Philippines largest shipyard operator Hanjin Heavy Industries-Philippines (HHIP) has reserved an additional 150 hectares of land for the expansion of its Subic yard in its bid to handle swelling orders for new buildings as well as other projects. The expansion, which has an estimated investment cost of about $1 billion, is being geared towards the platform for the new Malampaya…
Last 18 August, FVR keynoted the 6th Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation (PBGEC) Forum in Nanning, Guangxi Province, and People’s Republic of China upon the invitation of the People’s Government of Guangxi and the China Development Institute. The PBGEC was established in July 2006 to reinforce the strategic partnership between China and ASEAN, boost bilateral and sub-regional economic cooperation, and speed…
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) recommended seven corrective measures on occupational safety and health which the Keppel Subic Shipyard, Inc. management should implement to avoid the recurrence of the recent mishap in the said shipyard. Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said the seven measures by DOLE resulted from the investigation of the Department’s inspection team which was…
Stakeholders in the maritime industry has again called on the Philippine government to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 (MLC 2006) in order that it will be one of the thirty ratifying countries required for the convention to take effect. The campaign for the early ratification MLC2006 is the focus of this year’s celebration of the 16th National Seafarers’…
A strong blend of respected international speakers, a thought-provoking agenda and the presence of leading industry players is turning the 12th Asia Pacific Manning and Training Conference into one of the most important international conferences to be held in the Philippines this year. The event will bring to Manila more than 350 participants representing 40 of the biggest international maritime…
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has revoked the 50-50 sharing agreement in arrastre fees in all ports nationwide in instances where cargo handlers (CH) uses the equipment of shipping lines in its bid to force cargo handling service operators to procure their own facilities. “In this regard, PPA MC No. 01-2009 prescribing the 50-50 sharing on the arrastre fees in…
Domestic shipping giant Negros Navigation Co. (Nenaco) has purchased another vessel to further improve its fleet and maintain its lead over its nearest counterpart. The new vessel is also expected to increase the capacity of its passage sector as well as the capacity of its cargo sector wherein Nenaco is focusing at the moment. According to Nenaco chair Sulficio Tagud,…
Sister firms Lorenzo Shipping Corp. (LSC) and NMC Container Lines (NMC) have formed a joint venture to handle all the companies’ cargo handling chores nationwide. The JV, which will be named One Team Services, Inc., will be a 50-50 sharing agreement between the two Magsaysay-owned local cargo handling operators. “One Team Services, Inc. will develop competencies to eventually handle the…
The STCW convention, mainly addressing the competency and training standards for crew on board merchant ships, was amended in Manila, June of 2010 where it received a thorough overhaul. The convention first saw daylight in 1978, and then again in 1995 with the current convention which has been serving its purpose well by aligning training and certification standards across the…
As April ended and May started, ships that had called at Japanese ports post-radiation leaks finally found their way to European and US ports. And what greeted them was a disjointed mix of reactions and confused strategies on screening and decontamination plans. Tactics ranged from outright expulsion and outside port limits radiation checks, to random spot checks and written guarantees….
Atty. Juan C. Sta. Ana visited Bicol on March 15-16, 2011, marking his third out-of-town trip since his appointment as PPA General Manager. Accompanied by AGM for Corporate Affairs & Special Projects/Port District Manager for Southern Luzon, Hector E. Miole, Sta. Ana led the launching of the Roll-On, Roll-Off (RORO) service along the route connecting the Ports of Nato to…
On May2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed by gunshot wounds to the head and chest during a raid on his compound in Pakistan. This death of the founder of al-Qaeda, the ultra-militant Islamist organization, will carry mixed results globally. The impact to South East Asia is a high probability of terrorist attack(s) targeted against the maritime community in the…
The Maritime League, a non-profit Filipino maritime foundation in cooperation with both the government and maritime stakeholders in the country is organizing a 2-days maritime event dubbed the 1st Philippines International Maritime Conference and Exhibition (PIMCE 2011) this November 14 to 15. With the theme “The Philippines – A land of Maritime Opportunity”, the event is aimed at providing venue…
With China’s domestic rail network already developing at a rapid pace, the Chinese government is planning to go international, with plans underway to create a regional rail network stretching as far as Singapore. Strategically positioned in south-western China, Kunming is set to become the key regional hub connecting China and Southeast Asia. The planned railway network will help boost trade…
The International Maritime Employers Cooperation (IMEC), the largest international organization dealing exclusively with maritime industrial relations, held its annual general meeting in London following a meeting of the IMEC Board of Directors held on the previous day. During the meeting, many areas of interest to the maritime sector were discussed including piracy, the ongoing International Bargaining Forum negotiations and the…
In anticipation of the influx of passengers that will be passing through the ports with the upcoming opening of classes come June, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) are continuously and strictly adopting appropriate measures to ensure the safety, security and convenience of the passengers, ships and cargoes in the ports. Among the measures that shall be continuously undertaken especially during…
Asian Terminals Inc., the country’s second largest port operator, said that it has extra cash for possible port acquisition this year after the company disposed its grains terminal last year. Eusebio Tanco, ATI president, told reporters that the company has around P1 billion to spend for port acquisition for this year and expand its presence in the country. “Any opportunity…
The data revealed that total traffic plummeted by some 32.723 million kilograms (kg) or 5.81% to 563.080 million kg from 595.804 million kilograms handled in 2009. The data also added that Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and PAL remain the top carriers of cargo. The data also showed that cargo volume is highest in September 2010 totaling to about 58.429 million…
The Manila North Harbour Port, Inc. (MNHPI) has cancelled all lease agreements at the North Harbor to pave the way for the increase in all rental rates at the country’s premier but most inefficient port. MNHPI has already informed their stakeholders to make the necessary arrangements with the company in order to continue their business at the port. Latest data…
In its bid to facilitate the compliance of the Philippines to certain safety issues raised by the United States Federal Aviation Authority (US FAA), flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has tapped a third party to help the country regain the category I status for its aviation industry. PAL said they already signed a contract with Tim Neel & Associates, LLC (TNA),…
Improved transport and logistics among Asian countries will result to regional integration and most importantly overwhelming trade gains, according to the lead transport economist of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Peter Darjes, ADB lead transport economist said over the last 5 years, Asian trade growth was at 8 percent in real terms, between Asian and the rest of the world….
International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) recently named Jose Manuel De Jesus as president of Davao International Port Stevedoring Services Corporation (DIPSSCOR) and Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC) and Julien Domingo as general manager of DIPSSCOR. Mr. De Jesus is also the concurrent vice president for business development of ICTSI, president of Mindanao International Container Terminal Services, Inc.; and…
Government is set to impose a new ticketing system in its bid to promote maritime safety and zero accident before the start of the Summer Vacation. The move is consistent with the earlier pronouncement of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) advocating Zero Maritime accident which includes among others the promotion of passenger safety and security through the provision…
In a third issue I outlined three more issues that have not been addressed from a macro viewpoint: The Manila Bay-Cavite Wetlands, Pollution, solid waste and sewage control, and Solving the solid waste dilemma: the Tokyo Bay and other models. I now wish to address a project that I might con- sider close to my heart, having been the General…