In mid-December, the U.S. Naval War College gathered experts in naval operations and maritime law for a conference on an upcoming revision to the San Remo Manual, the principal legal document regarding armed conflicts at sea. “The San Remo Manual is one of the most respected compilations of the law of naval warfare, and we are so proud to engage…
South Korea’s revision of its Distant Water Fisheries Development Act is crucial progress in tackling illegal fishing, as it allows deterrent sanctions to be applied quickly and efficiently, say a group of international and Korean NGOs. However, they also raise concerns about the new head of a key agency that certifies seafood legality. The official was in post when serious…
In collaboration with the Norwegian, Danish and US maritime authorities, battery manufacturers, system integrators, suppliers of fire extinguishing systems, shipyards and shipowners, DNV GL has released a new report on battery safety in ships, titled “Technical Reference for Li-ion Battery Explosion Risk and Fire Suppression” dated 11-November-2019. The report assesses explosion and fire risks in maritime battery installations and the…
My past research efforts have been mostly directed to Philippine environmental issues, maritime encroachment in Philippine waters as well as maritime safety issues as they impact the Philippines in both the West Philippine Sea as well as the China Sea to the north. I have since broadened my research to not only maritime issues –from the West Philippine Sea to…
In the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre weekly report for 24-30 December, it informed of 3 actual incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia. Of these, 1 incident occurred while a ship anchored at Panjang Customary Anchorage, Indonesia; and 2 occurred to ships while underway in the Eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait. The…
Marlink has unveiled BridgeLink, a technology agnostic solutions portfolio designed to interconnect onboard Operational Technology (OT) within a standardized data structure. BridgeLink addresses compatibility and interfacing challenges by providing an open, technology agnostic platform for unifying onboard equipment and sensors with network infrastructure and satellite IP connectivity, so that data from any system can be accessed, collected and shared in…
E.U.’s offshore wind goals are achievable. The E.U. Commission’s goals for attaining 230GW-450GW of offshore wind by 2050 are achievable provided the right investments in electricity grids, and the European Governments take the right approach to maritime spatial planning. Such is the conclusion of the WindEurope Report, Our Energy, Our Future. The goal of 450GW offshore wind is…
The dry bulk industry could greatly reduce the risk of cargo contamination, surveyor non-compliance hold-ups, and charter party disputes while substantially reducing cargo hold cleaning costs, according to CLIIN, the safe and environmentally-friendly robot technology revolutionizing ship cargo hold cleaning. CLIIN, which has so far deployed robots to shipowners’ Ultrabulk A/S, Norden A/S, J. Lauritzen A/S, and Oldendorff Carriers, claims…
Recently, the Republic of Timor-Leste and Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract agreeing provision of a new RoPax Ferry 6716. The vessel will operate a route between the Timor-Leste capital Dili, the Oecusse enclave, and the island of Ataúro, providing regular transportation of passengers, vehicles and goods on the north coast of the island. The contract was signed at the…
Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore urged the shipping industry to adopt higher standards in ship recycling. Thus, BVS provides insight into meeting ship recycling requirements, as well as 10 tips to achieve compliance. The NGO Shipbreaking Platform issued its Q3 2019 results noting there were 122 ships broken, of which 73 were sold to the beaches of South Asia…
The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) was created through the enactment of Republic Act No. 7621 signed on 26-June-1992 to specifically administer all ports located in Cebu Province, thus, effectively separating these ports from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). On 01-January-1996, CPA began operations and officially took over all Cebu ports. The territorial jurisdiction of the CPA includes all ports, seas,…
Some 280 passengers stranded at the Cagayan de Oro Port in Barangay Macabalan due to inclement weather brought about by Typhoon Ursula (International name: Phanfone) were fortunate they have a sympathetic port management office quick to react to the plight of the stranded passengers. Instead of proceeding to their intended destinations in Cebu and Bohol, the affected passengers had to…
The world continues to emit greenhouse gases while our planet’s climate is changing faster than ever. The 10 New Insights in Climate Science 2019 report intends to take up the latest and most essential scientific findings published in an extraordinary year –the climate science year in review. The world is not on track Greenhouse gas emissions continue increasing; gap between…
Background The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines storm surge as the abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide. The surge is caused primarily by storm winds pushing water onshore (NOAA, 2019). The amplitude of a storm surge is attributed to several factors…
The Agusan Marsh, located in the province of Agusan del Sur, Northeastern Mindanao, was declared a protected area by Presidential Proclamation no. 913 dated 31-October-1996. Total protected area is 19,196.56 hectares (14,835.99 hectares core zone; and 4,360.57 hectares buffer zone). Agusan Marsh controls the flooding in the Agusan River by sponging the high level of water, thus preventing flooding in…
The latest warning issued in early November 2019 by thousands of scientists from 153 countries about instituting measures that would effectively address Climate change speaks volumes in terms of human nature’s resistance to change. According to the scientists, Mother Earth “clearly and unequivocally faces a climate emergency.” She has registered faster than expected acceleration of global warming. This alert came…
A colleague posted about having seen the movie Midway, just released last week, and suggested that it is a good movie to watch. While on a 4-day layover at SBMA, part of a long-planned participation in Anvaya Cove’s annual Pawikan Cup, I decided to check it out and behold! It was playing at Ayala Mall’s Harbor Point at the former…
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will intensify the modernization of domestic ships to provide safer, more convenient, and more comfortable sea transportation services to the riding public. As directed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, the MARINA will encourage more ship operators, particularly those engaged in short distance travel, to invest on fast crafts, and Roll-On…
DENR Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu hit the ground running Wednesday as the newly appointed chair of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) in answer to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call to clean the Pasig River. The environment chief led a technical inspection of Pasig River, and pledged to get rid of informal settlers and go after polluters of the…
“The goal of the AFP Modernization Program reads: the Philippines has the longest coast line in the world next to Indonesia and Canada. The sea is extremely significant from an international, navigational, economic, geopolitical and strategic perspective. There is an urgent need to develop a modern and adequately equipped force that will ensure maritime and air space security.” – National…
On 20-September-2019, Excelerate Energy L.P. (Excelerate) received the Notice to Proceed (NTP) from the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in the Bay of Batangas per the DOE’s guidelines for “Rules and Regulation Governing the Philippine Natural Gas Industry.” The project, Luzon LNG, will supply natural gas, sourced from LNG, to…
For so long now, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has been invariably accused of corruption and poor governance. The accusations are many – from systemic corruption; wrong beneficiaries; LOTTO business cornered by two players for almost 30 years now; delinquent LOTTO outlets; co-mingling of funds; paper supplier for 50 years; under-declaration of revenues to reduce taxes; misappropriation of funds;…
Interestingly, traffic flow is like blood flow. Blood circulation is one of the many parts and systems that comprise the human body – an almost perfect machine with a master template that enables the body to function as one. When we are born, the blood circulates normally to distribute oxygen and nutrients to, and…
London, UK. Human Rights at Sea published a short independent legal briefing note on proposed amendments to the draft agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction to include International Human Rights Law. These amendments note an absence of human rights…