Harborscope v1 #5

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TSM GROUP of Companies 1747–1751 Dian St., Makati City Tel. (+632) 860-7500 www.tsmphil.com.ph

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LGC opens CY/CFS

Empowering Maritime Entrepreneurs Php30.00

February-March 2008 issue

Vol. 1 No. 5

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Mr. Hiroyuki Maekawa lead the ribbon-cutting ceremonies with (from left) Hon. Leandro Mendoza, Transportation and Communication Secretary, Hon. Arturo Brion, Labor Secretary, Hon. M. Katsura, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines (second from right) and Senator Miguel Zubiri (extreme right).

Knowledge Center in Asia opens

By Jun G. Garcia

PGMA inaugurates KLMA Philippines

K

-Line has indeed followed its dreams and passion in building a global shipping business when it formally opens K-Line Maritime Academy (Philippines) inaugurated by no less than Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with Mr. Hiroyuki Maekawa, President of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line), and Mr. M. Katsura, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines.

Unveiling the K-Line Marker after the ceremonial ribbon cutting rites, President Arroyo signifies the formal opening of the academy that is geared towards becoming the “Knowledge Center in Asia” in the maritime sector.

Strategically situated along Seaside Road, Central Business Park I, Pasay City, Philippines, KLMA (Philippines) is the new addition to the now five addresses of K-Line academies located in Japan, India, East Europe, and North Europe.

The opening of the KLMA Philippines on February 22, 2008 proves that K-Line now is one of the largest shipping companies in the world as it continues to meet the challenges and market demands complemented by the company’s high spirit in realizing its goals and vision.

K-Line runs all KLMA institutions with basic policies designed to nurture K-Line seafarers who ensure safe ship operations – to protect human lives, cargoes, and the natural environment at sea.

By enrolling in the training and education courses in accordance with the devel-

opment programs drawn up by KLMA, all K-Line employees can acquire the knowledge and skills required to achieve higher positions.

KLMA Philippines targets 10,000 trainees on an annual basis. The K-Line president sees the importance of securing and bringing up maritime human resources for the support and growth of the whole K-Line Group. Having full understanding of this need, Mr. Maekawa has strongly committed himself to this goal without regard to any traditional framework and/or concept.

With this new development, Mr. Maekawa reveals that the K-Line Group has truly embarked on a new voyage towards the 2010s. They are now realizing the “K-Line vision 2008+”, which he has mentioned during his accession to the presidency on April 1, 2005.

He envisions many contract projects as a universal theme necessary for the further strengthening of the K-Line Group in the future and he is “determined to keep achieving tangible results” by motivating

each division and individuals to steadily and timely do their respective jobs without complacency.

For the record, he has succeeded in ensuring a stable profitability structure through reinforcing their business base, creating a high level, refined, and more matured culture of the K-Line Group with materialization of dreams and upgrading of the K-Line Brand, and in reinforcing corporate governance and response to risk management – as mentioned by his predecessor Mr. Sakinaga, the current chairman of the K-Line Group.

An Image of Quality, Development, and System KLMA (Philippines) president Ms. Virginia D. Lineses claims that all KLMA institutions are an image of quality, development, and system.

“It is a system because it has self-improvement mechanism that evolves, that is flexible, and adaptable. It evolves in a sense that we take a look at what is needed

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo commends Mr. Hiroyuki Maekawa after unveiling the K-Line marker. in the industry, what are the changes and the trend in technology. In fact, we are the only one (training academy) with a main engine,” she says.

Back in 1993, K-Line founded the K-Line Maritime Training Corporation (KMTC) in the Philippines, which purpose is to …continued on page 5

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India manning forum bids to solve officer shortage crisis

By Paul Ellis

I

n a crisis reflecting shipping’s boom and bust cycle, sustained growth in the world economy has seen demand for officers outstrip supply as the industry pays the price for cutbacks in cadet training schemes during previous lean years.

More recently the shortage has been compounded by competitive rates of pay for shore-based jobs in developing nations – and greater opportunities for seafarers to switch companies and careers or retire early.

Against this background, the 3rd Manning & Training in India conference takes place in Mumbai on March 17-18 with international insight on how to fill the quantity gap without compromising quality and safety.

Speakers include senior representatives from regulatory and training authorities as well as ship owners, operators and managers such as Anglo Eastern, Barber, Eurasia, Great Eastern, Mitsui, V.Ships and Wilhelmsen.

Conference chairman Capt. Martin Burley, group training director at V.Ships, points out: “We now have more than 1000 cadets going through our training programmes in India, the Philippines, former Soviet Union countries and Eastern Europe. Applications in India overwhelm places by 3 to 1 but we could still do with more training berths being made available.

“The underlying problem is that the industry didn’t think ahead about being a cyclical business, so there was some over reaction to the low of the 1980s in reducing places.

“Now new factors have come into play.

Senior officers have a shorter life at sea than previously. It’s not uncommon for Indian masters and chief engineers in their thirties to have a couple of trips under their belt and then have ambitions to do something different.

“Those who remain at sea are earning more and can retire relatively young – and in the meantime, the supply and demand factor has created a situation where they can jump from company to company in response to the call of the almighty dollar.”

Competitive forces in the labour market will also be explored by keynote speaker Sabyasachi Hajara, chairman and managing director of the Shipping Corporation of India and president of the Indian National Shipowners’ Association.

“The availability of human resources is critical to the growth rate of the maritime

Paul Ellis is a Direct Public Relations from the UK. For further inquiries, you can get in touch with him at telephone number Tel: +44 (0)1923 260960 or thru Email: paulellis.dpr@btopenworld.com.

February–March 2008

sector,” he asserts. “We are investing millions of dollars in ships, so it is only right that they should be in the hands of skilled seafarers with the right attitude.

“We used to be able to recruit to the industry because of the gap between wages at sea and ashore but this has closed because of industrial development. Added to that, the fun has gone – ships are in port only a few hours instead of a few days, so it’s more and more difficult to attract youth to a career at sea.

“We need to improve the image of the shipping industry, promote its service to the economy as the least polluting mode of transport and campaign against the criminalisation of seafarers.”

The impact of officer shortages on the potential for maritime incidents is to be examined by John Bainbridge, assistant secretary seafarers of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, who will analyse the link between manning, training and fatigue.

“Our position is that it’s the level of competency on board that is important, not just the numbers,” he explains. “All the major insurers have made statements that accidents are increasing and fatigue is a big issue.

“In March we are submitting a paper to the IMO’s review of the principles of safe manning under Resolution A890. We would like to see a mandatory process to determine manning levels along the lines of the ISM Code on how to manage ships.

“While we accept that every ship and every run can be different, operators need a process to show that they have done the computation properly. Right now it’s not transparent so we can’t verify it. Ships are all about just-in-time and they’re getting bigger and bigger while crews are getting smaller and smaller.”

Emphasising the need for quality, Mr Bainbridge adds: “The big risk is that ways will be found to put people on board without full qualifications. Apart from dispensations, there is the increasing threat of fraudulent certificates. All this puts stress on properly qualified and experienced seafarers and leads to stories we all hear about of captains who never sleep.

“The introduction of flags of convenience produced a situation where the companies who would otherwise have invested in maritime training schools didn’t do it.

Now many of them have left it too late to come to the party. A lot of management companies are trying to make good but we’re talking hundreds here and there when in reality we need thousands.”

Ian Sherwood, managing director of the UK’s Delta Marine Personnel Services and

chairman of the International Maritime Employers’ Committee, insists that throwing money at the problem is not the longterm solution.

He will be presenting an update on wage negotiations under the International Bargaining Forum and concedes: “The officer wage scales implemented in January this year do not necessarily buy the quality of officers needed. Even though the terms were very generous, they still lag behind the top calibre of personnel.

“Ultimately market forces will do their job in determining what is right. I’ve been through boom and bust several times. The current shortage is probably the most serious I have seen but in time I believe it will take care of itself.

“We can’t continue with the unprecedented new building programme and we have already seen signs of a recession in the economy, with freight rates plummeting from what they were only a few months ago.

“When these things begin to bite they will have a knock-on effect in easing, if not solving, the shortage. Older ships will be scrapped, new built orders will come down and inevitably, if things get really serious, ships will go to lay-up.”

Meanwhile, as more than 20 speakers will demonstrate, the industry is renewing its pro-active efforts to meet current levels of demand. Sessions topics range from a case study of Mitsui’s training ship initiative to fast-track certification solutions and the need for a dynamic shift from recruitment to human resources management to implement succession planning and alternative practices.

Other highlights include a keynote address by Ashok Mahapatra, head of training in the IMO’s maritime safety division, on the current review of the STCW Convention covering standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers.

The Convention was last fully reviewed in 1995. The new review started in January last year and is due for completion in 2010.

“A lot of changes have taken place in the last 13 years - from technological advances to the increase in ship types such as gas carriers – so we need to look at new and innovative methods to impart training,”

says Mr Mahapatra.

“We also need to address issues such as maritime security and harmonisation between the STCW Convention and the new mandatory labour convention on hours of work and rest.

“There has been support for the review from all sectors of the industry - administrations, owners and seafarers – and the aim in future is to carry out a review every 10 -15 years because you can never say anything is set in stone.”

India’s vital contribution to manning will be illustrated by Capt. Suresh Bhardwaj, vice chancellor of Chennai’s Academy of Maritime Education & Training. Founded 15 years ago, the academy was officially inaugurated as the nation’s first maritime university on February 7 at a ceremony attended by IMO secretary-general Efthimios Mitropoulos.

“We have about 1500 students on the campus, including 500 with Maersk Line and many others who get sponsorships in their second or third year from companies like Shell, Mitsui and K-Line,” says Capt.

Bhardwaj. “Demand for places is very high and we are doing our best to reach out to make a career at sea interesting.

“India offers quite a few strengths. Education is of a very high standard, the English language is extremely strong and we have major government support via the director general of shipping. Last but not least, Indians are very ambitious by nature and want to work hard.”

Organised by Lloyd’s List Events, the two-day conference at InterContinental’s Grand Hotel will be followed on March 19 by a workshop on Leadership, Trust & Communication, which focuses on the human element in building a safety culture.

The workshop leader is Prof. Mike Barnett, associate director of the UK’s Warsash Maritime Academy.

Delegate fees are £999 for the conference and £499 for the workshop, with reduced rates of £450 and £199 respectively for Indian residents.

Full details and a registration facility are available at www.manningandtraining.com. The event opens a manning and training season that also includes the 11th European conference, in Poland in May, and the 9th Asia-Pacific conference in the Philippines in November. mate check

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IMEC in search for 50 scholars L

ondon-based International Maritime Employers Committee (IMEC) and some Norwegian companies will scour hundreds of secondary schools in the country in the next few months to get the best and brightest students and entice them to try-out for a scholarship grant and take the seafarers’ course.

IMEC’s recently-appointed training manager, Cedric D’Souza, in an interview said that they are targeting about 500 secondary schools all over the country. However, IMEC will only take 50 students that they will house at the University of Cebu starting this June and in the next three years.

The courses are either on nautical or marine engineering. They will teach the students for three years, or four years for the engineering course, in the university and then take their shipboard training at one of IMEC’s members for the last year of their course.

“We expect to have 10,000 to 15,000 students for the pre-screening sessions.

From that number we will shortlist some 3,500, but we will take only 50 scholars.

The Norwegian group will get 200 since they have a separate program with the university,” D’Souza said.

In 2009, he said they plan to expand their scholars to 250 more and place them at the

Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) in Bataan.

IMEC will spend for the board and lodging, books, uniforms, and tuition fees of the students. D’Souza said that they are allotting about Php120,000 per student annually.

This means they would spend about Php18 million for the next three to four years for these students and the money that they will spend will further grow as they expand the program.

This is the first time that IMEC has initiated its own pooled training efforts and veered away from lobbying to Philippine government to improve the country’s maritime education system.

IMEC’s other training initiatives include English language training in Eastern Europe, rating to officer conversion courses in several countries including the Philippines and Russia, the IMEC training course in the Philippines, and sending IMEC delegations to countries

Cedric D’Souza (in black suit) answering a query from a reporter. Looking on are Mr. David Dearsley and Mr. Jaypee Padilla of Harborscope. that might be potential new labor sources.

“IMEC’s Philippine training program has so far is the most extensive”, noted D’Souza.

Some members of IMEC have also been maintaining scholars at the MAAP campus, but the school has limited slots since Japanese principals have taken most of available scholars.

The school, owned by Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philip-

pines with IMEC sits at one of its board, is spending some Php400 million to expand its facilities and take in more students.

IMEC has joined in the fray of recruiting and training more people fit to become maritime officers in the next few years in hopes of augmenting the current shortage of officers for ocean-going vessels.

IMEC’s officials believe that the estimated 10,000 to 15,000 officers’ shortage between now and 2015 could be more since many brand-new vessels has been built.

Nautical graduates must serve for domestic fleet – Marina G

overnment may force all graduates of Philippine nautical schools to undergo a two–year domestic job, contractual or otherwise, before applying for the same position on ocean-going vessels.

Maritime Industry Authority deputy administrator Primo Rivera said that such move would sweeten the deal between them and shipping companies, which will also be forced by the agency to accept more cadets for both deck and engine.

Marina is reviewing its Memorandum Circular No 3. on “Apprenticeship training of graduates of Philippine Nautical Schools and Marine Engineering Institutions” as a response on the shortage of domestic maritime crew.

“But that move will not solve the problem (of crew shortage) until such time that domestic shipping vessels can compete with foreign vessels,” Rivera said.

He said the domestic vessels are having a hard time getting officers, such as captains and engineers, since most are working for foreign vessels that pay much higher fee in foreign currency.

As a result, the industry will have to wait for the Filipino officers to retire before they can snatch them to either man the vessels or train the other crews.

On the other hand, for those non-officer positions, they are only serving domestic vessels just to gain experience.

February–March 2008

At the moment, Marina does not have a ruling on how many months should a seafarer should spend on a domestic vessels before it can fly abroad for the ocean-going vessels.

Foreign carriers, however, require many of its seafarers to have a local experience before they can be accepted on board, with the exception of those graduates of top schools like the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific and the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy.

“Marina MC (memorandum circular) amending MC 3 on the guidelines for cadet’s on-board domestic ships has been drafted and will be subjected to a discussion in the Marina Technical Working Group and consultation with the domestic shipowners. This is expected to be finalized for Board consideration,” Marina administrator Vicente T. Suazo Jr. earlier said.

He said, however, that there are a lot of measures that the industry and other government agencies need to carry out, such as integration and unification of its activities, before it can respond to the manpower shortage.

JBLFMU celebrates anniversary. Cadets of Iloilo-based John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU) showcase their dancing prowess during their university’s anniversary.

“Until such time that this (unification) will be possible, Marina has initiated several programs that will move towards addressing the various concerns raised by the private sector,” Suazo said.

Marina, which has long been silent on what it can do to augment the current shortage of maritime officers, has only recently announced its intended measures on how to contribute to the industry’s initiatives.

These include streamlined procedures on the issuance of Seafarers Identification and Record Book, participation in the Commission on Higher Education’s technical panel for maritime education for the possible review of the curriculum, and involvement in the comprehensive review of the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Regulation as implemented by the International Maritime Organization. mate check

PGMA inaugurates KLMA Phils.… from front page provide training to the growing numbers of Filipino crew onboard K-Line vessels.

It started very small. From two instructors, it grew to 18 with two psychologists and five office staff; and from two upgrading courses it now offers 35 various technical and social courses necessary for the continuous upgrading of skills of their officers and crew. Under KLMA, these courses will increase from 35 to 65.

Its expanding fleet that requires big number of competent and high quality seafarers led to the building of a new, modern, and state of the art facility that banners the K-Line Spirit which are Safety in Navigation and Cargo Handling for all K-Line fleet, and the enhancing and upgrading the competence of the Filipino seafarers.

With the guidance of Mr. Maekawa, KLine was able to distinguish KMTC from KLMA. Hence, the new name “K Line Maritime Academy Philippines” – the thrust of K-Line Group in Asia. This is yet another contribution of K-Line to the industry.

KLMA Philippines is developed not only to train and educate Filipino seafarers with advanced simulators, but also to train engineers and build up their skills, irregardless of their nationalities.

The KLMA in India, which opened in April 2007, is designed with an upgraded facility to train and educate Indian seafarers. An AUS simulator, which was developed jointly by K-Line and its manufacturer, has been introduced.

The KLMA in Japan will have facilities to cultivate senior officers for dangerous

cargo carriers, apart from nurturing Japanese seafarers with proper training and education.

KLMA East Europe will develop a training and education system in accordance with its unique programs in partnership with the Bulgaria Maritime Training Center (BMTC) for Bulgarian seafarers. Junior officers will have the opportunity to upgrade their skills with SHS, damage prevention, and ISPS curriculum.

KLMA North Europe will develop practical courses via an independent training and education facility, which is expected to offer original programs within its unique training and education system for European seafarers.

All these projections are designed by Mr. Maekawa for further developing of business and for fostering human resources on a global basis. “I fully expect that they will continue to grow and constitute a core part of our future overall human resources throughout the K-Line Group.

Realizing the K-Line Vision 2008 Foreseeing the mid-2010s, Mr. Maekawa continues to step up to further improve business achievements under a renewed intermediate management plan “K-Line Vision 2008+.”

In his annual report last year, fiscal year 2006 has fared very well for the K-Line Group in terms of operating revenues in every business sector – thanks to the increased in cargo volume.

K-Line has been expanding its business “We are committed to establishing a high scale as planned. Forty-seven new build- quality ship management structure to upings were completed and joined the K-Line hold safe navigation of our expanding fleet fleet during fiscal year 2006 with a total and to secure and foster marine technifleet size reaching 453 vessels as of March cal personnel on a global basis,” says Mr. 31, 2007.

Maekawa.

By the end of 2008, K-Line expects 500 True enough for a leader that religiously ships in operations—90 containerships, follows their corporate principles in the 90 car carriers, 185 bulk carriers, 48 LNG light of maintaining strong presence in the tankers, 31 oil tankers, and 56 other types shipping business. He truly leads the team of vessel. in observing “diligent efforts for safety These are expected to increase up to 700 navigation and cargo operations as well ships by mid-2010s with 120 container- as for environmental preservation, sincere ships, 110 car carriers, 250 bulk carriers, response to customer needs by making 90 LNG tankers, 60 oil tankers, and 70 every possible effort, and contributing to the world’s economic growth and stability other types of vessel. through continual upgrading of service The K-Line stalwart accounts the folquality. lowing for their successful endeavors: planning for and implementation of safety in ship navigation/cargo operations and fostering marine technical personnel, re-entry into Transfer of knowledge Japanese and Indian heavy lift shipping busiMarine Engineers upgrade and share their skills ness, and restructuring with Filipino Engineers in the ship main engine of group logistics compaof KLMA Philippines. nies.

K-Line Vision • To be trusted and supported by customers in all corners of the world while being able to continue to grow globally with sustainability, • To build a business base that will be capable of responding to any and all changes in business circumstances, and to continually pursue and practice innovation for survival in the global market, • To create and provide a workplace where each and every employee can have hopes and aspirations for the future, and can express creativity and display a challenging spirit.

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Simulation Since 1972 Kongsberg Maritime has grown to become the world’s most successful manufacturer of merchant marine and naval ship simulation, offering simulator systems ranging from distance learning to full mission on-campus simulators and are a market leader in the following: • Ship’s Bridge Simulators • Engine Room Simulators • Cargo Handling Simulators Engine Room and Cargo Simulators Our Engine room simulators provide realistic hands on experience in a ship like environment. Systems include the vital components such as main engine remote control, engine-room local panels, controllers, engine telegraph, alarm systems, power supply switchboards, engine sounds etc.

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February–March 2008

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Optimistic of trade upturn in 2008

S

outh Harbor operator Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) is gearing the port towards better business this year as it started to equip the port with better cargo-handling facility.

The new facilities are not only part of their commitment with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) but a project to have the port more responsive to commerce.

ATI chair Bryan Smith, in a recent interview, said they expect this year to be better than last year and could duplicate if not surpass its banner year in 2006.

“ATI is growing and is moving very well as the economy grows,” Smith said.

“ATI sees a better year for its business this 2008 as it maintains its optimism to the Philippine economy,” he added.

Among the projects to modernize the port include investments on additional cargo handling muscle to make its cargo handling more efficient as they expect an upturn in trade volume.

Smith said ATI would continue to undertake improvements which are its constant goal to achieve higher revenues in the next couple of year.

“We are constantly buying equipments to replace all equipments and whenever the need arisen. We are also investing in civil works, equipment and port facility,” he added.

Recently, ATI bought 3 rubber tired gantries (RTG) cranes worth USD3.4 million. This year, ATI will have a new combined South Harbor truck holding area and will be expanding the container terminal stacking yard significantly.

“I have always stressed that one of the core strengths of ATI is the capability to combine expertise, equipment and other resources to offer integrated port solutions. This principle of synergy runs true not only in South Harbor but throughout the whole company,” Smith said.

With the significant development in business operation of South harbor, ATI will continually work on developing new and innovative ways to improve the terminals capacity in the coming years.

ATI claimed its continued growth can only be assured if ATI has a clear plan to progressively develop the country’s gateway to international shipping and trade.

The last phase of the development plan lasts from 2014 to 2022 wherein they will develop and expand the container yard.

ATI reportedly put fresh investment of USD350 million for the South Harbor after the PPA approved its cargo-handling contract extension for another 25 years through 2038.

Based on the plan, the short-term projects include the extension of crane rails and adding one more quay crane at Pier 3; the building of crane rails and two additional quay cranes at pier 9 and the development of additional container yard at adjacent to its Eva Macapagal Domestic Terminal.

To date, ATI is undertaking the rehabilitation of Pier 13 into the first dedicated covered motor vehicle terminal in the Philippines.

February–March 2008

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What is 2008 likely to hold for the shipping industry?

F

orecasting such things is about as safe as trying to predict the weather and nobody knows better than our sector – how difficult that can be.

Despite that, let’s give it a go.

Looking out across the South China Sea things appear to be booming. And they are.

Our giant neighbour has cleverly stored up vast reserves over the past decade. Industry and the economy is booming and this is showing up in China’s marine sector. By 2010 - just two years away - it will be worth almost 500 billion US dollars (3.16 trillion Yuan) to the Chinese economy.

Add to that the facts that China is rapidly expanding its development of natural gas supplies, and crude oil output is likely to top the 50 million tonnes mark, and you can see how well set up China is.

But that’s just a start. China has barely started to tap into its vast reserves at sea. It has exploited just 17% (so far) of its crude oil and not even 12% of its sea reserves of natural gas.

China is pouring investment in to port transportation systems. By 2010 its shipbuilding capacity will reach 21 million tons.

We are, in other words, sitting alongside one of the emerging world powers in shipping and the maritime sector.

It may be sunny the other side of the Luzon and South China seas – with the positive knock-on effects for us in the Philippines – but the storm clouds are gathering in other parts of the world.

Recession

Recession is now being openly talked about in the US. For those of you who haven’t followed the detail closely I’ll give you a quick (and, hopefully, simple) overview.

Several economic factors have collided.

American Financial institutions have loaned vast amounts of money to people who couldn’t afford to buy their own homes, or pay back the loan costs. The result has been a collapse in confidence in the US housing market and a heck of a lot of bad debt. This has badly knocked the construction and finance sector.

At the same time the price of crude oil

and its refined products are near to alltime highs. China is a player in this. It’s booming and ever-expanding economy has led to record demands for oil, pushing world prices up further. Oil giant BP is now on record as saying that it expects the oil price to remain at USD60 – USD90 “for the next few years.”

The third reason why the US may be flirting with recession is the serious deterioration of the value of the dollar – which, in turn, will make US investments weaker and less attractive.

I used the term ‘collision.’ The US may ride through these short term storms without too much long term damage. But not before its economy tips over in to recession.

The clouds are gathering over much of Europe, too. Though there are good and positive signs, just over the horizon.

The UK is bracing itself for a downturn but not recession. Its problems have been caused by a combination of record high consumer borrowing (and debt); again, falling house prices (caused by the US housing problems); and record deficits in the Government’s public finance figures.

Despite these things there is real hope for optimism. The signs are there of a very vibrant maritime industry – if you look carefully enough.

We now have 50,000 ships worldwide.

There are a further 10,000 vessels on order.

Shipbuilding, then, is booming and most ship owners (taking a five year view) are confident.

Take Norway. Order books at Norwegian yards are at a record high, the earliest new ships can be delivered is 2011.

Reluctantly they are having to sit and watch as owners turn away from Europe and take their business to shipyards in Brazil, India - and, of course, China.

This is part of a general re-alignment – a shift – in the balance of economic and shipping power from other parts of the maritime world to the Far and Middle East.

And so to that forecast.

The effect of the economic slowdown is

Set Fair

By Paul Starling likely to hit the older, traditional, shipping countries harder. They will view 2008 as a year for caution. There are already signs that the challenges facing financial markets means they are having difficulties raising capital for projects. Those 10,000 new vessels, on order, will require 350 billion US dollars to finance over the next five years. Faced with a credit crisis it takes a very brave man or woman to commit to such high finance.

And, still, the ship sails on

Whatever short term turbulence the economic slowdown causes worldwide, the demand for high quality experienced Filipino seafarers will continue to grow.

Whichever ways economic power shifts around the globe the facts are these: the industry is booming and this continues to generate more and more work.

Shipping underpins 90 percent of global trade, and whether the trend to build fewer but bigger ships continues, there is always going to be higher demand for good quality seafarers than there is supply.

I know I made this point in the last edition of Harborscope, but it’s worth making again. The value to the Philippines economy of investing in high quality training can not be overstated.

A seminar held last week discussed the challenges matching supply to demand.

DNV, the well-established Norwegian shipping society, discussed the issue at its meeting in Singapore and concluded that the shortage of officers has led to lower retention and faster promotion. The boom in shipping and of new builds is only going to increase the pressures.

Add to that the introduction of sophisticated new technology on board ships (which require speciality knowledge and training) and all of this adds up to [what I discussed in Harborscope last time] which is a global shortage of skilled officers.

We now have 50,000 ships worldwide. There are a further 10,000 vessels on order. Shipbuilding, then, is booming and most ship owners (taking a five year view) are confident. mate check

In response to the challenges of time

MMAP calls for professionalism C

ommodore Adonis B. Donato, president of the Master and Mates Association of the Philippines (MMAP) has called for further professionalism of their profession to cope up with the growing trends and challenges of time.

Speaking before the 10th Merchant Marine Conference on February 12, 2008 at the Traders Hotel along Roxas Boulevard, Manila, which coincided with the association’s 33rd anniversary, the commodore stressed the need for upgrading of skills especially those in the management level positions, and would-be managers, to step up and upgrade themselves to fill in the vacuum created by the shortage.

He likewise exhorted the members to be opened to the changes and challenges the world maritime fleet offers. The MMAP president said, “It is imperative that we professionalize further our profession.

This is of paramount importance to us and to our profession.”

For 33 years now, MMAP continues to campaign for professionalism, uphold the code of ethics for merchant marine officer, and promote continuing education and training among deck officers to become the most preferred ship officers in the world maritime fleet.

“We invite you to join us in renewing our commitment to our profession, to

our people and country, and to the world maritime fleet. And the only way we can do that is to improve ourselves and match our skills with the fast-developing trend in the maritime field,” Commodore Donato emphasized.

Commodore Donato’s message complements with that of Labor Secretary Hon. Arturo D. Brion’s words for MMAP’s 33rd anniversary.

“I therefore ask you to continue to rise to this very important challenge to your profession. Your role in maintaining the global leadership of Filipino seafarers is as crucial to our country’s development goals. I know and I believe you can meet the challenges of your profession head on,” Secretary Brion said.

He urged the association to continuously provide programs and inspiration to their members to further enhance their professional and career development not only for their personal growth but also towards nation building.

“The continuing challenge to improve your professional ranks is as much a chal-

lenge in improving the lives of every Filipino,” the labor secretary furthered.

Resolution for MLC implementation to be released soon Part of the call for the further professionalism of their profession – as a dynamic response to the challenges of the present times – is the call of the many proponents of the Management Level Course (MLC).

During the said conference, the deputy administrator for maritime office of the Labor Department, Noriel Devanadera, has emphasized the importance of the MLC and that it is long overdue since it was presented to the International Maritime Organization a couple of years ago.

Devanadera clarified that the government will come up with a resolution for the im-

plementation of the highly-controversial MLC on or before July 1, 2008. However, as to what type of MLC will be implemented is yet to be announced.

But as earlier proposed, captains and chief mates who already passed the written examination will no longer be required to take the MLC. OICs who have sufficient shipboard experience may opt to take the MLC before or after the scheduled licensure examination.

The move is apparently supported by the MMAP, members of the Filipino Association for Mariner’s Employment, the PhilJapan Manning Consultative Council, and the Japanese Shipowners Association, among others.

The 10th Merchant Marine Conference and 33rd Founding Anniversary of MMAP is sponsored by Smart Communications, Inc. and OSM.

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February–March 2008

Special Feature Adhering to the call for quality maritime education and training

John B. Lacson initiates 1 International Maritime Conference st

Maritime schools must adopt their own procedures and practices.

– Norwegian Ambassador Stale Torstein Risa

Dr. Peter Swift, managing director of Intertanko in UK, shares some best practices that will lead to quality maritime education and training. Looking on are Capt. Morten Johnsen, NSA Project Manager of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and Dr. Shin Murata, JICA Expert of the Maritime Training Council.

T

he John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU) has initiated the very first International Maritime Conference in its campus in Arevalo, Iloilo City, Philippines with a theme “Sharing best practices in maritime education and training to meet world shipping needs.”

The conference, graced by foreign and local resource speakers, is the contribution of JBLFMU to the call of the industry for a quality maritime education and training for our future seafarers.

Hence, the conference theme is geared towards dynamic challenges JBLFMU is set to face with consideration to the expectations of the stakeholders.

Among those invited for the conference were Ambassador Stale Torstein Risa of Royal Norwegian Embassy, Ms. Eleanor BA. Fernandez of the Commission on Higher Education, Administrator Vicente T. Suazo, Jr. of the Maritime Industry Authority, Dr. Peter Swift of Intertanko UK, JICA Expert Dr. Shin Murata of the Maritime Training Council, NSA Project Manager Capt. Morten Johnsen of the Norwegian Shipowner’s Association, Dr. Hisashi Yamamoto of the International Association of Maritime Universities.

Also invited are Chairman Rod Short of Global Maritime Education and Training Association, Dr. Angelica M. Baylon of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific, Capt. Christer Bergquist of Kalmar Maritime Academy in Sweden, and Mr. Roberto Nahon of Bureau Veritas.

On the second day were Ralph A. Cardeno from the Negros Oriental State University, Mr. Marmon A. Pagunsan from Nizwa College of Technology in the Sultanate of Oman, Dr. Francisco Javier Martinez de Oses from Nautical de Barcelona, and Mr. Fazlur Chowdhury of Bahamas Maritime Authority.

Finest maritime university In his keynote address, His Excellency Stale Torstein Risa – Norway Ambassador to the Philippines said, “maritime schools must adopt their own procedures and practices.”

“At this juncture, it is natural to revert to John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University – a school that has always demonstrated both willingness and the ability to learn and adapt, depending on changing

February–March 2008

shipping industry needs,” the Norwegian ambassador said.

Risa furthered that the school (JBLFMU) focuses on practices with respect on how to best-deliver top-quality seafarers is very much in line with the IMO “human element vision” document.

He concluded by saying that by better understanding of the seafarer’s situation and performance is vital if one is to appreciate and meet world shipping needs in the years ahead.

“And there I have arrived full circle, once again at the core issue: world shipping needs and how educators and training institutions can meet them – in partnership with the industry and other stakeholders. I leave this now in your hands to grapple with, and our confidence that you will come away from this conference with new element.”

Sharing best practices Ms. Eleanor BA. Fernandez, chief education specialist in CHED Central office, in her presentation said what CHED is doing for maritime education in the country is concentrate in making reforms and other initiatives in improving tertiary education.

“CHED, in combined tasks with MTC, shall continue to develop, formulate and prescribe educational standards to promote quality maritime education for future seafarers based on STCW requirements; monitor closely the compliance of maritime Heist vis-à-vis CHED and STCW requirement; undertake studies, programs and projects for the upgrading of seafarers; and implement strict measures to ensure that the providers of seafarers’ education comply with STCW requirements,” she claimed.

According to Ms. Fernandez, some of CHED’s best practices and initiatives include participatory leadership and management, facing issues and concerns promptly and honestly, welcome new developments, annual monitoring and assessment of all maritime institutions, moratorium on the opening of new maritime programs, iden-

tifying centers of development and centers of excellence in maritime education, and new programs in maritime education.

This year, said the chief education specialist, the policies and standards for graduate programs in maritime education as well as the mode of delivery -distance education will be developed. She noted though JBLFMU is way ahead in this area.

Dr. Angelica M. Baylon of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific has also shared an innovative teaching practice to meet the world shipping needs through Problem-based Learning in Maritime Education and Training (PBL - MET).

According to her, the objective of the PBL - MET are three-fold: to simplify the difference between the PBL-MET versus the content-based learning (CBL) in MET, to share some best practices on PBL - MET being exercised locally and in the international arena because the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the students are believed to be better developed in compliance with the STCW 95 competency-based requirements and to provide some insights on PBL as an innovative teaching trend that would contribute its share in meeting the world shipping needs.

The maritime schools in the Philippines are encouraged to reflect, ponder and keep with the changing times by applying this new teaching trend in MET as maybe applicable.

Practicing PBL in MET would also lead in the implementation of the three mandated functions of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) namely Instruction, Research and Extension Services.

The paper ends with relevant conclusions and recommendations for possible considerations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the MET Associations like the Global Maritime Education and Training Association (GlobalMET) and Philippine Association of Maritime Institution (PAMI), MET Academic Administrators, MET lecturers and MET students.

She also stated the difference between teaching and effective teaching. Ms. Baylon said teaching as defined as simply “giving students something”, whereas effective teaching is defined “as a complex intellectually demanding and socially challenging task which consist of a set of skills that can be acquired, improved and extended.”

Analyzing the word teaching as “something given “reveals that something could be knowledge, skills or attitudes in the broadest point of view. Questions are further advanced such as: What and how will I teach this to students? How will the students learn this? What type? How much and to what extent?

The JBLFMU has been very open to the changes, development, and challenges even new trends in quality maritime education and training. In spite of the countless recognitions and distinctive awards which prove that teaching at JBLFMU are effective, it (JBLFMU) still took the initiative to welcome those who wishes to share best and effective practices in MET not only to learn but also to meet world shipping needs.

It is also on this premise that the conference, which they (JBLFMU) have conceptualized, aims to share what they have successfully done, to inspire others and learn something best to practice maritime education and training effectively.

Special Feature

JBLFMU confers Honoris Causa to Stolt-Nielsen and Ugland

T

he John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU) conferred the Doctor of Science Degree Honoris Causa to two great men of the maritime industry – Mr. Jacob Stolt-Nielsen and Mr. Andreas K.L. Ugland – for their great contributions in the maritime trade that have changed the lives of many people around the globe.

“This distinction is accorded only to those whose achievements have dramatically changed people’s lives for the better,” said Dr. Mary Lou L. Arcelo, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of trustees of the JBLFMU. Born in 1931 in Haugesund, Norway, Jacob Stolt-Nielsen who came from a shipowning family and was a third generation ship-owner, was called a visionary man, an innovator and an entrepreneur.

In 1955, a year after he started working for J.J. Chianelli, Inc. in New York – a broker in solvents and vegetable oils, he designed and installed a simple practical system of pipelines and deep well pumps, giving birth to the parcel tanker.

It was in 1960 when his strong friendship with Filipinos started after knowing that there millions of coconut trees in the Philippines. But prior to his first visit, Stolt-Nielsen has been hiring Filipino crew and at present, 16 of its SNTGI’s bulk liquid tankers have full Filipino crew – more than 2,000 officers and ratings combined.

Since then, classrooms and medical/hospital facilities were donated by the SNTGI for Filipino seafarers and their families.

His long friendship with Capt. Gregorio Oca has brought forth many blessings to our Filipino seafarers and the Philippine manning industry as well.

To sum it all, Stolt-Nielsen has pioneered in the deep sea chemical parcel trade, started first regularly scheduled service for parcels of solvents and chemicals in 1959; by 1963 18 Parcel Tankers were in operations cruising the trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific, Great Lakes, and South American trade routes; acquired its first storage terminal in 1970, the Sea Farm A/S; acquired the United Tank Containers in 1982 and set up the Stolt Tank containers; went public in 1988 raising USD51 million; consolidated

three companies into Stolt-Nielsen Transportation Group, Inc. in 1999 earning USD2 billion with 10,000 employees; and ventured in e-commerce in 2000 which led to the establishment of the Optimum Logistics Ltd. He retired as CEO of Stolt-Nielsen SA in 2000 and as chairman of Stolt-Nielsen Transportation Group in 2001 turningover the reins to his son Niels Greger. He remains chairman of the Stolt-Nielsen S.A. though.

On the other hand, Andreas K.L. Ugland developed the first D.P. Shuttle tankers, pipe-and-cable layers and specialized car carriers, and developed the technical department for design, supervision and operation and improved transportation economy for ore and automobile carriers upon joining the family company A/S Ugland Rederi (UR) in 1951.

Born in 1930 in Norway, Andreas founded the wholly owned Ugland Management Co. A/S (UMC) in 1966 and later developed into offshore oil contracting and project research and development, bulkers and tankers and the first specialized RORO car carries. In 1999, UMC became the Andreas Ugland & Sons (AUS).

Andreas has been a member of the Board of the Norwegian Veritas; member of Lloyds Committee in London; chair of the Scandinavian Committee of Lloyds and chairman of the Scandinavian Committee of the American Bureau of Shipping; represented Norwegian shipowners on the Norwegian Maritime Directorate Board; and represented the NMB at IMCO’s Safety of Life at Sea in 1960.

He drafted the first cooperation agreement between the Philippines and Norway. In cooperation with Mr. Carlos Salinas of FSA/PTC, he initiated the MD of Uddavallavarvet (UV) Philippine, Swed-

Dr. Mary Lou L. Arcelo, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of trustees of the JBLFMU, flanked by Andreas K.L. Ugland and Jacob Stolt-Nielsen, respectively.

ish, and Norwegian authorities to build the three sophisticated OBO 2, 3, and 4 at UV for delivery to Philippine companies with charter back to Andreas Ugland & Sons AS. He became the chairman of INTERTANKO and led the discussion with American authorities regarding the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the legal responsibilities of companies and officers and the introduction of the double hull tankers; developed good cooperation with Capt. Gregorio Oca and assisted the AMOSUP in the building of hospitals, dental clinics, and maternity centers, among others.

In 1984, he was bestowed by the Norwegian King the highest award which could be given to a private person – the “Knight of First Class of the Royal Norwegian Saint Olav’s Order” – for his innovative contribution to Norwegian shipping; in 1998, he was conferred the Italian “Order of Com-

mendatore Nell Ordine Merito della Republica Italiana” by the Italian president.

Andreas equally transferred to his three sons his shares in the main shipping and offshore companies, bank, and estates in 1994.

The conferment of Honoris Causa to Stolt-Nielsen and Ugland on January 30 was one of the highlights of the 60th anniversary of JBLFMU – giving honor to distinguished shipping pillars for their valuable contribution in the industry and in the Philippines, and for the innovation, development, and transfer of knowledge bestowed to the JBLFMU as a result of its productive partnership with the first and only maritime university in the country.

The families of Stolt-Nielsen and Ugland, who came all the way from Norway to witness the conferment ceremonies, were grateful to JBLFMU for such initiative and honorary recognitions to their respective patriarch.

Odfjell unveils facility at JBLFMU–Bacolod A nother highlight of the week-long 60th anniversary of John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU) is the opening of Odfjell facilities at the JBLFMU grounds in Bacolod City on February 1, 2008.

Gracing the inaugural with Dr. Mary Lou Arcelo of JBLFMU are Mr. Helge Olsen, senior vice president for ship management department of Odjfell and Capt. Kjell Johansen, vice president for marine personnel section.

In his speech, Olsen said the Odfjell facilities, which marks the continuing partnership with JBLFMU, reflects the continuing expansion of their cadetship program with the University.

“We cannot see a more fitting time to inaugurate this building than on the occasion of the 60th Founding Anniversary of this great maritime institution,” said Olsen.

The said building is the same as the first one that has been put up composed of two classrooms and two cadet quarters.

Upon full completion of this second building, Odfjell will start the construction of a third building that will house an Odfjell office, a library, a receiving room, a recreation room and a gym.

Soon enough, said Olsen, the Odfjell complex will have a fully-landscaped facility in John B. Lacson Colleges - Bacolod complete with perimeter fence, main gate, security and maintenance personnel.

Apart from the structures, the complex that Odfjell has envisioned is a concrete manifestation of its strong commitment to the cadetship program it inks with John B. Lacson Maritime University.

Olsen assured that the commitment will continue in the years ahead and more importantly, the creation of more facility will assure its cadets of the most comprehensive and fulfilling maritime education and training towards a rewarding seafaring career.

Taking pride with its cadetship program Olsen recalled when it started its cadetship program with John B. Lacson Maritime University, the first batch of 24 cadets are now having their shipboard training which will culminate on May 2008.

“After completing their 2-1-1 education, we expect them all to become full-pledged seafarers upon their graduation in March 2009,” he said.

To date, Odfjell has 74 cadets under Odfjell Cadetship Program with John B. Lacson Maritime University – 25 cadets having shipboard training, 25 in the second year, and 24 new entrants.

Dr. Arcelo, with Capt. Kjell Johansen (center) and Mr. Helge Olsen (right), lead the ceremonial ribbon cutting at Odfjell facilities inside John B. Lacson – Bacolod.

This undertaking is in addition to the cadets Odfjell have been taking from the NSA program, better known today as the NIS program, since 2002.

Odfjell is also proud of the two students under cadetship program at JBLCF-Bacolod who were chosen among the 20 candidates to represent the campus for the John B. Lacson Maritime University Model Cadet for school year 2007-08.

“Surely, that speaks a lot about the quality of the Odfjell Cadetship Program,” he said. The senior vice president for ship management department attributes the continuing evolution of its cadetship program with John B. Lacson Maritime

University to the wisdom and vision of its president, Dr. Mary Lou Arcelo, who is considered one of the industry pillars in Philippine maritime education and training.

“All of our cadets will be develop to become the most professional and competent ship officers on board our fleet of chemical tankers, a specialized field of shipping of which Odfjell has been widely regarded all over the world. They will also be enrolled in the Odfjell Career and Competence Management Program to monitor and ensure that they all progress in their seafaring profession at the right time,” concluded Olsen.

February–March 2008

Special Feature 60 fruitful years in service

John B. Lacson celebrates first anniversary as Maritime University T

he John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation has recently celebrated its 1st year anniversary as a Maritime University and 60 years of service to the Filipino people, country, and the world maritime fleet.

The week-long celebration, which commenced on 28 January to 1 February 2008, was graced by foreign and Filipino dignitaries in the maritime business who extended warm congratulatory greetings and strong support to the growth and progress of the premiere maritime institution.

For 60 years now, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation remained steadfast and dedicated to maritime education and training.

It was able to sustain and keep pace with the fast technological advancement in the shipping world - making their curriculum and the skills of their students – match and abreast with the latest, state-of-theart facilities the dynamic shipping world requires.

The track record of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation as a premier maritime institution makes it the most deserving to become a maritime university.

Hence, the new name John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU) would mean renewed and continued commitment to the seafaring world in the production of future competent seafarers, and constant noble undertakings to help strengthen and fortify the Philippine crewing industry.

As a kick start to the renewed commitment, JBLFMU initiated the very first international maritime conference with a theme “Sharing best practices in maritime

Vision The JBLCF System shall be the leading institution in quality education and training through Total Quality Assurance and shall be a major global supplier of competent, qualified, and morally upright professionals and leaders in loyal service to God, Country and Company.

As a socially responsible corporate citizen, the JBLF system shall advocate ethics in its undertaking and address environment and community concerns.

Mission JBLF shall provide quality education and training through instruction, research and extension, in its unrelenting quest for excellence as a major global supplier of worldclass, technical and professional manpower.

10

February–March 2008

Core Values The core values of JBLCF are EDUCATION, LIFE, PROGRESS, and DISCIPLINE. We are first…

• awardee of the PQACommitment to Quality Management outside of Luzon • accredited maritime education in the country • maritime higher education institution granted level III accredited status by the PACU-COA • maritime school to have published Maritime Education Review • DNV-certified higher education institution in the Philippines\ • Maritime school in the country to be ISO 9001:2000 certified • Maritime institution given the full autonomy status by the CHED education and training to meet world shipping needs” on January 29 to 30.

It has invited experts in the maritime education such as Dr. Hisashi Yamamoto of the International Association of Maritime Universities, Capt. Christer Bergquist of Kalmar Maritime Academy in Sweden, Mr. Marmon A. Pagunsan of Nizwa College of Technology in Sultanate of Oman, JICA Expert Dr. Shin Murata of the Maritime Training Council, NSA Project Manager Capt. Morten Johnsen of the Norwegian Shipowners Association, and Ms. Eleanor B.A. Fernandez of the Commission on Higher Education, among others.

With this initiative, JBLFMU is now beginning to see its direction, the realization

of its vision and the fruit of fulfilling its mission.

As to the secret of its success, JBLFMU Chair and CEO Dr. Mary Lou L. Arcelo is proud to report that they have remained compliant with the national and international standards and had strive to exceed stakeholders’ expectations.

“The success of John B. Lacson as a Maritime University can be clearly defined in their seven point agenda which are dedication to maritime education and training, strong graduate and research program, sustained technological environment, adherence to changes in the maritime environment regulatory requirements, quest for global competitive edge in maritime education, pursuit of international recognition, and corporate responsibility.”

As for its future plans for JBLFMU, Dr. Arcelo revealed, “We will definitely push through with our level-four accreditation.

We are the only school right now in the Philippines with level three.” Having levelfour accreditation would mean JBLFMU has reached international standards.

“We have to live the standards and of course, work hard to become the center for excellence. This time, I am really going to push for it because I really feel that we have the standards for excellence,” assured Dr. Arcelo.

His Excellency Stale Torstein Risa, Norway Ambassador to the Philippines, lauded the late Master Mariner John B. Lacson for his decision to provide maritime education and training to young Filipino people after the second world war in 1948.

The then Iloilo Maritime Academy has gone a long way and it has grown and

prosper to what is now the John B Lacson Foundation Maritime University that has three impressive campuses at Arevalo and Molo, Iloilo City as well as in Bacolod on Negros and a special training center on the beautiful island of Guimaras.

The vision of the late John B. Lacson, whose visionary efforts was continued and enhanced by Dr. Arcelo, paved the way for the success of JBLFMU to become one of the finest maritime schools in the country being very much at forefront with respect to procedures and best practices in areas such as student competence, assessment systems and shipboard training, among others.

Ambassador Risa commended JBLFMU for “meeting the maritime transport industry’ strong demand for world-class, technical and professional manpower -the vision of and quality-based approach to maritime education.”

The DNV of Norway, said Risa, recognized the institution’s qualities, and has certified its quality assurance system-the first such certification in the Philippines and the second in Asia.

And because of these qualifications, the Norwegian Ship Owners’ Association chose JBLFMU to be one of the very select group of schools for its Norwegian International Ship Registry Cadet program – a highly successful officers program.

Realizing the need to invest in cadet berths, numbers of manning companies and shipowners have tied up with JBLFMU for their cadet programs and even invested in the further quality trainings by donating facilities in the premises of the only maritime university in the Philippines.

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APPOOP calls for continuous dredging of Pasig River T

he Association of Private Port Operators and Owners of the Philippines (APPOOP) are batting for a continuous maintenance dredging of the Pasig River instead of a one-time expensive dredging.

The operators claimed that it will not only save the government huge amount of money, it will also guarantee that the river, which was in earlier times the lynchpin of the transport and commerce network in the Philippines, will be dredged and maintained according to plan.

To date, the river is only three meters deep and vessels could only navigate during high tide. According to the operators, the ideal draft of the Pasig River should be between from 5-7 meters.

In a discussion with the APPOOP, the group explained the current program being implemented is costing the government million of pesos with the end result is not met as contractors are more inclined to its profit margin.

They explained that contractors are just putting dredging machines to certain points and then stop its operations after some time, let the machine stay there for a while, and then pull it out. During evaluation, no improvements were made but they claimed that the huge siltation problem of the river immediately affected the project.

“What should be done is a long-term plan wherein dredging will be slowly but meeting the objective instead of a “band-aid” solution like what is being enforced,” APPOOP said.

“Pasig River is a port itself, it has to be properly maintained, dredged and monitored to function properly,” the group stressed.

“Dredging should be done like clock works,” it said.

According to APPOOP, the current state of the Pasig River is bumping logistics cost high due to slower transit time, bigger fuel and maintenance expenses.

Based on their estimates, companies utilizing the river are losing some 5-10% of their revenues as deliveries are being done only during high tide due to the siltation problem of the river.

The percentage is bump even higher if the vessel failed to deliver within the limited period as it have to wait for another 24 hours before it can deliver resulting to higher overhead cost that are passed on to consumers.

The group also claimed that some companies already chose to close shop and relocate somewhere else to save on expenses.

“Until the government changes its dredging and maintenance plan for the river, it will continue to result to business inefficiency and higher cost for the consumers,” APPOOP stressed.

Mouth of the Pasig River. courtesy of Wikipedia user Alternativity accessed 10:50 AM 3/9/2008 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Pasig_Intramuros.JPG

The river, on the other hand, has now been declared a critical water body because of the unspeakable amount of waste dumped into it daily by households and industries.

About 330 tons of industrial and domestic wastes are discharged everyday in this waterway, depleting the biochemical oxygen needed to support marine life.

In 1999, President Estrada ordered a 15year project to clean the river until 2014— and hopefully see fish return to its now filthy waters.

Backed by USD176.8 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the project

entails the redevelopment of riverside slums, relocation of tens of thousands of squatters and the launch of a passenger ferry.

At the halfway mark, government officials and ADB experts say progress has been made, but much more needs to be done if the Pasig is to regain its former splendor.

In early 2000, the Lighterage Association of the Philippines—the main users of the Pasig River—has partnered with the City Government of Manila to dredge and maintain the river but no significant improvement has yet to be released as to date.

RP eyes 1,000 vessels for local ship registry T he Philippine Government is targeting 12.5% or about 1,000 vessels out of the 8,000 new vessel deliveries worldwide in 2010-2012 to register in the local ship registry.

It will also translate to about USD20 – USD25 million in annual revenues from the vessels alone and will be bump higher if the number of vessels registered increases.

Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator Vicente Suazo, Jr., in a press briefing said it will be the result of the ongoing fine-tuning of the country’s ship registry rules by allowing foreigners to list in the country and strengthen the country’s local ship registry.

Suazo said the Executive Order (EO), which will provide foreigners several incentives such as tax holidays and other perks if they list with the local registry, is already with the President for consideration and approval.

According to Suazo, the implementation, “once approved, the local ship will increase significantly from 169 to more than 1,000 vessels in the initial stages of implementation.”

“It is expected to increase about 10% annually and generate approximately USD25 FLEET STREET

million in revenues for the Authority aside from providing more employment opportunities for Filipino seafarers and cement our hold as the manning capital of the world,” claimed Suazo.

The Marina chief also explained that the registry rules will also bring logistics cost lower with more vessels to choose from and compete with the carriage of government and private foreign trade unlike now that it is mostly cornered by foreign-flag vessels.

Among the proposed changes in the ship registry rules include the scrapping of the 4.5% withholding tax and the introduction of the tonnage fee and annual registration of vessels.

According to Suazo, these changes will reinforce Filipino shipowners’ competitiveness in landing the Government’s foreign trade, as current rule forced them to register elsewhere to do away with the 4.5% withholding tax requirement to carry the Government’s foreign trade such as rice, corn and coal.

Also, under the proposal, foreign-owned ships represented by a ship management company duly accredited by Marina would be entitled to fly the country’s flag.

It will also provide for the setting up of register offices in other countries to facilitate, control and enforce compliance of ships flying the flag.

The proposal will also be on top of the already-implemented relaxation of the country’s bareboat chartering law, which has been extended indefinitely while waiting for the EO to be signed.

To date, the Philippines has 169 vessels flying the Philippine Flag. The number has been dwindling the past 10 years.

Aside from the EO, Marina is also closely coordinating with the private and international sector to make the Philippine flag registry more attractive and open to foreigners and local shipowners.

Marina likewise continue to look at means on how to plug the loopholes of the system and ease up the existing ship owing rules and allow foreigners to penetrate the registry.

Such practice, however, is being frowned upon by the global maritime industry as it allows ships to go to another country that has laxer requirement but the safety and work conditions of the employees on board are compromised.

February–March 2008

11

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Cutting crew

MetroStar shortcuts Manila T

rade and travel to Manila from Cavite is now comfortable courtesy of MetroStar Ferry, Incorporated (MFI). The proposed ferry service that will service passengers from the Mall of Asia to Orion, Bataan is now in progress.

It cuts the usual three to four hour bus ride from Bataan to Manila to only an hour and 20 minutes. The usual two-hour travel time from Manila to Cavite via land transportation is reduced to only 45 minutes.

Travel time is even shortened via the comfortable, reliable, and inexpensive ferry services of MFI as all crafts depart and arrive on time, irregardless of the number of passengers they have.

The Php300-million venture of MFI also supports the Filipino ingenuity as it uses the modern twin-hulled, twin-engine and fiberglass-made boats designed by Filipinos, from Navotas and Malabon.

At present, MFI has three vessels – the m/s Doña Avelina, Doña Mercedez, and Doña Ines ferries.

Doña Avelina is the smallest at 63.5 feet with 130 passenger capacity. The Doña Mercedez measures 78.19 feet while the Doña Ines, being the largest is more than a hundred feet with a 550 seating capacity.

The Doña Ines is being used as a cruise ship plying the waters of Manila Bay to offer passengers a leisure journey across the scenic waters of the Capital city.

The ferry service provider adheres to the strict guidelines of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to ensure the safety of their passengers. It is equipped with life vests, fire extinguishers, life rafts, and first-aid kits, among other safety features required by law to operate passenger ferries.

Each ferry boat is equipped with state-ofthe-art navigational equipment such as radar, sonar, GPS, and radio apparatus. The three ferries are designed in accordance with the stringent standards of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on domestic vessels.

MFI Administrator Ms. Bernadette Fabian said in an interview that as one of the safety measures, ‘it is a policy not to accept unaccompanied baggage so as not to risk the passenger’s safety.’

“The company does not allow solicitors or vendors either to board the ferries to sell anything to protect the privacy of the commuters,” said Fabian.

One coast guard officer is being stationed at every MetroStar terminal. All passengers are being required to sign a manifesto before boarding the ferry. Every passenger is insured with Php200,000 insurance (per passenger) to cover any responsibilities that may arise from any untoward incidents.

Regular passenger fare per head is Php75.00. Senior citizens and students enjoy a special rate of Php60. MetroStar Ferry transports an average of 250 passengers a day and it increases during holidays, special events, and weekends.

The terminal in Cavite City opens at 6:30 am up to 7:10 pm while the ferry station in Mall of Asia is open from 7:10 in the morning until 6:30 in the evening.

MetroStar ferries. photos courtesy of MetroStar Ferry, Incorporated.

Value-added services MFI also ensures the convenience of their commuters. All air-conditioned vessels have toilet facilities to guarantee the comfortable travel of each passenger.

One of the value-added services being offered by MFI aside from allotting free parking spaces for commuters in its safe, well-lighted and well-ventilated terminals, the ferry operator also offers free shuttle rides that will service passengers from the terminal to the Mall of Asia – not really to promote the mall but to bring the passenger closer to public land transport accessibility.

MFI also offers river tours for students, and local and foreign tourists. Fabian underscored that they do not allow transport

of cargoes because the ferries are designed only for passengers.

The administrator disclosed some developments, which are now underway, in improving their services and in considering other routes.

According to Fabian, there are also proposed terminals in Navotas going to Hagonoy, Bulacan, and Guagua, Pampanga. She said MFI plans to increase its fleet to 15 ferry boats.

MetroStar Ferry, Incorporated is a private ferry service, owned and managed by people with extensive shipping experience.

It is financially supported by a guarantee from the Philippine Export Import Credit Agency (Philexim) and the Philippine Veteran’s Bank.

Local shipping eyes 10-15% growth in freight

L

ocal carriers are expecting a rosy freight business starting this year and in the next five years anchored on the onslaught of the mining and construction businesses in the country. Mining and construction businesses are the biggest earners in the country last year.

Passage service, on the other hand, is expected to continue its rebound from the slumping trade after business pickedup late last year.

According to the Philippine Liner and Shippers Association (PLSA), the largest organization of local freight and passage service providers, said freight business will continue its strong performance this year and expect to double its growth posted last year.

It added that with the mining and construction industries continue to boom in the next three to five years, local cargo carriers are expecting to fully benefit from its growth from the third to the fifth year or from 2010 to 2013.

“The local shipping industry is starting to get interesting. It [has] started to get 12

February–March 2008

rosy. Freight business is expected to grow about 10-15% this year and double it by 2010 while the passage business has likewise started to pick-up,” PLSA said.

“I think we already hit the bottom of our total business slowdown and operators are hoping that the growth posted towards the end of the year will finally arrest shipping operators from the sagging shipping business,” PLSA added.

“Freight business will continue to grow. It is again arguably the biggest growth area for the shipping industry this year while the passage sector is expected to benefit from the added purchasing power of the public due to the strong appreciation of the peso,” the association added further.

For this year, the sea freight traffic is estimated to grow by 10% from 47.5-50 mil-

lion metric tons (mmt) annually the past three years to about 53 mmt and about 58 to 60 mmt next year. It is also forecasted to have an average of 3.4% annual growth rate from 2010 to 2015.

Earlier, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) likewise projected a steady growth in the freight sector for Philippines until 2015.

According to a JICA report, domestic sea freight has been steadily expanding in volume from about 26 mmt in 1988 to 48 mmt in 2003. In the last five years, however, growth has been very weak at only 1.6% per annum. Sea traffic is 25% liquid bulk, 15% dry bulk, 22% container traffic and 26% break bulk. In the last few years, there has been a slow down in liquid bulk and break bulk traffic. Only container traffic has been increasing at 4.7% per annum since 1999.

On the other hand, the Philippine Ports Authority continue to project medium single-digit to low double-digit growth for this year’s total cargo traffic but said the growth will still be dependent on the

country’s economic condition and the movement of oil prices in the world market.

Earlier, the Maritime Industry Authority said the shipbuilding and ship repair industries are the two most viable growth areas for the local shipping industry citing the shortage of secondhand imported vessels from Japan while there is a huge demand in new vessels for the country in the next five to ten years.

For this year, the sea freight traffic is estimated to grow by 10% from 47.5-50 million metric tons (mmt) annually the past three years to about 53 mmt and about 58 to 60 mmt next year.

It is also forecasted to have an average of 3.4% annual growth rate from 2010 to 2015.

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LGC opens first CY/CFS in PEZA L

ina-owned LGC Logistics is offering a one-stop-shop of sorts to ecozone locators in the Calabarzon area with the full commercial operations of its inland container depot and clear cargoes in approximately one day.

LGC Logistics offers stripping/deconsolidation, consolidation, delivery to end-user, inventory management system, domestic freight system, and complete logistical services.

LGC chair Alberto Lina, in an interview at the sidelines of the formal launching of the facility in Camelray Techno Park in Laguna last week, said the facility— the first container yard/container freight station for the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)—will likewise enable PEZA locators in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon (Calabarzon) to reduce waiting time as the facility can also clear cargoes on Saturdays and Sundays.

According to Lina, this will translate to about 20% savings in company overheads due to faster transit time of air and sea freight from ports to the shipper’s doorsteps.

“In logistics, what is important is how fast you deliver the goods to the company.

With the facility, we will be able to transfer under-guard consolidation consigned to LGC from the port area to the facility two days earlier compared to the existing 5 days—two days transit time and one day cargo releasing,” Lina explained.

“It will likewise answer the clamor of shippers for lower logistics cost to cushion effect of the strong appreciation of the Philippine peso,” Lina explained further.

“Initially, the facility will cater to the needs of the PEZA-registered companies in the Calabarzon area but will eventually be marketed to non-locators,” Lina added.

He added that carriers should also bat for the same investments in other vital areas nationwide to reduce the cost of doing business in the country.

PEZA director general Lilia de Lima, for her part, said the operation of the inland container depot is perfect since it was introduced at the time shippers need a reduction of cost and timely delivery of cargoes.

Marina may implement shipbreaking program this year

N

She added that the facility specifically addresses such needs and complement other PEZA projects such as the electronic import permit system, all aimed to facilitate transactions at a lower cost.

“PEZA always support project that will reduce cost and with this facility, it is one major step to reduce further the cost of doing business in the country,” De Lima said.

The facility, on the other hand, has cold storage area that can store zero degrees Celsius to –30 degrees and is equipped with thermohydrograph and a storage area that sits on a 500 square meters of prime space while the warehouse floor area is a vast 6,000 square meters.

The Facility, located 59-km away from the Manila International Container Port, 64-km away from North Harbor and an average of 15-km away from neighboring ecozones, also has a dock leveler that provides easy access to palletized items with the use of forklifts or hand pallets and could easily be adjusted to any height; a scissor lift that provides 100% 0-degree plane transfer of items from containers or trucks to the warehouse floor; a built-in ramp that provides flexibility in loading and unloading small shipments off-dock; and a 24/7 security guards plus eight (8) units of CCTV surveillance cameras strategically located to ensure safety of cargoes.

ow that major shipbuilders are in our backyard, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is set to implement the ship breaking and ship retirement program this year to further push for the shipbuilding industry.

Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo explained that the ship breaking and ship retirement are relative to the growing ship building industry in the country.

He revealed that they are now in the process of preparing for a presentation before the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on how ship breaking activity will be conducted in order to obtain environmental clearance certificate.

Shipbreaking activity will also open windows for new business opportunities in the ship repair and sale of scraps.

Shipowners who wish to scrap their old ships may find yet another economic activity supportive of ship repair because of the recyclable materials.

Experts said the recycled steel plates can be utilized for ship repair while engines can be remanufactured or rebuilt.

Marina is bent on creating the ship breaking industry through discussion with agencies concerned and stakeholders.

Suazo maintained that they will enforce the phasing out of old vessels by the middle of 2008.

The Marina board is currently studying the implementation of the vessel retirement program especially for those older vessels but is still capable of plying. port side

“We may think of ways like the possibility of transferring the old vessels in unserved routes,” he said.

The number of years of the vessel subject for retirement is still being studied very carefully, he furthered.

“In order to boost the shipbuilding industry we have to do simultaneous programs such as ship breaking and ship retirement,” Suazo said adding that the president’s executive order mandated the Marina and other concerned agencies to have a comprehensive shipbuilding plan.

Marina wanted to fully develop the country’s shipyards capable of building passenger and cargo vessels.

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) urged the private sector to reactivate the country’s steel industry to support Marina’s move in strengthening the shipbuilding industry.

The availability of domestically produced steel plates can support the primary requirements in ship construction and maintenance.

The government, said Suazo, is presently helping shipyards through bulk sale of steel plates.

“Through bulk purchase of imported steels, the shipyards can buy [materials] at a cheaper cost,” Suazo concluded.

February–March 2008

13

Women in Maritime

Wimaphil establishes WV, NCR chapters T he Women in Maritime Philippines (WIMAPHIL) Association continues to grow to promote their advocacies when it recently launched its very first local chapter in Iloilo City, Western Visayas and the National Capital Region (NRC) respectively, on different occasions, and inducted their first sets of officers as well.

Among those inducted for the Western Visayas chapter were Dr. Terry Sarabia of St. Therese College Iloilo as chapter president, Director Armi Arcilla of Maritime Industry Authority as vice president, Director Arlene Dalawis of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as secretary, Dr. Geneva Eler of John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University – Arevalo as Treasurer, and Ms. Marne Halanes from the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration as Auditor.

The officers and 21 members coming from the different provinces of the Western Visayas and representing both the government and private sectors, were inducted at the St. Therese College-MTC in Molo, Iloilo on January 31, 2008.

On the other hand, the NCR chapter was organized on February 26, 2008. It has for its president Lilian Javier from PPA, vice president, secretary, treasurer, Public Relations Officer Ms. Siony Flores from PPA,

and Media Relations Officer Zenaida P. Magnial from Harborscope,.

The first elected president of the local chapter, Dr. Sarabia, expressed gratitude for having been elected to the post and vowed to commit her self to meet the expectations of their members and of the WIMAPHIL national office as well.

As for her NCR counterpart, Ms. Javier vowed to be vigilant and active in the advocates of the women in maritime.

According to PTC president Ms. Carla Limcaoco, the WIMAPHIL National Office expects them to abide by the framework under which WIMAPHIL was established and to jointly pursue the directions provided to them by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the general membership since the Association has been created to serve its members.

Ms. Limcaoco likewise, exhorted Ms. Javier to start inviting people from different

cities in the Metro to start the establishment of NCR municipal chapters.

The WIMAPHIL national president reported that the Western Visayas regional chapter is now in the process of finalizing their initiatives on the prevention of HIV/ AIDS, illegal trafficking of women and children, maritime pollution, safety at sea, as well as concerns related to the wives of seafarers.

The NCR, on the other hand, will start scheduling their weekly meetings and plan their priority activities.

She added that the first regional chapters will also be establishing municipal chapters in Bacolod and Antique provinces, and likewise, in the Metro Manila. “I trust that they will follow our objectives of undertaking and advocacies geared towards that direction. I am confident that they can live up to the ideals of WIMAPHIL,” Ms. Limcaoco assured.

Nevertheless, the national president lauded the first sets of officers and members of the Western Visayas and NCR chapters.

“On behalf of the National Office of the Women in Maritime Philippines Association, I would like to congratulate the officers and members of the Western Visayas Regional chapter and NCR on hav-

ing successfully launched WIMAPHIL’s first local chapters. We are confident that thru your efforts, the women in your region will become actively involved in the advocacies related to safety and prevention of pollution of sea, prevention of HIV/AIDS and other maritime issues which are relevant in the environment that we live in today. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and more power to you!”

WIMAPHIL is created to promote the active participation of women in the overall development of the maritime industry.

Its adviser is none other than the IMO Regional Presence for East Asia, Atty. Brenda Pimentel. The officers and members of the Board of Trustees were inducted by UN Resident Coordinator Nileema Noble on July 31, 2007.

Boarding house for scholars identified

Propeller Club – Port of Manila seeks support from members C

alling all members of the Propeller Club of Manila! The Club has found a boarding unit in Sta. Ana, Manila to house its scholars coming from the provinces. The said boarding house is completely bare. Hence, the club wishes to solicit donations from the members for any household items like kitchen utensils, furniture, or paintings, or anything that might be useful to their students.

The Club also reported that they will be renting a boarding house for their cadets currently commencing OJT at Herma Shipyard in Mariveles, Bataan.

The Propeller Club of Manila has been faithful to its Scholarship Program since the early 1990s. It is sponsoring a single student from an underprivileged family at Don Bosco Technical School, Makati.

Since that time the program has grown appreciably and by 2005 the club was sponsoring 10 students at Don Bosco.

In 2005, the Club considered increasing the number of scholars and enhancing the program so that it would ensure the employability of the scholars once they graduated. Currently, the club is supporting 130 students and still recruiting for 25 more starting January 2008.

The Propeller Club of Manila, through the support of the Salvation Army of Australia and AUSAID have enhanced the program and established the Vocational Training Program.

Much like the previous years, the Propeller Club scholars are enrolled in a one year Fitter Machinist (Ship Mechanic) Course which was set up several years ago by Stolt Nielsen Transport Group. The difference can be seen in 3 key areas: The Club invited applicants and recruited scholars on the basis of a mechanical aptitude test, an English Test and a Medical Exam. From there, scholars were interviewed along with their parents/guardians to assess their willingness to undergo the program and ensure that they would pursue the course.

The second key difference is that scholars undergo a special English class. They are taught for 4 hours every Saturday by Alan Atkins an Australian English teacher. The goal is to get their English speaking, writing and listening abilities to a level 6 on IELTS. Last but not the least, the scholars are now diligently monitored and provided

supplementary trainings and activities that would help motivate them and develop well-rounded personalities. In the 1st semester, these included HIV-AIDS Awareness Training, a museum tour and a Yacht Trip around Manila Bay. For more details about the club, you can visit their website at www.propellermanila. org The Club usually meets every third Wednesday of the month at the Manila Club near corner Evangelista Street, Bgy. Bangkal, Makati City. Their third luncheon meeting is on the 26th of March 2008.

Everyone in the maritime industry is welcome to join the Propeller Club – Port of Manila. They can send their applications to Mr. David Reynolds, Club President, c/o Inter-Asia Marine Transport, Inc. 3rd Flr. Raha Sulayman Bldg., 108 Benavidez Street Legaspi Village, Makati City, Philippines or send email to propclub@virtualasia.com.

Triumphant King Corporation Under New Management Having established Triumphant King Corporation as a pro-active provider of quality seafarers to man foreign-owned vessels, we now strive for excellence in this chosen field by improving our professional services to our principals.

Our increased dedication hopes to contribute to our mutual growth and development, thus, creating a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship.

We have carved a niche for ourselves by providing quality manning services to our foreign principals. Our foreign partners are assured that we shall continually strive to improve our services, observe the principles of business ethics, and incorporate new trends in the industry.

Our strict adherence to the processes and procedures described in our Quality Manual assures our continued success.

Arsenio S. Ambatali President and General Manager

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February–March 2008

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editorial

Empowering Maritime Entrepreneurs

A

llow us to first thank you for your continued support and for trusting our humble yet noble objective of empowering maritime entrepreneurs.

It is the very reason of our existence. It is for this noble cause that makes us endure the birth pains of publishing a medium of business promotion and communication.

Your unremitting patronage to Harborscope serves as an inspiration for us to sustain our credo – to be the medium of good report and business development, trends, markets, and prospects.

Like our colleagues in the maritime beat, we share the same belief that you, our dear readers, are of paramount importance to us. Hence, we encourage you to tell us how we can serve you best. Because we want to join you in your clamor to promote the best practices essential to the growth of the Philippine maritime industry.

May I commend first, the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University for initiating their first international maritime conference with a theme, “Sharing Best Practices in Maritime Education and Training to Meet World Shipping Needs” last January 29-30.

This initiative is a great contribution to the industry since our key leaders are working very hard to meet the demands of the stakeholders. They cannot do it alone. Our seafarers need to be educated and trained in a manner acceptable to the shipowners.

The Philippine Association of Maritime Training Centers, Inc. has also conducted a forum on “Best Practices in Maritime Training” with Executive Director Teresita T. Laurel gracing the event on February 28.

They have invited Capt. Luis G. Evidente of John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University, Engr. Romeo S. Piccio of Magsaysay Training Center, Mr. Subir Mukerji of TUV-SUD-PSB Philippines and Capt. Felicito C. Quimpo, Jr. of Bureau Veritas Certification, to share the best practices needed to ensure quality maritime education and training to our officers and ratings.

The recently inaugurated K-Line Maritime Academy Philippines had also given their fair share to the industry. They have invested millions of dollarsworth of training facilities (especially the Kawasaki-MAN B&W 2S50MCC main ship engine) for the upgrading of skills of ship officers. Free comprehensive trainings are even offered to seafarers who wish to join K-Line through Ventis Maritime Corporation.

The Phil-Japan Manning Consultative Council, Inc. has just conducted its convention to uphold the interest of manning agents and the Filipino seafarers servicing the Japanese maritime industry.

The Women in Maritime Philippines headed by Ms. Carla Limcaoco is also advocating for best practices professional women in the maritime trade should observe in order to put forward notable undertakings the industry is carrying out at present.

The LGC Logistics has also recently invested millions for its first container yard/container freight station (CY-CFS) for the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to ensure safe and on-time delivery of goods in the logistics sector.

The Philippine Ports Authority is continuously and has partnered with the Bureau of Customs to fight smuggling and ensure prosperous growth in our ports.

The Maritime Industry Authority has been silently working with all diligence to promote and protect the industry as well.

These are only some of the reported initiatives undertaken by our industry leaders that should be recognized. There are still many initiatives being done in silence but all headway to promote the Philippine Maritime Industry in general.

If there are many more best practices, anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, and praise-worthy, we seek after these things.

Hence, the new slogan of Harborscope – “Empowering Maritime Entrepreneurs” through best practices endeavored to meet the expectations of the world maritime fleet.

Jun G. Garcia Managing Editor Harborscope

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Wilton M. Venus President Jun G. Garcia Managing Editor Ronald B. Escanlar | Pabrika Imagery Art Direction Zenaida P. Magnial Marketing Director Jaypee S. Padilla Circulation Manager Harborscope is a bi-monthly publication of Harborscope, Inc. with editorial and business offices at Room 502 FEMI Building, Andres Soriano Street, Intramuros, Manila.

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February–March 2008

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‘Making a name, sailing high’

DOT VI Director Mr. Edwin G. Trompeta (r) awards the regatta winners.

Filipino boats and seamenship

By Jonathan Grant

Iloilo Paraw Regatta continues to sail at 36

By Jun G. Garcia

T

he colorful Iloilo Paraw Regatta, celebrated annually in a festive and climactic fashion, has gone a long way from being a local entertainment fair to cheer balikbayans (homecoming Filipinos) and local folks to promoting energy conservation among fishermen, who are braving the 30kilometer race course with only the year round breeze of Iloilo Strait propelling them to the coasts of Panay and Guimaras and back to the finish at the Villa beach in Arevalo, Iloilo City.

For 36 years now, the Iloilo Paraw Regatta has grown to be the largest sailing event in the Philippines and the oldest traditional craft event in Asia. This year’s event continues to draw the interests of the world, with local and international media covering the event, and tens of thousands of foreign and local tourists witnessing the vibrant activities by the beach of Villa.

Initiated by the Department of Tourism Region VI (DOT 6) along with the Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation, Inc., the event is also supported by the Iloilo City government, the Iloilo PNP and PCG, and nearby provincial govern-

ments, and private sectors like the famous Tatoy’s Manukan and Seafood Restaurant and the finest John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University, among others.

DOT VI Director Mr. Edwin G. Trompeta said the objective of the Iloilo Paraw Regatta is to display and uphold the skills of paraw sailors in a celebrated manner for promoting the continued use of paraw – a native double out-

16

February–March 2008

rigger sailboat that has been in existence only God knows when and for how long – for their transportation and source of livelihood; thus, sparing the Iloilo strait from the hazards of oil pollution while also sparing them from the high cost of fuel.

Thanks to the geophysical shape of the Iloilo Strait that provides breezes all throughout the year making paraw the dominant working sailboats in the province.

“The Iloilo Paraw Regatta, celebrated every February, is an event for any seaworthy paraw that is solely dependent on wind for its power and/or motion,” explained Mr. Trompeta.

“Its crew should be a minimum of two. Additional crew members are allowed provided that the numbers will still be the same from the start of the race up to the finish. These are good fishermen. They can really swim,” he added.

Another exciting event is the Iloilo Paraw Slalom – a competition that enhances the seamanship of the crew in handling and maneuvering the paraw under all wind and wave conditions in a preset race course. This event offers a breath-taking excitement to both participants and spectators.

The week-long festivity, which started as a half-day sailboat race years ago, is now a multifaceted festival with side entertainments and competitions such as the remarkable search for Ms. Iloilo Paraw Regatta 2008; the eye-catching Pinta Layag Competition – a painting contest with the sails – a woven matting or stitched synthetic awning material as the artists’ canvass; the admiring Pinta Tawo Competition – a body painting competition; fun-filled Beach volleyball – which is now on its fifth year participated

by Iloilo’s finest colleges and universities; and the competitive Beach Football tournament.

Since time immemorial, boats and seafaring skills were fundamental to Philippine society. Indeed, the word barangay originally meant a large boat; at 20-25 meters length, the materials and construction skills could only be managed by a sizeable community. These boats were not hallowed out logs. Rather, each full-length plank was carved to a curved shape to precisely meet the edge of the adjacent plank, and eventually make up the hull. No nails. No stress bending.

And the warrior version of these large boats, called the caracao, determined not only the community’s defenses, but also its power. The effectiveness of this Philippine boats needs to be recalled.

Downwind they could sail three times as fast as a Chinese junk or Spanish galleon, and, with some 80 paddlers and oarsmen, outmaneuver them in light air. Way back in the late 1100’s, Governor Wang Ta-yu of Fukien province, China, was an eye-witness to raids by caracao from the Visayas.

Centuries later, when the Spanish came with superior arms to conquer the Philippines, they quickly realized the inferiority of their galleon ships for operating in the strong currents and shallow reefs of local waters. In the 1560’s Legazpi himself used Philippine made and manned boats to explore the Visayas. In the 17th century, the Spanish built whole fleets of caracao to counter the Moro Filipino quest for control in the Visayas.

As Father Francisco Combes wrote at the time, “the care and technique with which they build them makes their ships sail like birds, while ours are like lead in comparison.” No galleons participated.

A plethora of smaller boats constituted the mainstay of community life. As virtually the only form of transportation, all commercial and political contacts depended on them. Both Chinese and Spanish records portray a vibrant life of continual movements of rice, sweet potato, bananas, coconuts, fish, game, salt, and cloth between coastal barrios – to say nothing of iron, gold, jewelry and porcelain.

One of the best attractions of the Iloilo Paraw Regatta festival is the “Samba de Regatta” – a music and Mardi Gras Competition that provides exhilarating and colorful spectacles to the crowd who are waiting for the winners of the sailboat race at the beach. The Samba eventually became the vehicle for the city-wide awareness of the Paraw Regatta Festival.

Other events include mini-paraw sailing, rowing and paddling competition, and bottom fishing, among others.

True enough with this year’s theme “Making a Name, Sailing High!”, the 2008 Iloilo Paraw Regatta has indeed carved a name for itself with the colorful sails of paraws standing proudly against the breezes and tides that say it will last forever, and with the seasoned seamanship of sailors contributing to the success of the event which gives the world an impression that Filipinos indeed are the best sailors on this planet.

Indeed, Filipino seamanship, along with craftsmanship, was acknowledge by the colonial regime by paying them four to five times the basic wage, and even higher for Visayan mariners. Laws of navigation and commerce promulgated in 1620 assumed that any Filipino born along the seacoast had the skills to be qualified as a seaman on government vessels. Galleons sailed with equal numbers of Filipinos and Spanish by then, and 1720 Filipinos outnumbered them two to one. By the 18th century, Filipinos had won such a reputation for mariner’s skills there was hardly a ship in Europe that did not have some on board.

By the 19th century, Filipino seamen had become prevalent abroad that other colonial regimes imposed restrictions on their employment.

The paraw is the precursor of this grand sailing tradition. The Ilonggos celebrate this heritage through the annual Paraw Regatta festivities, a celebration of the region’s history, culture and lifestyle.

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