Three newly-completed seaport projects in Palawan-San Fernando in El Nido, Bataraza Port in Barangay Buliluyan, and Borac Port in Coron – were inaugurated on 19-March-2021. The projects are part of 19 seaport projects for Palawan, 13 of which are already completed and four more ongoing. The inauguration marks the start of operations for the new seaports seen to boost economic…
Decarbonization remains the hot maritime topic this year as the clock ticks on reducing carbon intensity by 40 per cent. The need to comply with IMO 2030 is looming large for shipowners. Newbuild vessels are already expected to achieve compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). This initiative is designed to ensure newbuild vessels meet requisite levels of efficiency….
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) released on 9-March-2021 the results of a study which quantified illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Philippines. The report identifies what more should be done to eradicate IUU fishing in Philippine waters. IUU fishing ranges from small-scale, unlawful domestic fishing to more…
To further intensify the campaign against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF), the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) is now implementing the Integrated Marine Environment Monitoring System (IMEMS) Project, an innovative, optimized, and integrated monitoring system that expands and improves the Bureau’s current monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) program. The new MCS technology seeks…
The Bangsamoro Merchant Marine Academy’s mission is to: To provide quality maritime education and training to prospective seafarers in order to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to become qualified and competent officer seafarers; To encourage the Filipino youth who dream to become a global maritime professionals; To provide all its graduates the skills and ability to be…
To support such decision-making, DNV has been collaborating in a joint industry project (JIP) evaluating fuel technology options and energy-efficiency measures. The Roadmap towards a Zero-Emission Vessel project centers on a defined concept for two newbuild tankers (the “case ships”) of 2020 vintage. The two vessels investigated in the JIP are: An MR (about 39k dwt), trading short voyages mainly…
SHIPBUILDER Austal Philippines in Balamban, Cebu has delivered another historic vessel in the form of Danish-commissioned high-speed ferry Fjord FSTR that recently set sail from Cebu to Hirtshals, Denmark on March 5, 2021. According to the Philippine Embassy in Copenhagen, Fjord Line, a Danish shipping company, commissioned Austal Philippines to build the 109-meter catamaran ferry which can accommodate 1,200 passengers…
Marwa Elselehdar has become the first woman to work as a sea captain in Egypt. Ms. Elselehdar enrolled in the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Egypt and joined the International Transport and Logistics Department, but she was more drawn to the Department of Maritime Transport and Technology. Marwa Elselehdar submitted an application to join and was…
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has warned that lack of access to vaccinations for seafarers is placing shipping in a ‘legal minefield’, while leaving global supply chains vulnerable. A legal document due to be circulated to the global shipping community later this week by ICS highlights concerns that vaccinations could soon become a compulsory requirement for work at sea…
Introduction. The lack of maritime domain awareness and lack of expertise among countries in managing their maritime domain has allowed proliferation of lawlessness and crime on the seas. Organized crime and terrorism have become interconnected and more complex. A Philippine flag flutters from BRP Sierra Madre, a dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that has run aground since 1999 and became a…
Early this year, a joint team of the Bureau of Customs (BUCUS) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) apprehended a Chinese dredger “MV Zhonhai 68” for illegal and unauthorized presence in Philippine waters. Carrying a Sierra Leone flag and operated by Malaysian-registered HK Weifeng Hangyu Co. Ltd., the vessel was cleared by Cagayan Province authorities to leave the country more…
In his inaugural speech as FOIC PN, VADM Giovanni Carlo J Bacordo highlighted 3 priority programs, namely: boost the capacity of the Naval Sea Systems Command; implement skills specialization for its personnel; and lastly, to modernize the mindset of every sailor and marine.[1] In this connection, Commander Jay Tristan Tarriela PCG, in an article at the Diplomat, averred that until…
Sigma S6 WaveSignal, launched this week by Rutter Inc., is the latest addition to the sigma S6 line of advanced radar processing systems. WaveSignal uses x-band radar and predictive analytics to determine when quiet periods in wave action will occur. This information will improve mariner safety while conducting on-deck operations, carrying out cargo or personnel transfers, and a host of other…
Swiss engine technology company WinGD is helping shipping companies to optimize engine combustion and reduce methane slip with a new intelligent dual fuel engine technology. Intelligent Control by Exhaust Recycling (iCER) is a new technology that has been brought to the market by engine specialists WinGD. The technology, which is integrated into the company’s new X-DF 2.0 engine design, recirculates…
Increasing Relevance of Reefers. Shipping lines continue to recognize the importance of trades involving fruit, frozen meats and other foodstuffs and are maximizing the reefer potential of vessels deployed on key shipping routes, such as the West Coast of South America (WCSA) or New Zealand. It is now relatively common-place for container vessels to offer more than one third of…
Wider use of LNG will speed up transition, but it can’t end there. In this decade, we’ll see more accelerated change in shipping fuels than we’ve seen in the last century. What does this heightened diversity mean for shipowners? They must be nimbler than ever – a shift that requires work. It means “greening” supply chains, bolstering energy efficiency, nurturing more…
As the world becomes aware of the imminent environmental crisis, scientists have begun a search for sustainable energy sources. Rechargeable batteries like lithium-ion batteries are seeing a popularity surge, concurrent with production of ‘greener’ technologies such as electric propulsion ships (which are being developed to meet the environmental regulations by the International Maritime Organization) and other electric vehicles. But, lithium…
The launch of ABB’s CEMcaptain will help shipping comply with the sulphur emission regulations that were enforced in 2020. In January 2020, the low SOx and NOx emission limits in the International Maritime Organization regulations became effective worldwide. CEMcaptain is a powerful emissions monitoring system from ABB designed to help the maritime industry meet these new regulations and become more…
According to new data released by the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, 630 ocean-going commercial ships and offshore units were sold to the scrap yards in 2020. Of these vessels, 446 large tankers, bulkers, floating platforms, cargo- and passenger ships were broken down on three beaches in South Asia, amounting to near 90% of the gross tonnage dismantled globally. Ships are considered…
INTRODUCTION This article attempts to describe the difference between the two (2) submarine battlespaces in the littoral zone and open ocean for diesel electric submarines and nuclear attack submarines, and the inherent environmental factors in an arena of underwater warfare for type submarine that can be exploited to one’s own advantage by cognizant naval commanders. This research work by the…
South Korea retained its status as the world-leading shipbuilding industry last year despite many COVID-19 challenges. Experts forecast the new year will treat domestic shipbuilders better as they will benefit from the introduction of eco-friendly policies. South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering has developed a technology that helps determine the safety of liquefied natural gas carriers in its shipyards….
Numerous manning agencies based in Manila support the Neptune Declaration, to ensure the wellbeing of seafarers affected by the crew change crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to local media, the Neptune Declaration was signed by over 450 maritime industry and human rights leaders, including Döhle Seafront Crewing (Manila), Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC), and OSM Maritime, representing the Philippines. Commenting…
With increasing demands on owners and operators to improve efficiency while also preparing for decarbonization targets, the maritime industry is facing multiple challenges. While the development of alternative fuels is a critical element in the decarbonization journey, the need to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption is also a key part of this equation. Propulsion solutions are central to this…
Norway-based company OIM Wind will install a next-generation Wind Turbine Installation Unit (WTIU) by Kongsberg Maritime (KM) that will reduce energy consumption by up to 30 per cent. The installation is destined to be among the largest of its type. A Letter of Intent was signed between Chinese shipbuilder Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore and KM to deliver the BT-220IU Wind…
Our ‘Seafarer Stories’ new column hosts seafarers’ views who present briefly the key challenges of life and work onboard, providing a picture of what a career at sea actually means. In this context, we are happy to host an interview with Yrhen Bernard S. Balinis, an ordinary seaman from Philippines, who inspire us with his story. Yrhen shares his life-changer…