November 2022


A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR MOTHER EARTH

The 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) on Climate Change took place on November 6-20 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The theme of the conference was “Delivering for People and the Planet.” COP27 President, Egypt Foreign Affairs Minister Sameh Shoukry, presided over the conference administered by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Simon Steill.  The 193 member-countries and…


MEPSEAS South-East Asian Marine Protection Project Concludes

The conclusion of a successful 5-year initiative to protect the marine environment in South-East Asia from the negative effects of ships and shipping has been marked at a high-level meeting (25-27 October 2022) in Viet Nam with the adoption of a MEPSEAS-Halong Statement by the participating countries. The Marine Environment Protection of the South-East Asian Seas (MEPSEAS) project has seen…


Korean Register to Support Development of Methanol Bunkering in Ulsan

International classification society Korean Register (KR) and Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) have signed an MOU to support methanol-fueled ships and establish the South Korean port as a low-carbon, eco-friendly energy hub. Methanol is a clean burning marine fuel which produces 99% less sulfur oxides (SOx), 80% less nitrogen oxides (NOx), and 25% less greenhouse gases (GHG) compared to conventional marine…


UN to Use Satellites to Spot Industry Methane Emissions

The maritime industry can help combat climate change by reducing Methane emissions to keep our global temperature at 1.5°C. Industrial Methane emissions are increasing sharply. The UN announced a new satellite-based system to detect Methane emissions and enable the public and private sectors to act on the findings. The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) is the first public global…


Report Examining Ecological Impact of Ammonia as a Shipping Fuel

A joint study released by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Lloyd’s Register (LR), and Ricardo PLC examines the potential marine environmental impacts of Ammonia spills during its use as a shipping fuel. Ammonia generated from renewable energy is considered a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels as the shipping industry decarbonizes. The study, which used extensive modelling due to the scarcity of…


How Does Overfishing Threaten Coral Reefs?

Coral reef fish are a significant food source for over a billion people worldwide. Many coastal and island communities depend on coral reef fisheries for their economic, social, and cultural benefits. But too much of a good thing can be bad for coral reefs. Coral reef ecosystems support important commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishery resources in the U.S and its…


PHL Conveys Accomplishments under a Marine Environment project

As the Marine Environment Protection of the Southeast Asian Seas (MEPSEAS) Project will mark its end in December 2022, the Philippines, as one of the Lead Partnering Countries (LPCs), shared its accomplishments from the said project during the Third High-Level Regional Meeting on MEPSEAS held on 25 to 27 October 2022 at Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam. The Philippine delegation…


Basic Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Review Notes

INTRODUCTION. This article is a product of research by the author on three types of hulls mainly used in the design of fast patrol boats, frigates, and transport vessels of the Navy. Three Types of Hull Planning Hull – designed for motor torpedo boats that typically have a displacement of about 250 tons with a deep V midship section in…


PN Reservist – A Life of Sacrifice and Commitment And It’s All Worth It

Many, up to now, refer to AFP Reservists as “Reservist lang” by which they mean we are not part, or of a lower class compared with the regular force counterpart. They seem to think that we do not share the same “courage” and “heroism” as with a regular soldier, when the time comes for an actual battle to call on…


Fast-growing tilapia harvested after using NFRDI technology

Through the Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute’s (DANFRDI) technology demonstration on tilapia culture that highlights the use of quality strains and extruded floating feeds (EEF), tilapia can be harvested within 3 months after reaching its marketable size. On 6-September-2022, a total of 189.5 kilograms of the Nile and Red tilapia were harvested from the Villar SIPAG Farm…


FRP Boats From BFAR-7 to Asturias, Cebu

BFAR-7, through the Cebu Provincial Fishery Office (PFO), granted Php245,000 worth of fishery livelihood projects to the Asturias Municipal Government to help the town’s small-scale fishermen. Cebu PFO turned over on Friday, 2-September-2022 the projects, specifically two 30-footer fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) boats; one 20-footer FRP boat; and five sets of gill nets. The FRP boats, in particular, were sent…


Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific Aims for Better Accord with PH Navy in Visit

NAVAL STATION JOSE ANDRADA, Manila – The Commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific visited the Philippine Navy (PN) headquarters on 11-November, and discussed about strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines. LT GENERAL William Jurney was received by the acting Flag Officer in Command, MAJ GENERAL Jonas Lumawag, during the former’s courtesy call with the aim…


The City of Pula, Croatia Receives its First Friend of the Sea Sustainable Award

The City of Pula, Croatia has become the first on the global stage to receive the Friend of the Sea Sustainable City Award. This special recognition was delivered on 17-June-2022 by the Founder and Director of the international certification program, Paolo Bray. The award praises the city’s efforts to preserve the environment and improve its citizens’ quality of life by embracing sustainable solutions. The Croatian city…


Naval Air Wing Sends Off ScanEagle UAS Alpha Flight

Sangley Point, Cavite City, September 2022 – The Naval Air Wing (NAW) conducted a simple sendoff ceremony of the ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) at Headquarters Naval Air Wing, Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Sangley Point, Cavite City. Said ceremony was spearheaded by CAPT JUARIO C MARAYAG PN(GSC), Acting Commander, Naval Air Wing. The send-off ceremony marks the first deployment for…


Maritime League VP Re-elected as AGFO President

The Association of General and Flag Officers (AGFO) Inc., reelected Maritime League Vice President VAdm Emilio C Marayag Jr AFP(Ret) as President and Board Chairman for CY 2023 during the recently conducted Annual Membership Meeting and Election on 25-November-2022 at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Admiral Marayag will serve his second year as President and his fifth year as…


U.S. Provides Medical Training and Equipment to Support PCG Operations in Palawan

Manila, 10-November-2022—The U.S. Embassy Civil Affairs Team (CAT) recently donated medical and dive equipment and conducted training for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to support search and rescue and maritime law enforcement operations in Palawan. On 5 November, the donation of 12 sets of dive equipment and emergency medical supplies was turned over to the PCG aboard the MRRV-9701 Teresa…


Around 800,000 Seafarers Will Need Carbon Skill Training by Mid-2030s

An estimated 800,000 seafarers will require additional training by the mid-2030s to enable the shipping industry to transition towards alternative low carbon fuels or zero-carbon fuels and green technologies. The goal is to keep global warming to 1.5C or less by 2050, according to a DNV Study commissioned by the Maritime Just Transition Task Force Secretariat. Findings also point to the uncertainty…


South China Sea Disputes – A Zero Sum Undertaking

Conflicting island and Maritime claims are the subject matters for the South China Sea (SCS) territorial disputes. The sovereign states involved are some ASEAN nations; outside ASEAN would be Taiwan and China. An estimated 3.37 Trillion worth of global trade passes though SCS annually which accounts for a third of the global maritime trade 80mpercent of China’s energy imports and…


A Brief Historical Backgrounder on PHILIPPINES-INDONESIA Military Relations

THE BEGINNINGS On 21-June-1951, a Treaty of Friendship between the Philippines and Indonesia was signed during the administration of President Elpidio R Quirino. Seven years later, the pillars were strengthened with the signing of the Cultural Agreement between the two countries on 29-April-1959 during the term of President Carlos P Garcia, two significant accords that would pave the way for…


Book Review: Cyberspace in Peace and War

INTRODUCTION. This book is a way to make you a more intelligent critic of decisions that countries make with respect to threats from cyberspace. It is for those who ask what their country should do about cyberespionage or whether countries should integrate cyberspace into their threat planning, or cyberwar into their war planning, including military power. PART I. FOUNDATIONS EMBLEMATIC…