Maritime Industry Authority News

On 29 June, Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr. assumed office as the eighth President of the World Maritime University (WMU). Appointed by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), who also serves as Chancellor of the University, President Mejia assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer, overseeing and directing the academic programmes, operations and administration of the University. Professor Mejia is the first President from Asia and the first President who is a graduate of WMU.Regarding his appointment…

The seafarer home nations of the Philippines and Indonesia are working to equip their maritime workers with the skill sets needed to deliver a low and zero-carbon maritime sector.Speaking at the ‘Seizing opportunities for green shipping in Asia and the Pacific’ conference organized by the Philippines' Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), on May 15, Philippine Transmarine Carriers CEO Gerardo A. Borromeo said: “There is no doubt that the skill set for a career at sea is evolving.

Professor Max Mejia has been named as the next president of the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden.Selected following a competitive selection process, Mejia—the university's current PhD program director and associate academic dean— will succeed Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, whose term as WMU president will expire on June 29, 2023.WMU was founded by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1983, providing postgraduate maritime and ocean education, research and professional training.

Global leaders from organizations representing seafarers, shipowners and other maritime employers signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines’s Department of Migrant Workers on Wednesday 11 January, to form the International Advisory Committee on Global Maritime Affairs (IACGMA).The IACGMA is composed of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC), and the…

Norway-based Kongsberg Digital (KDI) and Maritime Industry Authority in the Philippines (MARINA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). According to Kongsberg, the MOU represents a significant milestone for innovation and transformation in maritime training in the Philippines,"Kongsberg Digital’s suite of simulation systems provides efficient and realistic training for maritime students and crew so building vital skills promoting safety, cost-efficiency, and sustainability in operations at sea.

On June 7, 2022, a graduation ceremony at the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA), a merchant marine university jointly operated by NYK and the Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) near Manila, Philippines, was held for the first time since 2019 before the outbreak of COVID-19.NYK President Hitoshi Nagasawa, Senior Managing Executive Officer Tomoyuki Koyama, and TDG Chairman J. Roberto C. Delgado, in addition to invited guests of honor that included Kazuhiko Koshikawa, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of the Philippines, and Vice-Admiral Robert A.

The Philippines maritime regulator Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said it wants to attract private organizations to continue engaging in shipbuilding and repair by developing a scheme of tax incentives.Marina also said that the incentives program is crafted for domestic shipping to enhance the investment climate in the Philippines and attract more private-sector participation in the maritime industry.“Marina has committed to formulate an attractive financing scheme and to review existing incentive programs for the players in the domestic shipping and shipbuilding industries. The agency will also review regulations to accelerate fleet modernization programs…

Philippines' Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is encouraging shipping companies to deploy ships to missionary routes to enhance the connectivity of the country’s islands.Marina opened new roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) missionary routes for application by shipping operators, in line with its initiative to modernize domestic shipping in support of the development of a national nautical highway system in the Philippines.“The Marina declared 19 missionary routes on 31 January 2019 to further connect various islands between the Central Nautical Highway to the Eastern Nautical Highway or from the Western Nautical Highway to the Central Nautical Highway.

Austal Limited has delivered a 30-meter high-speed aluminum catamaran for VS Grand Ferries of the Philippines. The vessel was designed by Incat Crowther and built at Austal’s shipyard in Balamban, Cebu.The new vessel, named MV Seacat, provides capacity for 300 passengers at speeds up to 25 knots. The new ferry is first locally operated vessel to be built to achieve Pioneer status, an enhanced safety standard rating in the Philippines, with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).Austal said it secured the A$5.5millon contract to build the vessel in August 2017…

For ports to cut emissions to ensure cleaner air and contribute to the battle against climate change, they first need to quantify emissions and then identify measures to reduce port-related emissions in a cost-effective way. The on-going strategic partnership between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) -run GloMEEP project on energy-efficiency and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) is helping selected countries to develop port emission inventories and subsequently draw up a port emission reduction strategy. To-date, four countries have benefited from a new IMO training package, the latest being the Philippines – with a workshop in Manila  (15-17 May).

Officials from various government entities in the Philippines have received training in how to develop a National Maritime Transport Policy (NMPT). The concept is being promoted by International Maritime Organization (IMO)  as a good governance practice to guide planning, decision making and legislation in the maritime sector, and as a key driver for a country's sustainable development. The event took place in Manila, Philippines (6-8 March), organised by IMO together with the Philippines Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the World Maritime University (WMU). The training comes at an opportune moment – with the Philippines in the process of adopting its Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP) 2018-2028 – designed to enhance the country’s maritime industry.

Two new 50-meter multi-mission offshore vessels (MMOV) will soon help the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) fight illegal fishing in Philippine waters. The sister ships – DA BFAR MMOV 5001, named BRP Lapu-Lapu, and DA BFAR MMOV 5002, named BRP Francisco Dagohoy – were built by Manilla-based Josefa Slipways, and have recently completed speed and endurance trials ahead of their upcoming delivery. According to designer Incat Crowther, the new vessels will enhance law enforcement’s capability to patrol and protect territorial waters…

The Philippines is the latest country to receive International Maritime Organization (IMO)  support to promote energy-efficient ship operation. A workshop taking place in Manila (23-24 February) is equipping 30 maritime educators from across the country with the knowledge to introduce the topic of ship energy-efficiency into their teaching curriculums. The event, run under IMO’s GloMEEP project, is the second of its kind to take place in Asia this week – following a productive event in Malaysia (20-21 February). The focus is on delivering the IMO Model Course 4.05 to seafarers, which consists of lectures, interactive exercises and videos to enhance the learning experience.

The Philippine Coast Guard was called upon to provide assistance to two maritime incidents in Iloilo City Saturday, April 9 which resulted to the safe disposition of the vessels and crews. The first incident involved motor boat Golden Light, which encountered engine trouble at the vicinity waters of Nogas Island, Antique. Upon receipt of a report from Roque Dela Torre of Cargo Checker of Neptune Transport Inc., the personnel of Coast Guard Station (CGS) Iloilo proceeded to the area and assisted in the towing of the boat to Parola Wharf. On the same day, motor tanker Mary Queen of the Orient ran aground 20 meters away from light station Iloilo Jetty Red in Iloilo River.

The rapid growth and development of the Philippine maritime training market caused a dramatic increase in demand for state-of-the-art simulation systems compliant with the latest MARINA and CHED training requirements. Being the leading provider of the maritime simulation and training solutions, Transas is a logical choice for a most academies, colleges, and training centres in the Philippines. In order to enhance its range of services offered to the MET organisations in the Philippines, Transas has partnered with Philippine Lifesaving Equipment Inc., a local company with a vast experience in the maritime market. Together, the companies are providing training solutions for the Philippine market compliant with all international…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will hold an international conference on the enhancement of safety of ships carrying passengers on non-international voyages, in Manila, the Philippines, on April 24, 2015. The conference, which will be opened by IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu, will be hosted by the Government of the Philippines at the Philippine International Convention Centre, Manila, and is expected to be attended by a number of IMO Member States interested in the matter…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. today announced the graduation of 105 students in the fourth class of the "3rd Year Program," which MOL introduced with the goal of developing crewmembers who will uphold strict safety standards in vessel operation. The 3rd Year Program targets new seafarers from among third-year students at partner maritime schools in the Philippines. MOL provides education and training at the Magsaysay Institute of Shipping(MIS)(*1), its training center in the Philippines. On hand for the graduation ceremony were Administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr, Development Bank of the Philippines Executive Vice President and Chief Development OfficerBenel D.

A two-day Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Awareness Campaign updated the seafarer public in Luneta Park, Manila of MPHRP’s programmes and services led by MPHRP Regional Director for Philippines/Southeast Asia Rancho Villavicencio and MPHRP Assistant Programme Director Hennie la Grange, July 23-24. In partnership with SEACOMS Maritime Development International, Inc., the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme Philippines held its awareness campaign for the second time in Manila where a seafarer crowd was gathered to be informed of the programme’s existence and how MPHRP assists piracy survivors and their families locally.

Over 1,300 seafaring officers and crew attended INTERTANKO’s Seafarers’ Vetting Seminar held last week at the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy in Laguna in the Philippines. The packed auditorium demonstrated the need and the desire for up-to-date and practical information on tanker vetting –successful vetting inspections are a crucial part of the commercial operation of any tanker. The seminar was conducted in response to INTERTANKO’s focus on the human element and the emphasis by INTERTANKO’s Vetting Committee that all seafarers should be actively involved in the ship inspection process.

IMO initiated a milestone today with the inauguration of the first IMO Regional Presence Office in the Asian region. The opening of the office for the East Asian sub-region follows the successful establishment of three regional presence offices in Africa: the IMO regional co-ordinators are located in Kenya, for Eastern and Southern Africa subregion; Ghana, for West and Central Africa (Anglophone) subregion; and Abidjan, for West and Central Africa (Francophone) sub-region. The IMO regional co-ordinator for East Asian sub-region will be Brenda Pimentel, who was previously the overseas shipping director of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) in the Philippines.

Cebu's shipbuilding industry has attracted two Singaporean firms which are planning to invest about $400 million in the fast-growing industry, a Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) official said. Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo said he will facilitate the meetings between the Singaporean investors and the National Maritime Leasing Corp. (NMLC) and the Philippine Import-Export Credit Agency (Philexim). Suazo declined to name the two Singaporean firms, but said one firm, will invest $300m and the other $100m. He said he recently went to Singapore to conduct a campaign to attract foreign investments in the country's shipping industry.

The Philippine government seeks to boost the fleet of RoRo vessels to cover unserved routes throughout the country, according to the Maritime Industry Authority. Emerson Lorenzo, head of Marina’s Shipping Regulation Office,said that 30 RoRo ships are needed for unserviced routes nationwide. Each RoRo with a capacity of 500 gross tons costs $4 to $6m. Lorenzo said the additional RoRo vessels would improve the country’s cargo industry and strengthen the Central and Eastern Nautical Highways. Under the program, the government wants a RoRo port system to link the country’s islands. Another trigger for increased demand in new vessels is the April 2008 deadline for the phase-out of black cargo tankers plying Philippine waters.

Maritime training centers and schools offering maritime safety courses will be inspected by the Philippines Maritime Training Council of the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure they produce seafarers who meet the standards of the global maritime industry. DOLE said in a statement over the weekend that the MTC will inspect maritime training providers in accordance with the 1978 Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention. MTC has begun inspecting the maritime training providers' facilities for maritime safety courses and applications for the mandatory management training courses for the Filipino seafarers.