester, Del Monte Spirit, Del Monte Valiant and Del Monte Pride – marks a new chapter…


Sailing on Sustainability: The Comeback of Wind Power?

As the shipping industry ramps up efforts to decarbonize, initial sea trials onboard a Maersk tanker fitted with Norsepower Rotor Sails indicate that wind power has the potential to play a significant role in a low carbon ocean transport system. Early results from a sea trial onboard the 109,647 DWT Maersk Pelican fitted with two meters high, five meters in…


Bloom, Samsung Sign Deal to Develop Ships Powered by Fuel Cells Fed by LNG

Bloom Energy and South Korea-based Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) signed a joint development agreement to design and develop fuel cell-powered ships. The two companies will work together to use Bloom fuel cells to cut emissions on ships, a sizable source of pollution. The fuel cells would produce electricity that would power the ships via liquefied natural gas (LNG). Bloom’s main…


Innovative Engineless Sail Cargo Ship Next Step in Maritime Transition

On Friday 24-July-2020 at the Maritiem Museum Rotterdam the half hull model of the EcoClipper500 has been handed over to the founder of the EcoClipper B.V. shipping company: Captain Jorne Langelaan, by the constructor, ship carpenter Leo Boogerd in cooperation with Bert van Baar of the Bootbouwschool and Cadhead’s Marijke de Jong. The building of this half hull model is…


Combined Operations Effectiveness Integrations Appraisal Study (COEIAS) on a Newly Acquired Frigate by the Philippine Navy

INTRODUCTION Warship design originates from the following order of priority: Doctrine development in regard to the manner in which the Navy will address the strategic concepts of responding against the challenges of threat. The Naval Staff & Circular of Requirements are parameters desired by the Navy in the development and design that will lead to shape the performance and capabilities…


World’s First Full Scale Ammonia Engine Test to Begin

The technology group Wärtsilä, with Knutsen OAS Shipping, Repsol, and Sustainable Energy Catapult Centre, will commence the world’s first long term, full-scale, testing of ammonia as a fuel in a marine four-stroke combustion engine. The testing is made possible by a 20 MNOK grant from the Norwegian Research Council through the DEMO 2000 program, a statement said. “This is a…



PPA’s 46 Years of Promoting Nation-Building Through integrity and dedicated public service in ports for every Filipino

The year 2020 was supposed to be a prosperous year for the entire world according to fortune-tellers. Everybody was upbeat. The business community, government economic leaders, and GOCCs like the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) were anticipating unprecedented opportunities ushered in by the new year and a new decade. And then, disaster struck. In the first quarter of the year alone,…


Palawan – The Philippines’ Last Frontier

Brief History Palawan’s textured history can be traced back over millions of years. Bone fragments, the skull cap remains and tools of the Tabon Man – one of the oldest remnants of human inhabitants found in the Philippines at 22,000 years old – were discovered in 1962 in the Tabon Caves in Quezon, Palawan. It is believed that these cave…