Maritime Review (July – August 2022 Issue)
(Click the cover to download the PDF version of the magazine.)
July 2022
Dangerous Ground
The first time I came across the term “dangerous ground” was during my sea phase training in September 1976 on board BRP Rizal, a fleet minesweeper, when the ship conducted resupply of the marines deployed in Spratlys. The nautical charts then were blueprint copies but one could not miss the words “dangerous ground” printed in the charts in bold letters….
Our National Security Interests
National Security Policy 2017-2022 is a declaration of the government’s commitment to continuously develop a national security system that is rules-based, able to effectively respond not only to security threats but also to opportunities beneficial to the national interest. Enhancing the process, scope, and organizational cohesiveness of the national security system is imperative for the Government, with the support of…
Speech of Senator Aquilino “KOKO” Pimentel
Honored trustees, officers, and esteemed members of the Maritime League, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant morning to all! I would like to begin by thanking the Maritime League and your President and Chairman, retired Vice Admiral Eduardo R. Santos, for the opportunity to address today’s Maritime Conference. Thank you too to retired Vice Admiral Edmund Tan for coordinating…
BFAR Central Office Receives Highest Audit Rating From COA
State auditors have affirmed efforts of the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to maintain transparency and accountability in its financial activities, as the Commission on Audit renders an unqualified opinion on DA-BFAR Central Office’s financial statements for 2021—a first in the history of BFAR. An unqualified opinion is the highest audit rating given by the COA…
World Celebrates Day of The Seafarer
The world celebrated Day of the Seafarer on Saturday 25 June, with a collective mix of memories and tales of life at sea. For 2022, the campaign of the Day of the Seafarer, with the theme ‘Your voyage – then and now, share your journey’, looked at seafarer voyages – what they include, how they have evolved over time, and what remains…
MARINA celebrates 48th Year – Charts New Course Through Innovation and Transformation
“In the past year, the MARINA was outstanding in giving service to the Filipino people. Our team, charting a new course through innovation and transformation, exemplify what MARINA has become over the past year, or even the past two years.” That’s what the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Administrator Vice Admiral Robert A Empedrad AFP (Ret) said during the agency’s…
NCWC Holds Workshops on Small Craft Intelligence and SeaVision
The Australian Embassy in Manila hosted the Small Craft Intelligence and Targeting Workshop held at the New World Hotel, Makati City. Four (4) analysts and watch-standers of the National Coast Watch Center participated in the workshop from 30 March to 03-June-2022. Experts from the Australia Department of Home Affairs and Australia Border Force shared their best practices and expertise in…
Ship Operators Benefitted from Workshops Conducted by the OTS
Ship operators in Cebu benefitted from the recently conducted Ship Security Assessment (SSA) and Ship Security Plan (SSP) Development Workshops by the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) at the Port of Cebu from June 08 to 10, 2022. The said workshops were free-of-charge. After a series of virtual meetings and roundtable discussions with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Maritime Industry…
PH-US conduct Marine Aviation Support Activity 2022
CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City–The Armed Forces of the Philippines through the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Forces Pacific opened the Marine Aviation Support Activity 2022 (MASA 22) on 6-June-2022 at the PMC headquarters in Taguig City. Activities commenced on 6-June-2022 in the province of Palawan which includes combined joint forward arming and refueling demonstration,…
RIMPAC-Bound BRP Antonio Luna reaches Guam on PH Independence Day, Proudly Raises Flag
Naval Station Jose Andrada, Manila. Philippine Navy frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) docked at U2 Pier on June 12 in time for the commemoration of the 124th Philippine Independence Day. Members of the Naval Task Group 80.5 proudly saluted the National Flag as it was raised while BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) was docked at Naval Base Guam. To also mark…
Missile-Equipped MPACs Arrive in Eastern Mindanao
The Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao welcomes the Philippine Navy’s Littoral Combat Force’s 4th Boat Attack Division comprised of three Mk3 class Multi-Purpose Assault Craft (MPAC) at Naval Station Felix Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City. These attack boats increase the capabilities of the Philippine Naval Forces in Eastern Mindanao and boost the maritime security in the area These assets are part of…
The Ukraine Crisis and the ‘West Philippine Sea:’ The Necessity of Self-Defense in International Law
There have been a number of comments in the domestic discourse on the Ukraine crisis – both on social media and mainstream media – but unfortunately, a discussion of the legal aspect seems to be wanting. An understanding of these issues cannot be sufficiently had without taking into account the pertinent rules of international law. For weeks the United States…
Variant Ship Designs of Amphibious Support Vessels of a NAVY
INTRODUCTION This article is a research paper on the variant ship design of an amphibious landing support vessel of a navy in support of marine landing operation on a hostile shore. Various ship designs were considered of this type of vessel to show the development from the old LST model to a modern Amphibious Landing Dock vessel. The following narratives…
Smuggled Imported Gasoline Intercepted in Tawi-Tawi
Maritime Police in Tawi-tawi nabbed a 50-year old male for possession of alleged smuggled gasoline in the seawaters of Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi on 21-June-2022. Operatives of Tawi-Tawi Maritime Police Station led by PLT ROBERT D SAMSON, Officer-in-Charge together with Tawi-Tawi PIT, RIU 9 and Coast Guard Central Station, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi onboard HSTW No.17, conducted an intel driven seaborne patrol operation regarding…
PCG Participates in the 7th Contact Group on Sulu and Celebes Seas
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant, CG Admiral Artemio M Abu participated in the 7th Contact Group on Sulu and Celebes Seas (CGSCS) in Makati City on 28-June-2022. The Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) initiates CGSCS every two years. It brought together PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Abu; Indonesian Maritime Agency…
50,000 Seeds of Bighead Carp Released by BFAR-4A in Laguna Lake
LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, 3-June-2022. 50,000 pieces of Bighead Carp seedlings were dropped into Laguna Lake under the Balik Sigla River and Lake program or BASIL. The seedlings were released in Laguna Lake which covers the towns of Pangil, Siniloan, Paete, Pakil and Kalayan, Laguna. 10,000 pieces of Bighead Carp seedlings were allocated for each town. The launch was successful under…
SBMA and PNP-MG Partner to Provide Security for Subic Bay
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), through its Maritime Group (PNP-MG), signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that will provide better security for the waters of Subic Bay. The MOA signing transpired between SBMA Chairman and Administrator Rolen C. Paulino and PNP-MG Director Police Brigadier General Harold B. Tuzon, and was witnessed by Deputy…
PPA PMO NCR South Conducts Live Simulation Exercise to Handle Various Port Threats
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Port Management Office (PMO) of NCR-South, through its Port Police Division (PPD), conducted a live Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) on bomb threat or bomb attack, drug interdiction, and arson scenarios on 8-June-2022 at the Terminal Management Office of Pasig. The simulation was spearheaded by Station Commander Billy L. Estrada, in cooperation and participation by the Philippine…
PCG Installs 5 Buoys Carrying Flag in the WPS
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) successfully installed five 30-FOOT-LONG NAVIGATIONAL BUOYS CARRYING THE PHILIPPINE FLAG in four critical islands in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) – Lawak Island, Likas Island, Parola Island, and Pag-asa Island. On 18-May-2022, PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Artemio M Abu led the arrival ceremony for the five Coast Guard vessels that laid out the SYMBOLS OF…
USNA-PHIL Graduates Serving in the Philippine Navy
Admittance alone into the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland is already an achievement in and of itself. The USNA admission is the most selective with an acceptance rate of 9%. Half of the midshipmen have an SAT score somewhere between 1230-1450. A quarter of midshipmen admitted score even higher. To enter, first, you would need to be a…
Southeast Asia’s First Submarine Forces: The Royal Thai Navy and The Indonesian Navy Submarine Force
The two oldest undersea forces established on 04-September-1937 and 12-September-1959 have the distinction of having the first Submarine Forces in the Southeast Asian region. These are the Royal Thai Navy and the Indonesian Navy Force. The Royal Thai Navy acquired its first Submarines through bidding which was won by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan for a price 75,000 Pounds for…
Book Review: The Sailor’s Bookshelf: 50 Books to Know the Sea
The author, ADM James Stavridis USN (Ret) shares vignettes from 50 out of more than 5,000 books he had read during his naval career at sea. A combination of fiction and non-fiction, some are about the oceans of the world, some are about history, and some are books that are fundamental for sailors to learn and further hone their craft….
U.S. Navy Ship to be Named for Filipino Sailor Telesforo Trinidad
U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced on 19-May-2022 that a future destroyer will be named the USS Telesforo Trinidad in honor of a Filipino sailor who rescued a crew members when their ship caught fire more than a century ago. Despite his face being burned by an explosion, he still went back inside the ship to save…