The continuing harassment of China Coast Guard (CCG) reached an unprecedented level in late March 2024 when three (3) Filipino troops on a replenishment mission were wounded after CCG cutters 21555 and 21551 attacked by water cannons the civilian wooden-hulled supply boat Unaizah May 4 carrying passengers and supplies intended for the Philippine stranded ship BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin…
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The theme of the event was “NAVSOCOM @67: Leading Innovations, Sustaining Excellence, Forging a Legacy.” Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy, VADM TORIBIO D ADACI JR PN, and the NAVSOCOM Commander, COMMO DWIGHT STEVEN M DULNOAN PN received the President after a sideboys honor was rendered to him, which was followed by a guestbook signing, before escorting him…
Could your vessel be a potential target for a cyber-attack? If you’ve got equipment with network connections on board, then the short answer is yes. Here are 8 clever tips you can follow to help protect your vessel and your business from hackers. Maritime cyber security is something you need to take seriously whether you’re operating a small fishing craft…
UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MARITIME CYBER SECURITY RISK MANAGEMENT In response to the growing threat of cyber-crime, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued Resolution MSC.428(98). This regulation has since been complemented by other guidelines, notably those developed by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) for cyber risk management. These guidelines lay out high-level recommendations for incorporating cyber risk management into existing safety management…
Port cyber-attacks are now one of the biggest and most sophisticated threats facing port operators, notes Ed McNamara, President & CEO, Armada Risk Partners, and a port insurance broker in Cleveland, Ohio. Nagoya, Japan has become the latest in a long line of global ports to be targeted by a ransomware attack. The incident in early July had severe consequences…
The world economy is heavily dependent on maritime transport, as most of the international trade is carried out by sea. Delay in shipping can result in severe financial loss, especially for the management team in the distribution channel. This heavy dependency makes the shipping industry an attractive target for cyber criminals. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digitization of the world,…
As we celebrate International Day of the Seafarer, we are pleased to present a review of the outcomes from the recent June 2023 Mission to Seafarers Executive Roundtable on Crew Welfare held in Singapore. The event focused on identifying solutions to the challenges faced by seafarers. The Roundtable explored 5 key areas that significantly impact the lives of seafarers: (1)…
Wilton Park published its report on “Human Rights Law at Sea,” discussing the key themes of discussion, problems identified, and recommendations for possible ways forward concerning human rights protections at sea. The Wilton Park “Human Rights Law at Sea” Conference, organized in partnership with Human Rights at Sea Advisory Board member Sir Malcolm Evans KCMG, OBE, FLSW, was initiated as a…
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has a strong tradition of collaborating with owners and operators in the Marine Environment (ME) to provide relevant information about best practices to secure their critical systems. Since December 2020, Coast Guard Cyber Command (CGCYBER) has vastly grown its presence and increased its operational tempo to protect cyber systems underpinning the ME. The observations…
On May 6, the capsized dredger MV Hong Hai 189 finally sank near the historic Corregidor island which is at times visible at the entrance of Manila Bay. On April 28, in the evening, the Sierra Leone-flagged dredger MV Hong Hai 189 collided with Marshall Island-flagged chemical/oil tanker MT Petite Soeur near Corregidor. MV Hong Hai 189 was inbound coming…
A box of assorted shark’s fin with an estimated weight of 11 kilograms and an estimated worth of Php77,000 loaded inside an Eagle Star Bus headed to Cubao/Pasay was found by the BFAR 8 Fisheries Inspection Quarantine Officer and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) stationed in Sta. Clara Port in Allen, Northern Samar, in the late afternoon of 17-March-2023. Said box…
Military personnel from the Philippines, United States, Australia, France, Japan, and United Kingdom kicked off exercise Sama Sama-Lumbas in Cebu, Philippines on 11-October-2022. Sama Sama is an annual bilateral navy-to-navy exercise between the Philippine Navy (PN) and the U.S. Navy (USN), while Lumbas is a yearly bilateral navy-to-navy exercise between PN and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). This is the…
NEW YORK (1-November-2022) –A growing reliance on private contractors to protect vessels, commercial shipping, offshore platforms, ports, and other maritime infrastructure has exposed human rights violations perpetrated by mercenaries and private military and security companies, UN experts said. A report presented to the General Assembly by the Working Group on the use of mercenaries explores how the maritime security sector has evolved…
Headquarters, Naval Forces Central (HNFC), Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan, Cebu, 16-December-2022 – The Philippine Navy through Naval Forces Central Lead the recovery and confiscation of marine species (Tridacna) locally known as “Taklobo” in Tabogon, Cebu on 15-December-2022. The said joint and inter-agency operations were composed of the operatives and elements from Naval Forces Central, Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), Tabogon Municipal…
In three separate incidents in the months of March and April, Chinese law enforcement vessels have challenged marine research and hydrocarbon exploration activities within the Philippine exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. Round One: China Squares off with Taiwan and Philippines over Marine Research The Legend, a research vessel belonging to the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute under the Ministry…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), through its Internal Security Affairs Staff (ISAS) and Port Police Department (PPD), joined the second INTERPOL Border Management Training for Philippine Seaports Frontline Officers held during 3-4 August 2022 at Sofitel Plaza Manila, Philippines. The event was hosted by the Interpol Global Centre for Innovation (IGCI) Singapore, the Integrated Border Management Task Force, thru PCTC-Interpol…
The Western Command Armed Forces of the Philippines successfully conducted a reprovisioning mission to BRP Sierra Madre (LS57) at Ayungin Shoal to replenish the supplies and materials needed by its crew on 2-August-2022. Escorting the reprovisioning boat, MV Unaiza Mae 2, were the Philippine Coast Guard’s newest Multi-Role Response Vessel (MRRV), the BRP Teresa Magbanua MRRV 9701 and BRP Malapascua…
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Among the 17 participating multinational warships, the Philippines’ multi-capable frigate, BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) garnered the 3rd place during the Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) Rodeo of the “At-Sea Phase of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC)” exercise on 4-August-2022. NSFS Rodeo is a naval gunfire accuracy competition where participants are given a two-dimensional virtual land…
BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS15) conducted shipboard familiarization and tour to 86 Advance Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) students who hailed from various parts of the country currently taking-up the Naval Science 43 (NS43) administered by the Naval Reserve Command Training Center (NRCTC) on 8-August-2022. The NS43 students were introduced to various shipboard equipment and spaces as well as…
The 12th Special Battalion of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) participated in the Urban Counter-Revolutionary Warfare Course (UCRWC) Class 101-2022 training which was supervised by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Northern Samar personnel of Coast Guard District Eastern Visayas (CGDEV), together with Special Operation Unit (SOU) Northern Samar, and CGK9-Allen on 06-July-2022 with 79 students participating. The main UCRWC…