December
http://www.wmujapan.net

Orientation Gathering 2019: Insights and Inspiration
Svitlana Oleksandrivna Shestova(Ukraine, 2020)

For the academic year 2019/2020, 28 students
from 23 countries received the wonderful news
that they had been chosen to receive Sasakawa
Fellowships, offering invaluable support for
education in the specializations offered by theWorld Maritime University: Maritime Education& Training, Maritime Energy Management,
Maritime Law & Policy, Maritime Safety &Environmental Administration, Ocean
Sustainability, Governance & Management, Port
Management, and Shipping Management &Logistics. I was one of the lucky ones to be chosen.
To start the year, The Nippon Foundation once
more kept up its admirable practice of holding an“Orientation Gathering” meeting of Sasakawa
Fellowship students of the World Maritime
University early in the Foundation term. The
intention is to unite the Fellowship holders
enrolled in the two Classes current at the
University: in our case, students of the 2019/2020
and 2018/2019 academic years. These meetings
have become traditional, and they are looked
forward to both by beginners and those who,
thanks to the generous support of The Nippon
Foundation, will graduate this year.
The meeting for our Class of Fellowship holders
took place on September 20 in the Sasakawa
Auditorium of the World Maritime University
and was attended by representatives of The
Nippon Foundation.
Mr. Eisuke Kudo, Advisor for the Sasakawa
Peace Foundation (SPF), emphasised that
networking among the graduates is one of themain aims of the Sasakawa Fellowship
programme. This avenue of support even after
graduation from WMU gives graduates theopportunity to exchange experiences and advice,
often leading to success, promotion and a realopportunity to influence the development of themaritime sector.
Mr. Kudo’s following words were especiallymemorable: “You should be always proud of

yourself to be chosen as one of the successfulrecipients, and we expect you to perform well fromyour education at WMU”, he said.
During the orientation meeting, current
students of the Class of 2019 held very
informative presentations for newcomers about
the seven MSc specializations in Maritime
Affairs, as well as shared experiences of studyingat WMU. What experiences they have had! They
paid particular attention to the visits that they
had an opportunity to take part in with thesupport of The Nippon Foundation, including anespecially memorable visit to Japan in May 2019.
To be able to see at first hand the way sections of
the maritime sector are developing in Japan seems
to have been a remarkable opportunity for the
students. Our group is already looking forward toits journey to Japan and the inspiration we will
gain from the experience.
Mr. Takeshi Mizunari, Research Fellow, Ocean
Education Division, Policy Research Department
of SPF, introduced the students to the main areasof activities of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and
The Nippon Foundation, and also described futuregoals to develop the programme’s website, which
will certainly have a positive effect on the Sasakawa
Fellows’ Network. He gave a clear and detailed
description of the vision of the Sasakawa
Fellowship programme, which is to develop andmaintain professional and social international
interaction. Many students were surprised thatboat racing contributes to the funding of their
Fellowship! In conclusion, Mr. Mizunari invited
students to fill in the information in their personal
profiles, thus creating a smart platform for rallying
the community of Sasakawa alumni, and enabling
interaction.
Students of the Class of 2020, with the warm
support of students of 2019, were given an
opportunity to introduce themselves, theircountries and specializations.
Of course, the most memorable moment of themeeting was the reception organized by The
Nippon Foundation in the WMU World Bistro.
WMU President, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry,
thanked the Foundation for its extraordinary andongoing support for maritime capacity building by
providing Fellowships to WMU students. She alsoemphasized the importance of cooperation with
The Nippon Foundation in the sphere of thepromotion of maritime education in developing
countries, and congratulated the newly enrolled
students on joining the World Maritime
University and The Nippon Foundation families.
There was a wonderful friendly atmosphere at
the reception. Amongst the cheerful babble andsocializing, students had a great opportunity tomeet, share experiences, and make friends, as well
as taste the wonderful dishes specially prepared by
the staff of the Bistro. Dr. Doumbia-Henry, Mr.
Kudo, Mr. Mizunari, WMU professors andrepresentatives of the WMU staff also joined in
the friendly interaction with students. This
undoubtedly helped new students to feel welcome
and honoured in joining an elite group of maritime
professionals, gifted with the opportunity to get
one of the best world maritime educations throughthe support of The Nippon Foundation.
The orientation meeting left only the best
impressions. We are looking forward to our
future at WMU and our continued interaction
with The Nippon Foundation, with great hope,enthusiasm and gratitude.

Mohammed Mojahid Hossain Chowdhury

Akshaya Kumar Mahapatra

WMU is a center of excellence in maritime education. As afaculty member of the only public maritime university in
Bangladesh, I had a dream to pursue my MSc at this auspicious
institution. On this occasion, I would like to offer my sincere
gratitude to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for giving me thechance.

The professional competency gained at WMU will immensely
benefit my organization and my home country. The sharing of
knowledge with fellow officers and subordinates will enhance theoverall knowledge base for better implementation of national laws
and policies. Additionally, it will also provide valuable guidance on
streamlining marine regulations and strict compliance.

Lecturer, Department of Port and Shipping Management
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University

Bangladesh
SML

Operations and Plans Officer, Coast Guard District Headquarters No-7, Odisha
Indian Coast Guard, Ministry of Defence

India
MLP

Sola Kruy

I Komang Hedi Pramana Adiputra

I am so grateful for the scholarship offered by the Sasakawa
Peace Foundation. After graduation, I hope to play a majorrole in developing and enhancing port operational efficiency,
promoting the maritime sector in Cambodia, and to continue
to be actively engaged in the local and global Sasakawa
Fellows' Network.

The Sasakawa Peace Foundation has given me big support tobe a WMU student at the best maritime university in theworld. Therefore, I will enrich my maritime knowledge andgain strong connections with Sasakawa Fellows to achieve UN
SDGs for my country and internationally.

Deputy Chief of Marketing Session, Planning/Marketing Department
Phnom Penh Autonomous Port

CambodiaPM

Navigation Instructor, Politeknik Pelayaran Sorong
Indonesia Ministry of Transportation

Indonesia
MSEA

Badri Tetemadze

Wawan Rowandi

Thanks to the Sasakawa foundation, I have been lucky to be enrolled
at WMU with a full scholarship, which is an absolute honor. I am
looking forward to receiving as much knowledge as possible in thefield of MSEA, which I intend to use further for networking andfacilitating the maritime industry in Georgia.
I do hope that I will be able to thank the Sasakawa Foundation withmy achievements and success not only here at WMU but also
afterwards. Looking forward to visiting Japan next year.

My resolution going forward is to represent my country ininternational organizations. I will broaden my knowledge
about Ocean Sustainability, especially Fisheries Stock
Assessment by studying at WMU.

Captain, Flag Administration
Columbia Shipmanagement / Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia

Georgia
MSEA

Data Processor, Previous Fish Resources Management
Previous Directorate General of Capture Fisheries

Indonesia
OSGM

Marvin Bang-Gesina Ayoo

Sepideh Chokhachi BaradaranWords cannot describe the honour done me by being awarded
a fellowship from The Nippon Foundation. I look forward toleveraging the opportunities and networks provided by WMU
to offer policy guidance and direction in the maritime sector
and how collectively we can secure and sustain a cleaner ocean.
My gratitude to Dr. Yohei Sasakawa.

The sustainability of oceans is important for the world, so I
would like to gain as much knowledge and skills as possible.
After graduation I want to use this knowledge to address thechallenges that our oceans face. I am so grateful to the
Sasakawa Peace Foundation for giving me this opportunity.

Maritime Administrative Officer, General Maritime Services
Ghana Maritime Authority

Ghana
OSGM

Monitoring Expert, Department of Monitoring
Department of Environment

Iran

OSGM

Abraham Akwetey Teye

Haruto Yamada

I am eager to work and ensure the safety, security, andenvironmental protection of Ghana’s maritime domain. This
will be achieved by the high quality of education I will receiveat WMU.
I am grateful to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for giving me
this great opportunity.

I would like to deepen friendships and build effective
relationships with Sasakawa Fellowship students throughstudying at WMU. Even after graduation, I will contribute to
the development of international maritime education andtraining with them to improve safety and security in themarine field.

Officer in Charge, Eastern Naval Command Intelligence Cell
Ghana Navy

Ghana
MLP

Engineering Officer, International Division
Japan Agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers

Japan
MET

Katina Alicia Benn

GuyanaYoshikatsu Yasuta

Executive Assistant to Director General, Maritime Administration Department
Ministry of Public Infrastructure

Port State Control Officer, Chugoku District Transport Bureau
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Upon the successful completion of my Masters Degree at theWorld Maritime University, I will return to my Country with aplan to positively impact the Maritime Education system
whilst encouraging and supporting the employment anddevelopment of more women in this sector.

I feel that learning at WMU and exchanging knowledge withexperts from various countries will help me grow greatly.
I am proud of being a member of the prestigious WMU
Sasakawa Fellows, and I would like to contribute as much as
possible to the sustainable development of oceans andsocieties around the world.

MET

Japan

MSEA

Anish Joseph

Maureen Kanini Kitheka

The Sasakawa Peace Foundation has given this incredible
opportunity to me and with it an added responsibility. The
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are always inthe forefront of my mind. Being empowered with knowledge
from the WMU MSc programme will better equip me to work
towards these goals.

I look forward to putting into practice skills and knowledge
gained at the World Maritime University to influence theadoption of policies that promote sustainable use of our ocean
resources. I thank the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for theopportunity to join the Sasakawa network for a greater cause.

Nautical Surveyor cum Deputy Director General of Shipping, Nautical Wing
Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India.

India

MSEA

Specialization Courses

Policy Analyst, State Department for Shipping and Maritime
Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works

Kenya

OSGM

M E T : Maritime Education & Training

M L P : Maritime Law & Policy

M E M: Maritime Energy Management

MSEA: Maritime Safety & Environmental Administration

2

2020
Zaful Rullah Hakiem Bin Zaini

Chrissan Handy Barbe

Never stop learning. WMU will be a platform for me tobecome a better person. I will fully utilize my surroundings
and all of my potential in order to achieve my dynamic
goals.

It is a great honor to be part of the Sasakawa Fellowship. My
aspiration is to acquire academic experience, Ocean
Governance and Management skills for the further
development of the Blue Economy agenda. This will surely be
useful for my organization and country in the future.

Lecturer, Maritime Simulator & Communication Centre
Malaysian Maritime Academi

Principal Policy Analyst, Department of the Blue Economy

Malaysia

Seychelles

MET

OSGM

Maleeha Haleem

Indika Chandraguptha Gunawardana Rambanda Devagea

With this opportunity offered to me by the Sasakawa
Foundation, I hope to expand my knowledge and skills in themaritime sector, and as a result, contribute to the sustainable
development of the fisheries industry in my country. I lookforward to joining the WMU Sasakawa Fellows Global
Network.

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to The Nippon
Foundation and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for supporting
me in joining WMU. I’m looking forward to gaining more
knowledge and skills in the maritime field. I’ll carry thisknowledge to my organization and support implementation of
IMO regulations to ensure safe, secure and serene seas.

Research Officer, Fisheries Management
Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture

Maldives
OSGM

Commander, Sri Lanka Coast Guard Headquarters
Sri Lanka Coast Guard

Sri Lanka
MSEA

Anujin Onon

Julius Edward Salema

I want to express my sincerest gratitude to The Nippon
Foundation and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for this huge
opportunity. I will work as a maritime lawyer, contributing to
the further development of the maritime sector in Mongolia
while applying what I learned at WMU.

I’m looking forward to joining the WMU Sasakawa Fellows
Global Network by sharing experiences on how to overcome
maritime global challenges such as marine pollution, climatechange and other emerging issues. Furthermore, I will use theacquired skills from WMU in policy formulation processes tosupport the implementation of International Maritime
Conventions as well as SDGs in Tanzania.

Legal Specialist, Railway Traffic Control Center
Ministry of Road and Transport Development of Mongolia

Mongolia

Senior Environmental Management Officer, Special Areas and Climate Change
National Environment Management Council

MLP

Tanzania
OSGM

Abiodun Abidemi Folorunsho

Natchanok Kosaisuntorn

The fellowship afforded me by the Sasakawa Foundation
provides the opportunity to contribute to better energy
management in naval vessels in Nigeria and Africa. On
graduation, I hope to be a good ambassador and leverage the
Sasakawa Fellows’ network to impact the maritime sector in
Africa.

I feel so honored to be one of the recipients of the Sasakawa
Fellowship, and I would like to express my gratitude to Dr.
Sasakawa for providing me an opportunity to study at WMU. I
will utilize my knowledge and experiences gained at WMU tocontribute to the national and international maritime sector.

Commander, Nigerian Navy
Ministry of Defence

Nigeria
MEM

Human Resource Officer, Personnel Section
Marine Department, Ministry of Transport, Thailand

Thailand
MLP

Guillermo Alberto Benites Valverde

Houcem Eddine Cherni

Being one of the Sasakawa Fellows that work at their maritime
administrations in order to help their countries to be updated
in the implementation techniques of the IMO Conventions.
The meeting of Sasakawa Fellows in 2022. Peru is offered as
the venue for this event.

To be one of the ocean leaders is one of the greatest
challenges I want to take. Graduating from WMU will be
the first step to carry out this dream, and it is such a greathonour to be one of the SPF Fellows. I will do my best to
expand our network.

Navy Officer, General Directorate of Captaincy and Coast Guard
Peruvian Navy

Peru

Harbour Pilot, Gabes Port Control
Office of Merchant Marine and Ports of Tunisia

MSEA

TunisiaPM

Eric Retiro Ferrancullo

Svitlana Oleksandrivna Shestova

Upon successfully completing my Masters Degree at WMU, I
aspire to utilize to the full extent the insights and knowledge
that I will gain, contributing to the effective management andgovernance of the Philippine seas as a conduit of our oceans’
peace, security and sustainable growth.

The Sasakawa Foundation gave me an opportunity to receive
an education at one of the best world universities. It’s a great
opportunity to gain knowledge and build networks. It will
help me to promote safe and environmentally friendly
maritime policy, as well as contribute to the advancement of
Sasakawa Foundation goals.

Flag Secretary, Office of the CommandantPhilippine Coast Guard

Philippines

Head of Division for Communication with Maritime Organizations
Maritime Safety Department, Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority

OSGM

UkraineMLP

May Belicena Marfil

Long Viet Le

Upon returning to my country, equipped with the knowledge
gained from WMU, I want to contribute to the sustainabilityof its maritime education and training system. Moreover, I will
establish a network with Sasakawa Fellows in my country andcontinually support the advocacies of the Sasakawa
Foundation.

My office and I are deeply grateful to the Sasakawa Peace
Foundation for giving me this precious opportunity to study
at WMU. I will dedicate myself to improving my maritime
knowledge and contribute as much as possible towards thedevelopment of the maritime field at home.

Superintendent, Coast Guard Education and Training Command
Coast Guard Education and Training Command, Philippine Coast Guard

Philippines
MET

OSGM: Ocean Sustainability, Governance & Management
P

Official, International Cooperation Department
Ministry of Transport of Viet Nam

VietnamMLP

S M L : Shipping Management & Logistics

M: Port Management

3

Towards Mapping 100% of the World’s Ocean Floor:
GEBCO-Nippon Foundation Team Wins International Competition
Mitsuyuki Unno
Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation

In May 2019, a team comprised of fellows
from the GEBCO-Nippon Foundation
Training Program won the Shell Ocean
Discovery XPRIZE, an international
competition to advance deep-sea exploration
technology.
There was a practical challenge in that the teammembers could not work together in one
location as they lived in different countries. Evenso, their diversity proved to be a factor which
contributed in them winning the competition.
In entering the competition, the team had aAt the competition’s award ceremony in Monaco
goal beyond just winning.
The prize money is planned to be used for
The fact that they could only communicate deep-sea 3D map at a depth of 4,000 meters
f u r t h e r i n g t h e g o a l s o f Th e N i p p o nFoundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 which aims online posed some practical difficulties but over an area of more than 250 square kilometers
having members from all over the world also within 24 hours. Even when faced by theseto map the world’s entire ocean floor by 2030.
worked to the team’s advantage. That is to say, rigorous competition requirements, theA Multinational Team with Members from the team could combine and make use of each GEBCO-NF Team had managed to collect the
fellow’s connections and networks. The members required data and create a map using that data
13 Countries
Since 2004, with the cooperation of the contacted companies who are technological within the allocated time and had managed toGeneral Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans forerunners in their respective countries and win the competition. The GEBCO-NF Team(GEBCO),* The Nippon Foundation has been negotiated with them directly for their was the only team that cleared all of therunning a training program to raise experts in cooperation. By utilizing each member’s competition requirements.
It should be emphasized that in addition to theocean mapping at the University of New networks, it was possible to immediately contact
Hampshire in the U.S. To date, the program has the right persons when issues or questions arose. considerable knowledge and expertise derived
trained 90 fellows from 40 countries. With 16 This would probably not have been possible for a from the diversity of the team members, thefellows from 13 countries at its core, the team coming from a single community. We focus of the entire team was not on winning the
GEBCO-Nippon Foundation Alumni Team believe that to bring about a breakthrough, not competition but on something far larger than(hereafter the “GEBCO-NF Team”) was just in reference to this competition, but in that. Participation in the competition was part offormed to take part in the Shell Ocean Discovery everything, “diversity” is key. Diversity is also their endeavor to fulfill humanity’s dream of
XPRIZE, an international competition in one of the values that is regarded as important by unlocking the mysteries of the world’s ocean
The Nippon Foundation.
floor. Although it did not directly affect the
deep-sea exploration technology.
outcomes of the competition, it appears thatIn the competition organized by the XPRIZE
many involved in the competition held highFoundation, participants competed for rapid
regard for the fact that the team was operating
data collection from an extensive area of the sea
under this shared vision.
floor, using deep-water unmanned exploration
robots at a depth of 4,000 meters. Entering thecompetition were 32 teams from 22 countries.
After the screening of documents andtechnology evaluation in Round 1 of thecompetition in Norway in November 2017, 9
teams were selected to compete in the final Round 1 (technology evaluation) in Norway in 2017
round (Round 2) off the coast of Kalamata in
Greece from November 2018 to February 2019.
Japan’s Team KUROSHIO, formed withmembers from industry, government andSurveying system developed and used in thecompetition by the GEBCO-NF Team
academia, also advanced to the final.
The GEBCO-NF Team was diverse. Not only
Towards Mapping 100% of the World’s Ocean
did the members come from different countries,
Floor
but they also had different affiliations, fields of
The Grand Prize of 4 Million US Dollars was
specializations, and positions. Since it was
donated in its entirety to the Nippon
difficult for them to gather in one location to GEBCO-NF Team processing data in Round 2
Foundation. The amount is expected to be used
work for the competition, they communicated (final round) in Greece
to further the goals of the Nippon
online. This meant that some members only got
Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, ato see other members of the team face-to-face A Shared Vision
In the competition’s final round, the teams joint initiative between the Nippon Foundation
for the first time at the award ceremony on May
31, 2019. No other team had members scattered conducted exploration using unmanned robots and GEBCO to map the world’s entire ocean
and were tested on their technologies to create a floor by 2030. Several members of the team haveacross the globe.

4started on new initiatives after the competition,accompanying long expedition voyages to collectdata in unexplored areas of the sea. The prize
money may also be used for these initiatives.
Th e d a t a f r o m m a p p i n g t h e s e a fl o o r
topography can be used for forecasting tsunami
propagation and global sea level rise, safe
navigation of ships, monitoring of marine life,
and in addressing many other issues. In the mere
2 years since the project had started, thepercentage of the world’s ocean floor that has
been mapped has increased from 6% to 15%.
Achieving the project’s goal, however, will
require further cooperation from across theworld.
The competition provided opportunities not
only for all the teams to explore new ways ofmapping the ocean floor, but had also served asa platform for creating new encounters andbuilding connections. It is expected that theefforts to map the ocean floor will accelerate withthe growth of the global network acrossdifferent disciplines.. It is hoped that people
from diverse backgrounds will join in this effort
to realize humanity’s shared dream.
On 18th September 2019, representatives of the
GEBCO-Nippon Foundation Alumni Team had
paid a courtesy call to the Prime Minister of Japan,
Mr. Shinzo Abe, to report on their performance in
Mr. Unno reports about the alumni's contribution
the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE.
at the Seabed 2030 Symposium in London
Not limited to participation in XPRIZE,
contributions of the alumni from the
GEBCO-Nippon Foundation training
program were also reported at The Nippon
Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Symposium
held at the Royal Society in London on 22nd
October.
A team representative, Ms. Karolina Zwolak,reports to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe* GEBCO is a joint project between the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and UNESCO-IOC to map the world’s entire ocean floor
and standardize the names of undersea features.

Maritime Cyber Calamity around the Corner?
Mr. Jakob P. Larsen
Head of Maritime Security,
BIMCO(The Baltic and International
Maritime Council)

Ships are increasingly using systems that relyon digitisation, digitalisation, integration, andautomation, which call for cyber risk management
on board. As technology continues to develop,
information technology (IT) and operational
technology (OT) onboard ships are being
networked and more frequently connected to theinternet. Opportunities to inflict damage appear
to be many, and the question to ship operators is
how to manage these new forms of risk.
BIMCO at the forefront
BIMCO was a first mover in the field ofmaritime cyber security and issued its first set ofindustry guidelines already in January 2016. Since
then, the guidelines have developed and are now
in their third iteration. A key addition to thelatest edition of the guidelines is an annex
describing how cyber security risk management
should be reflected in safety management systems.
IMO takes action
In June 2017, IMO decided to take concrete
steps to address cyber risks. In a resolution dated
June 16, 2017, IMO decided that member statesshould ensure that cyber risks were appropriately
addressed in safety management systems no later
than the first annual verification of the company's
Document of Compliance after January 1, 2021.
With this decision, IMO made it clear that only
cyber risks with implications for the safety of

was that this attack could not realistically havebeen prevented at the company level. On theother hand, segregation of networks to prevent
spreading of malware, improved procedures when
responding to the threat, and better ability torecover after the attack were some of the points
NotPetya crisis at Maersk
highlighted by the Maersk leadership as areas
In 2018 the global shipping conglomerate where improvements could be made.
Maersk was hit by a cyber-attack. Within a few
minutes the company’s global IT network was Threat versus risk
A threat is normally considered to be theinfected by an aggressive cyber weapon known as“NotPetya”, effectively paralysing 49,000 laptops, combination of ability, opportunity and intent toand 1,200 IT applications, including key data inflict damage. What was worth noting was that,bases and customer information. Fortunately, in the case of NotPetya, the intended target was
NotPetya did not directly affect ships and oil not Maersk but rather Ukrainian society as a
installations, as these units were not online, and whole. The fact that Maersk had an office innearly all data was eventually recovered using a Ukraine as part of a global organisation meant
backup from a server in Ghana, which had been that Maersk became the unintended victim of aprotected from infection by an incidental, local destructive cyber-attack. In physical security
terms that would be called collateral damage.
power cut.
It appears that the risk of collateral damage isCamouflaged as ransomware, NotPetya wasmalware designed most likely by a state actor to higher in the cyber domain, because physicalinflict harm on Ukrainian IT infrastructure. proximity to events is not a prerequisite. In the
NotPetya utilised a backdoor maliciously planted cyber domain, being networked is enough. But
by cyber agents in a piece of software used by that does not necessarily mean that a proper risk
companies in Ukraine to send tax reports to assessment needs to take into consideration all
Ukrainian authorities. NotPetya was estimated to thinkable threats. It just means that the element of
have cost Maersk between US$200-300 million, bad luck needs to be factored in to a larger extent
and for the maritime industry the incident made than in traditional risk assessment methodology.
it painfully clear that not even companies like In turn, making that fundamental recognition
Maersk, known for being among the best in many implies that ship operators must live with the factthat they will most likely at some point fall victim
fields, had done enough to mitigate cyber risks.
The Maersk case illustrated an important point of destructive cyber-attacks. Therefore, when it
when it comes to risk management: When c o m e s t o m a n a g i n g r i s k s o f d e s t r u c t i v edeciding how to mitigate cyber risks, careful cyber-attacks, ship operators’ risk management
consideration must be given on how to best strategies should focus very much on how toachieve the desired effect, which is business respond to - and recover from - a cyber-attack,continuity. One important learning shared by along with maintaining the fundamental ability toMaersk in the aftermath of the NotPetya incident protect against such an attack.
people, the environment or the ship were within
the scope covered by IMO regulations.
A major cyber security event would soon attract
the attention of maritime decision makers acrossthe world.

5

Maritime Energy Management – The Journey to a Sustainable Future

Professor
Dr. Aykut I. ÖlçerWMU

I am honoured to have been the holder of The
Nippon Foundation Professorial Chair in Marine
Technology and Innovation since August 1,
2017. I am also the Director of Research as wellas the Head of Maritime Energy Management(MEM) at WMU.
I have taught, supervised and mentored many
Sasakawa Fellows since I joined WMU in 2012.
It has always been a great pleasure for me to takea learning journey with them, especially as it has
led to many success stories. There are a few
examples that I would like to highlight:· Mr. Yasser Bayoumy Abdelwahab Farag from
Egypt was a Class of 2017 Sasakawa Fellow
who specialized in MEM. I was fortunate tosupervise his dissertation in the area of energy
efficient ship operations, where he developed anovel fuel consumption prediction
methodology by using Neural Networks in his
research. He very deservedly won the
Chancellor's Medal for Academic Excellencein 2017. He is actively representing
AASTMT (Arab Academy for Science,
Technology & Maritime Transport) in IAMU
activities, as well as representing the League ofArab States at IMO meetings.
· Mr. Eko Maja Priyanto from Indonesia wasalso a Class of 2017 Sasakawa Fellow, andagain I supervised his MSc dissertation titled,“A strategic development of alternative fuelinitiation and its adaptation in a developing
country: a feasibility study on
methanol-fuelled domestic passenger ships inIndonesia”. He published his research at theRoyal Institution of Naval Architects
conference - Power & Propulsion Alternatives
for Ships, January 22-23, 2019, London, UK.
He is now Senior Inspector at SBU Marine
and Offshore - PT. Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia(Persero).
· A third Sasakawa Fellow whose dissertation I
was delighted to supervise was Mr. Naohiro
Saito from Japan (Class of 2018). His MSc
dissertation was entitled “The economic
analysis of commercial ships with hydrogenfuel cells through case studies”. He is now amember of the Japanese delegation at IMO
MEPC meetings, focusing on energy
efficiency and GHG related aspects.
· Captain Anas Saleh Mohammad Alamoush of
the Jordanian Navy was a Sasakawa Fellow in
the Class of 2016. He returned to WMU in
2018, having been awarded a United Nations Nippon Foundation research fellowship to
study port sustainability. He subsequently
enrolled in our PhD programme, and under
my supervision he is specializing in measures
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the portside and ship port interface. In September
2019, he participated in the world climate
action summit at UN Headquarters in New
York, presenting his research at the meeting of
the alumni of the UN - Nippon Foundation
program.
There are several major issues that currently
affect maritime trade and transport and willcontinue to shape them for the foreseeable future.
Many of these issues have been brought to thefore in the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Of particular relevance to the maritime
and ocean fields are those relating to climatechange and the emission of Greenhouse Gases(GHGs) and air pollutants, which are SDG7

6

(affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern
energy for all) and SDG13 (take urgent action tocombat climate change and its impacts).
WMU is strongly committed to the SDGs andworks to support the achievement of sustainable
and energy-efficient maritime and oceanindustries. Through cutting-edge research in the
MEM field, WMU contributes significantly toachieving the objectives of SDG7 and SDG13.
Th e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f o u r w e l l - r e c e i v e dspecialization in MEM, as well as the launch of
the new PG Diploma in Maritime Energy
delivered through distance learning, speak to ourcommitment.
The Sasakawa Fellows who have specialized in
Maritime Energy Management are making a realcontribution to the MEM field, a key research
priority area within the WMU Research Agenda.
MEM responds to the needs of the maritime
industry in the area of air pollution, and follows aholistic approach (shown as below). Key thematic
areas interact with each other over a life-cycle
perspective with a focus on ships, maritime
onshore facilities and oceans. One of these key
thematic areas is technology and innovation,
which plays a vital role within this harmony.
Since the targets set by the new IMO GHG
strategy and the Paris Agreement are so
ambitious, technological breakthroughs andinnovations are crucial to make the journey
towards a zero/low carbon and energy efficientmaritime future.
The Nippon Foundation’s generous support for
the Professorial Chair in Marine Technology andInnovation adds significantly to WMU’s ability
to make a notable contribution. By supporting
students for their MSc degrees in this area
through Sasakawa Fellowships, The Nippon
Foundation is multiplying the impact of global
achievements and spreading expertise to thegraduates’ home countries. This is a really
important contribution to the maritime andoceans sectors, and to their future sustainability.

Contribution for Global Maritime Issues
by Sasakawa Beneficiary
Mr. Chiemanukulkit, Sun, Dr. Sasakawa, Mr. Mbatha and Aji (left to right)

The afternoon of May 29, 2019, I had the the table. I knew of Dr. Sasakawa’s visionary
opportunity to meet Dr. Yohei Sasakawa, as he thoughts and experiences, and was very much
hosted a luncheon for WMU Sasakawa and impressed with the way he expressed himself.
IMLI Nippon Foundation Fellows at IMO One example that he shared with us was his
Headquarters. I was so excited and overwhelmed reason for promoting marine environment
to meet Dr. Sasakawa in person. It had always protection, which was that sushi is raw fish, andbeen my wish to express my heartfelt gratitude he loves sushi. It’s as simple as that. I found that,for supporting my studies at IMLI during the a s a N i p p o n F o u n d a t i o n s c h o l a r , I a myear 2017-2018, and finally my wish came true. determined to follow his mandates.
At the meeting, I found myself as an audience The talk over lunch was a privilege and,member appreciating the views exchanged across indeed, full of joy. It was also a unique

opportunity that WMU and IMLI graduates
could meet and be inspired by Dr. Sasakawa for
future collaboration. It was a genuine honour tomeet Dr. Sasakawa and his team, and I wish tosee him again soon.

It was a great privilege and an honour to meet
the Chairman of The Nippon Foundation, Dr.
Sasakawa, and his esteemed team during theirv i s i t t o I M O . Th e m e e t i n g w a s a l s o a nopportunity and platform to meet other alumni
from the IMO-IMLI and WMU who are ther e c i p i e n t s o f Th e N i p p o n F o u n d a t i o nscholarship.
It was very encouraging to hear from Dr.
Sasakawa not only about the enormous task
played by The Nippon Foundation in providing

funding for education and capacity building formaritime and shipping scholars, but also about
his passion and leadership role as the Goodwill
Ambassador of the World Health Organisation
for the elimination of leprosy across the globe.
In addition, we also note the contribution
made by the Foundation on its Seabed 2030
Project seeking to map the global topography ofthe seafloor. This initiative will be a massive
contribution to the global maritime and shipping
fraternity in understanding our seas and oceans

as they play a very critical role in our economies
and ecosystem.
As Nippon Foundation beneficiaries, we will
forever be grateful and cherish the philanthropicrole played by the Foundation in our personal
development and professional careers.

On the occasion of a series of his events in
London, and in particular the launch of two
English-language books authored by him - No
Matter Where the Journey Takes Me: One Man's
Quest for a Leprosy-free World and My Struggle
against Leprosy - Dr. Yohei Sasakawa visited
IMO Headquarters, and had a luncheon meetingwith the four WMU/IMLI Sasakawa Fellows
from the IMO Secretariat and the Embassies.
Apart from a few more wrinkles and whitehairs, nothing had changed since his last visit
during the IMO Assembly in 2015, when
receiving the prestigious International Maritime
Prize. The Sasakawa Fellows narrated theirprofessional progress in the international
maritime field, from delegates of Member States
to staff at the IMO Secretariat. Meanwhile, it waswonderful to know that the SPF supported theestablishment of the WMU-Sasakawa Global
Ocean Institute to further contribute to the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Most
recently, Dr. Sasakawa was awarded the Gandhi
Peace Prize in recognition of his tremendous
contribution towards the global elimination of
leprosy as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador for
Leprosy Elimination.
We were deeply impressed by Dr. Sasakawa,"an 80-year-old young man", because of his
remarkable determination and energy. His diary
was packed with various events, and he was busy
travelling around the world to help others. Likeus, you may also be curious and keen to know the
motivation behind his determination anddedication for philanthropy and what motivates
him to support the WMU/IMLI Sasakawa
Fellows. Dr. Sasakawa gave the answer in his
newly launched book: “My life has been greatly
influenced by the example set by my father… On
my father's deathbed, the only thing my father
bequeathed to me was an exhortation to work forthe benefit of the world.”
Although a couple of weeks have passed sincethat memorable meeting, the inspiration andreflective thoughts arising from it are still in our
minds: "It is the best of times". And for those as
lucky as we are, those who have received theadvanced maritime education at WMU supportedby the Sasakawa Scholarship and are now
working in various glorious positions in the global
maritime sector, it is now time for us to give back- to the wide world - the knowledge and love that
we have received. Let us make it our mission anddestiny to commit ourselves to contributing to thesustainable development of the maritime sector
and “working for the benefit of the world.”

7

Mr. Watchara Chiemanukulkit
IMLI Sasakawa Fellow 2017-2018
Alternate Permanent Representative of theKingdom of Thailand to IMO

Mr. Sipho J Mbatha
IMLI Sasakawa Fellow 2007-2008
Alternate Permanent Representativeof South Africa to IMO

Jun Sun (China, 2005)
and Vasudevan Aji (India, 2010)
WMU Sasakawa Fellow
International Maritime Organization

Chairman Sasakawa Awarded
the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
Chairman Yohei Sasakawa was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, which isconferred on individuals in recognition of their services to the nation or the public, at the Spring 2019ceremony. He was given the award for his many years’ promotion of maritime projects, of international
cooperation in his roles as the Leprosy Elimination Goodwill Ambassador for the WHO and as the Special
Envoy of the Government of Japan for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, and for promoting awide-range of activities, including in the fields of social welfare, physical education, and education in
general.
The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun was conferred by His Majesty the Emperor at theImperial Palace on May 23, 2019.
Chairman Sasakawa commented, “The award is not for me personally, but is in recognition of the broad
range of activities of The Nippon Foundation. I would like to continue to promote activities towards solvingsocial issues.”

WMU-Koji Sekimizu PhD Fellowship on Maritime Governance
The WMU-Koji Sekimizu PhD Fellowship on Maritime
Governance was officially launched on June 25, 2019 at theInternational Maritime Organization (IMO) in London. Spearheadedby the World Maritime University (WMU) with support from theMaritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Dr. Koji
Sekimizu, formerly Chancellor of WMU and IMO Secretary-General,
the Fellowship will enable an assessment of the role and impact ofmaritime governance over the past 60 years, taking into account therole of IMO and of United Nations agencies and bodies that have
impacted maritime governance.
The launch of the fellowship commemorates the 70th anniversary of
the adoption of the IMO Convention in 1948 and the 21st anniversaryof the IMO-Singapore Memorandum of Understanding on Third
Country Training Programme (TCTP).
Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, expressed herappreciation to the MPA for funding this fellowship, noting theimportance of IMO’s impact over the past 60 years in ensuring thatshipping is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable. Ms.
Quah Ley Hoon, MPA’s Chief Executive, said, “MPA is pleased tocontribute to the WMU-Koji Sekimizu PhD Fellowship, under
Singapore’s enhanced technical co-operation and training package for
IMO and its Member States.”
Applications for the fellowship were submitted by mid-September,and a successful candidate should be announced in December 2019,
after careful consideration by a specially constituted Awards
Committee.

About Dr. Sekimizu
After completing his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in engineering at
Osaka University, Dr. Koji Sekimizu started his career in Japan’s
Ministry of Transport, but subsequently spent 26 years at IMO. His
illustrious career included service as Head of the Technology Section,
Director of the Marine Environment Division, and Director of the
Maritime Safety Division. He was elected the seventh Secretary-Generalof IMO in 2011 and served from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015.
Dr. Sekimizu was the fourth Chancellor of WMU, and took asignificant interest in the success and growth of the University. He visited
WMU on many occasions, inspiring the students and staff with his vision
for WMU and dedication to the mission of IMO. At the 2016 WMU
Graduation Ceremony, he was awarded Doctor of Science in Maritime
Affairs, honoris causa.

A dangerous heatwave occurred in Europe this summer. When I visited Gdynia, Poland, in June, it
was an unusually hot 35 degrees there. It was reported that many people had died due to theuncommonly high temperatures. After this, Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas in September, resulting
in many deaths and missing people. Additionally, serious damage in Japan has frequently occurred due toheavy rains and/or typhoons. A specialist indicates that such abnormal, intense weather will become
more frequent because of climate change. Graduates of WMU influence every corner of the world,
playing an active role in stopping global warming through their wisdom and courage. I believe that theyhold the key to building a brighter future. I wish them all the best in their upcoming endeavours.

Dr. Yoshiaki Kunieda
Tokyo University of Marine
Science and Technology