76
September
2021

Driving Transformations fora Sustainable Ocean Economy:

A Leader’s Vision

Mr. Kristian Teleki
Head of Secretariat, High Level Panel fora Sustainable Ocean Economy; and Global
Director of the Ocean Programme, World
Resource Institute

In 1998, I found myself in the Western Indian
Ocean more than 1000 km from the nearest
international airport, on the world heritage siteof Aldabra Atoll, which is part of the Seychelles.
This is a place like very few other places on theplanet: countless juvenile black tip sharks, with
their fins sticking out of the water at low tide
like nature’s own version of a sailing regatta,
fish in pre-industrial fishing bounty, relics ofan ancient age in the form of giant tortoises
roaming the land, and the last flightless birds inthe region hopping around.
All the while, the lagoon of Aldabra, which
is about the size of Manhattan, drains and fills
daily with the tides as if breathing in and out.
At that time, I was witnessing climate change
effects on the ocean that were undeniably real
and accelerating, even in some of the remotest,
most far flung places on the planet.
The year 1998 saw the first truly global coralbleaching event caused by our changing climate.
Coral bleaching generally occurs when the sea
temperature rises to what might be considereda hot bath temperature, upsetting the delicatelybalanced relationship between the coral andthe tiny plants that live in its tissues, giving
the coral its color and feeding it, and causing
these plants to be expelled, leaving the coral
white in color. Hence, “bleaching”. This was a
global event killing huge stretches of reef, andunfortunately coral bleaching is now a common
occurrence.
At the time, what surprised me most was how
little attention anyone was paying to this global
event outside the science community, even in
those countries which were most impacted.
I often describe this experience as being likea car alarm going off at night outside yourhouse. Most people do not get up to see what ishappening, but rather choose to turn over andput a pillow over their head to go back to sleep.
The challenge for me became “How do we get
the world to pay attention to what is happening
beneath the waves and make better and more
informed decisions above the ocean? Howmuch evidence are people going to need to takeaction?”I came to realize quite quickly that:a) Change is not going to happen overnight.
b) Two-thirds of the planet cannot beignored in political circles, including
negotiations on climate and biodiversity.
c) While this is a challenge, it is also anenormous opportunity given the rolethat a healthy ocean plays in all our lives.
d) We need a new generation of champions
and leaders who see the world in adifferent manner—not just land, butland, sea, and climate.

e) There is a lot happening on the ground;the question is how to connect thisactivity at the political level.
I have spent more than 20 years at the nexus
between business, government, science, andadvocacy, helping to connect the dots, build
bridges between these communities, anddemonstrate that while the ocean separates
us physically, it connects us in so many otherways. Most recently, I have been working with
the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean
Economy in my capacity as the Head of the
Panel Secretariat.
The Ocean Panel
The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean
Economy (“Ocean Panel”) was established as
an initiative by the Government of Norway
in 2018. It comprises the heads of state andgovernment of 14 countries, and is supportedby the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy
for Ocean. Former Palauan President Tommy
E. Remengesau Jr. (and now the new Palauan
President, Surangel Whipps Jr.) and NorwegianPrime Minister Erna Solberg co-chair the
Panel. In December 2020, the Ocean Panelpublished a final report containing a set of policy
recommendations entitled “Transformations
for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: A Vision
for Protection, Production, and Prosperity”.

The report includes 74 recommendations forfive key areas: ocean wealth, health, equity,knowledge, and finance. Also published were 22
thematic blue papers and special reports aimed
at addressing a wide range of issues related tothe achievement of a sustainable ocean economy.
The Ocean Panel was supported by scientists
and an Expert Group comprising more than
250 members from 50 countries. It also received
assistance from the Advisory Network, which
includes more than 130 research institutions,NGOs,businesses,
andinternationalorganizations. The Ocean Panel is served by the
Panel Secretariat, which is based at the World
Resource Institute.
Significance of a Sustainable Ocean Economy
The ocean occupies 72% of the Earth’s surface
and 40% of the world’s population live within
150 kilometers of the coast, with hundreds ofmillions of others visiting there. The ocean iscentral to people’s lives, but it is in peril as it faces
multiple threats such as pollution, including
contamination and marine plastic pollution, fishstock depletion, coastal and marine ecosystemdegradation, marine biodiversity loss, ocean
acidification, sea water temperature warming,
rising sea levels, climate change, and extreme
climatic events. A sustainable ocean economy isintended to safeguard the ocean while at the sametime delivering economic, environmental, andsocial value through the sustainable use of theocean and offering powerful solutions to global
challenges. The ocean economy encompasses
a variety of sectors: fisheries and aquaculture,
offshore energy, shipping, and coastal tourism,
etc., and accounts for 3.5%–7.0% of the worldgross domestic product, which is expected to
double by 2030. The return on investment in
the ocean economy is estimated to be at least 5times greater than the costs.

straightforward political message around theworld that there is no compromise in ourcollective efforts to achieve a sustainable ocean
and a sustainable ocean economy. The Ocean
Panel also urged all coastal and ocean states tojoin the political leaders of the Ocean Panelin reaffirming and pursuing this commitment
so that by 2030 all ocean areas under national
jurisdiction are sustainably managed. To fulfill
this commitment, members of the international
community must support each other inenhancing social capacity to implement thispolicy goal and bolstering human resources andleadership development in this respect.
Ocean Action
The ocean is higher on the political agenda
than ever before, and is being recognized at the
G7, G20, and United Nations. Countries arechampioning the ocean in this year’s upcoming
climate change negotiations, which are being led
by the UK.
The Ocean Panel represents the first timein history that heads of state and government
have come together outside of the formal fora
to consider, based on an enormous volume ofscience, what the “to do list” should be if weare serious about the plight of two-thirds ofthe planet. This is a big deal. We have countries
signing on to historic commitments as the scienceand the urgency speak loudly to them, and thishas opened up a new realm of possibilities foraction. Underscoring the significance of these
efforts, leaders’ commitment to the ocean is sostrong that they managed to reach consensus
even under the cloud of the COVID-19
pandemic—an amazing achievement.
The science is mounting and continues to tellus, like that car alarm, that the urgency for action
grows with every passing minute.
In the last two decades I have been involved
with some extraordinary initiatives and had thepleasure of working with some amazing andinspiring people. As such, I suggest the following
three elements for ocean action that would havea significant impact:
1. Powering Leadership
The achievement of a healthy ocean will require
deeper levels of commitment from current
leaders as well as the emergence of new forms ofleadership. While we have had an impressive start

Recommended Actions to Promotea Sustainable Ocean Economy
One of the distinctive features of the Ocean
Panel’s policy recommendations published in
December 2020 was that the 14 heads of stateand government underlined their commitment
to sustainably manage 100% of the ocean area
under their respective national jurisdictions,guided by Sustainable Ocean Plans, by 2025.
This 100% approach sends a strong and2with the Ocean Panel, we need to empower suchleadership and arm leaders with the knowledge
to drive change. We need to collectively work
together to provide opportunities for bothcurrent and up-and-coming leaders to take thisknowledge on board and help them understandwhat their commitment can do for people andthe planet as part of their legacy.
2. Seeing is Believing
Whether you are attempting to persuade
national presidents, prime ministers, CEOs, orother decision-makers, nothing is more powerfulthan bringing issues to life for them; showing
them the problem in real time, making it real
for them, and showing them that solutions do
exist. We have a long list of examples of issues
that impact the ocean, and an equally long list of
solutions that are not getting the visibility theyrequire or the momentum to be transformative
globally. Taking leaders and decision-makers
to the front lines and giving solutions visibility
make achieving these solutions possible.
3. Creating the Echo Chamber
It is wonderful to have the ocean so high up
on the political agenda, but this situation could
evaporate overnight. It is one thing to have thisleadership, but leaders are only as good as thenoise that is being created on the ground by theirstakeholders and constituents saying they are
happy with the leaders’ decisions. We need thisecho chamber of letting leaders know that thedecisions and actions that they have signed on
for have meaningful, real connections to people’s
lives.
Today, 23 years on from my visit to that Aldabra
Atoll, the world is in a very different place
politically, economically, technologically, socially,and environmentally—and not all for the better.
However, these last few years have filled me withhope that the impossible just might be possible.
Having said that, we cannot rest on our laurels,
and whether you are a student, WMU alumni, or
another professional, you all have a role to play.
We are not going to solve the challenges facing
the ocean with one single solution or actor; itwill take many solutions and many actors, but
we need to act now.

How We Can Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic
Captain Akira Ohmori
Managing Director
The Japanese Shipowners’ Association

I first heard about COVID-19 around January
2020, when the Japanese authorities issued awarning against this virus.
Then the virus started expanding as the Chinese
lunar year approached, but at the time I thought
this virus would be like SARS and the outbreakwould soon be under control.
Shortly after, the Japanese authorities banned
travelers from China and Korea in the earlystages of the pandemic. The effect on Japanese
shipping companies was not especially profoundbecause the proportion of Chinese or Koreancrew members is small.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic spreadwidely in a steep curve. I changed my thinking
about this virus and became anxious about crewchange operations.
I was especially concerned as transportation ofFilipino crew members among Asian countries
has been restricted, and this restriction has asignificant impact on shipping companies thatuse Filipino crew members because about 70% ofJapanese ship crews are Filipino.
At this stage, most countries where crew change
is prohibited do not regard seafarers as essential
workers, and crew members also need a vacation
to refresh. Countries need to trade with othercountries and keep sea-born shipping going, but
seafarers are not welcome to land even thoughmost countries do not ban the actual ships.
This situation will soon create severe issues
for shipping industries worldwide, and so theInternational Maritime Organization has issued
a circular letter calling for member states toestablish protocols for crew change. Through suchactions, gates for seafarers have been gradually
opened.
Recently, the main concern for ship owners(managers) has changed to the vaccinationof seafarers. In the United States of America,
vaccinations have been made available to non-US
citizens, including seafarers. Of course, seafarers
can receive vaccination in their own countries, butthus far the percentage of vaccinated seafarers is
insufficient. Now, however, vaccination services
for seafarers when in a port where vaccinations
are available, such as at a certain German port,
are expanding.
We welcome such services for seafarers, but
seafarers need a one-time short-type vaccination
due to stay period restrictions. As it stands, thevaccinations require two injections, both of whichmust be administered within the seafarer’s stay
period..

Former WMU Professor Toshio Hikima inthe middle of his vaccine shot.

--------------------------------------------Recently, mutant COVID-19 virus strains havebeen developing and spreading rapidly, and this is
influencing crew change because of the increased
urgency of the situation.
Incidentally, what is the importance of crewchange? The answer is straightforward but not easy
to implement. Firstly, it is imperative to preventthe expansion of infections. At the first stage, aproper quarantine is required for all seafarers
who are to board the vessel shortly. The Japanese
Shipowners’ Association guidelines recommend aminimum of two weeks of thorough quarantine.
If the seafarers stay in their homes, family
members may pass on the COVID-19 virus,
so they need to do their quarantine in isolated
accommodation facilities such as a hotel. Someof our members have seafarers take a PCR test
before starting their two-week quarantine, andthen another PCR before their flight as requiredby the country of destination. Furthermore, after
entering the country of destination, they musttake another test and undergo several days ofquarantine before boarding the vessel. Of course,
they cannot use public transportation.
Secondly, it is imperative to prevent COVID-19

Illustration is from the Japanese Ministry of
Health, Labor and Welfare website.
---------------------------------------------

clusters on board vessels. Many ship managers
allow seafarers to board without undergoing
quarantine in order to save costs. I think such a
policy is risky. I know of many vessels that have
had COVID-19 clusters due to short quarantines.
Thirdly, it is imperative to understand infection
mechanisms.
1)Contagious infection: Frequent hand washingand sterile ventilation of public spaces are
effective for preventing infection. Items
used by multiple people, such as office copy
machines and computer keyboards need to
be sterilized, but this is not often being done.
2)Droplet infection: Maintaining physicaldistance and wearing a face mask properly are
effective for preventing infection. However, I
think most people are not wearing face masks
correctly.
3)Aerosol infection: This is the mosttroublesome infection mechanism. Aerosols
are generated mainly by coughing, sneezing,and speaking loudly. Microparticles float in
the air for a while (three hours maximum),and we cannot completely avoid inhaling
them when we breathe, even if we are wearing
a mask. Ventilation is a practical means ofpreventing infection; we use carbon dioxide
concentration meters in our office.
It is very important for all crew members toknow these infection mechanisms and take proper
preventive measures while on board vessels.
The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet
in sight, and many people are tired of coping with
it. Therefore, we need international cooperation
for crew change.
Lastly, I hope readers of this article are in good
health and staying safe from COVID-19.

Seafarers and their families waiting to receive their COVID-19 vaccines in Manila.

3Lessening the Load of Land-based Marine Plastic Debris
Tomo Shioiri, Ph.D.
Senior Officer,
Ocean Affairs Division
The Nippon Foundation

1 . Human Lifestyles and the Issue ofMarine Plastic Debris
Approximately 80% of marine debris originatesfrom the land. With the invention of inexpensive,highly durable plastics in the 20th century, natural
materials such as wood and cotton used in fishinggear and household items were replaced withplastic. Then, against the background of explosive
growth in the global population and rapid
economic growth in developing countries, there
was a sudden increase in the volume of plastics
being produced and used. However, it took along time for humans to face the increasingly
serious problem of marine plastic debris being
discharged into the ocean—either intentionally orunintentionally—and acknowledge this as an issue
shared by the entire world.
2 . The Issue of Marine Plastic Debris
and Marine StewardshipIn the 1980s, scientists interested in the ocean,members of the fishing industry, and people
involved in environmental protection activities
shared their concerns about the mounting
marine plastic debris, igniting an international
movement to find solutions to this problem. The
world’s first international workshop on marine
garbage1 was held in Hawaii in 1984. Pacific Rim
countries ratified the International Convention
for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973
as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL
73/78) and recommendations were made for
ensuring implementation of Annex V (Preventionof pollution by garbage from ships), giving
momentum to subsequent discussions by the IMO
regarding marine garbage countermeasures.
Thanks to these efforts, the problem of marine
plastic debris became an issue recognized on theinternational political stage as well. The Leaders’
Declaration G7 Summit 2015 specified reductions
in waste being discharged from the land into
the ocean.2 At the G20 Osaka Summit in 2019,
participants shared the “Osaka Blue Ocean2019 G20 Osaka Summit (Source: Official Websiteof the Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet.
h t t p s : / / w w w. k a n t e i . g o . j p / j p / 9 8 _ a b e /actions/201906/29g20.html)

Vessel for collecting marine debris (Source: Shikoku Regional Development Bureau, Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. https://www.pa.skr.mlit.go.jp/takamatsu/main/fivebusiness/marine.html)

Vision”, which clearly states the importance of not
only stopping the discharge of waste into the ocean
but also undertaking lateral efforts transcendingsocial systems in which there is a diversityof stakeholders,3 including national/regional
governments, the private sector, the general public,
NGOs, and academia.
3. Efforts of Ocean Stakeholders
On the land side of the issue, laws and rules
aimed at reconciling conflicting interests are being
meticulously prepared and socioeconomic activities
are being developed with an emphasis on efficiency,
while on the marine side of the issue, the Preamble
to the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea states that “the problems of ocean space areclosely interrelated and need to be considered asa whole”, and the importance of addressing these
problems with comprehensive response capabilities
through cooperation is being emphasized.
Plastic supports society from various sides,
including not only the role that the material itself
plays, but also the generation of employment inrelated industries. Governments, businesses, andmembers of the general public need to deepen
their mutual understanding of the effects on
various aspects of society that come hand-inhand with resolution of the plastic waste problem,
promoting measures aimed at reducing plastic
waste and stopping its discharge into the ocean
while reaching a consensus.
Expectations are now held for those who are
involved with marine issues and have learned
through experience how to handle such problems
to demonstrate their response capabilities to
respond to issues that need addressing beyond theboundaries of existing social systems.
4. A Global Model from Japan
Japan’s Seto Inland Sea is a semi-enclosed coastal
sea studded with islands. The coastline is dottedwith cities, and the region has a concentration ofindustries including shipbuilding, automobile,
petrochemical, and fishing industries. Very little
marine debris flows into the Seto Inland Sea fromexternal seas, and that which does is unmistakably
debris generated by people living in areas along
the coast. Accordingly, local efforts to reduce
marine debris are certain to produce visible results.
In 2020, The Nippon Foundation launched4

the SETOUCHI OCEANS X project withthe aim of tackling the problem of maritime
debris and presenting the world with a model for
resolving this issue. An MOU has been concluded
among the governors of the four prefectures
sitting on the Seto Inland Sea (Hiroshima,
Okayama, Kagawa, and Ehime) and The Nippon
Foundation Chairman, Yohei Sasakawa, and four
initiatives (survey research, coordination withbusinesses and local communities, enlightenment/
education/action, and policy formation) arebeing undertaken under a five-year plan.

Remarks from Chairman Sasakawa at the launchingof SETOUCHI OCEANS X

With regard to the launch of this project,
Chairman Sasakawa clearly expressed his resolve
to change the world’s oceans, saying, “The issue
of protecting the marine environment impacts
the survival of humankind. Seventy years ago,
the Seto Inland Sea that I saw while on anelementary school trip was extraordinarily
beautiful. Working together with everyone in thelocal community, I intend to do my utmost to
protect this sea, of which we all should be proud.”I am currently overseeing this project in the Seto
Inland Sea area. It is my earnest hope that we will
be able to nurture as many individuals as possible
who have the specialized knowledge and human
networks to become involved in marine issues as wellas the ability to contribute to marine management.

---------------------------------------------

1.The Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine
Debris2.Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Leaders’
Declaration G7 Summit 2015 in Schloss Elmau,
Germany (June 2015)
3.Ministry of the Environment of Japan: G20
Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine
Plastic Litter (June 2019)

Venice
Erzurum

Acre

Marco Polo:
Telling the Tale of Merging Seas

Quanzhou

HormuzDr. Fabrizio Bozzato

Senior Research Fellow, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation;
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sovereign Order ofMalta to the Republic of Nauru

In the second half of the 13th century
the famous Venetian voyager Marco Polotravelled via land, together with his father
and uncle, from the Mediterranean coasts to
China. There he spent seventeen years in theservice of Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor
who founded the Yuan dynasty. Eventually,in 1281, the three men had an opportunity
to return home: Kublai Khan asked them tolead an expedition to escort a Mongol princess
to Persia, where she was to be married. From
Persia they would continue on to Venice.

The Polos began their homeward journeyfrom Xiamen, a port in southern China,
embarking on a fleet of fourteen ocean-goingships together with their six-hundred-people
party. Their route took them along the coast of
Annam (modern Vietnam), past the Malaya
Peninsula, and to the Island of Sumatra, where
they stayed for five months waiting for the
monsoon rains to end. Then they continued
across the Bay of Bengal to India, hugged thesubcontinent’s coast, stopping several times,
and crossed the Arabian Sea to the Persian
Gulf. From Hormuz they traveled overland
across Iran to the Black Sea. From there, theysailed to Venice. The entire journey lasted
about four years. The passage from China to
Persia was the most dangerous part of theiritinerary. Only eighteen people of the original
six-hundred survived.
In his memoirs Polo offers a detailed
account of the broad network of trade relations
that existed between Chinese mainland ports
and cities in modern-day Indonesia, India,
and along the Persian Gulf. Along maritime

routes, Chinese and Southeast Asian products
reached the Arabian and East African shores,
in what are today Somalia and Eritrea as wellas other neighboring territories. According toChinese and Arab 10th century records, there
were three trading circles around the Indian
Ocean: Between China and Southeast Asia,
between Southeast Asia and Arabia and thePersian Gulf, and between the Arabian region
and East Africa. However, even back then astring of maritime avenues linking together
the Indian Ocean waters with the seas ofSoutheast and East Asia had been in existence
for centuries.
For example, at the onset of the 1st century
CE more than one-hundred ships set sailto India every year from Myos Hormos, aport on the Red Sea coast of Roman Egypt.
Trade was thriving. In fact, wealthy Romans
were fond of spices, jewels and precious
woven cloth from India. To such an extent
that coeval historian Pliny the Elder wrote
accounts of the Romans’ addiction to Indian
luxury products. In particular, he lamented theheavy drain of gold from Rome into India.
The ports of Barbaricum (modern Karachi),Bharuch (Gujarat), Muziris and Arikamedu
in Southern India were the main hubs oftrade, where much of the Roman gold landed.
Today, some of that metal continues to glitterin the local temples.
Maritime trade routes, like Rome’s toSouthwest India - or those between China
and India controlled by the Sumatra-based
Srivijaya Empire between the 7th and early
12th - afforded the exchange of goods as wellas ideas among distant peoples. Ships were
circulating not only cloth and spices, butalso religious creeds, philosophical teachings,
political models and new technologies. For
example, according to traditional accounts of
Syrian Christians of Kerala, a state on India’s
Malabar Coast, Thomas - one of the twelve
Apostles of Jesus - landed on their shores
in the year 52. His legacy endured. In 1498
the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da
5Gama reached Kerala after navigating around
Africa, and was surprised to find Christians
there. Similarly, Islam entered Southeast Asia
through two different routes: northern andsouthern. The northern route was through theancient land route which connected Europe,
Arabia, Persia, Central Asia, and China known as the “Silk Road”. The southernroute, called “Ceramic Route”, was sea-borne:
from Arabia through India, then to Aceh andbeyond.
Actually, the latter route was followed
westward by a Muslim Chinese explorer:
Admiral Zheng He. Between 1405 and 1433,
Zheng was sent by the Ming dynasty Emperor
Yongle on seven great voyages through theSouth China Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea,
Red Sea, and along the East coast of Africa.
His ocean expeditions, much celebrated inpresent-day China, were diplomatic andtrading ventures for spreading Chineseprestige and commerce.

For millennia Indo-Malaccan maritime
routes have been connecting empires andcivilizations - from Egypt to Japan, from
Sri-Lanka to Indonesia - often determining
their prosperity or decline. It was the case in
Marco Polo’s time, and it is still true today.
Political leaders are well-aware of that.
Accordingly, Japan is actively fostering a peace
and prosperity growth corridor between Asia
and Africa. Many governments have come tosupport Tokyo’s initiative. For sure, Misier
Polo would had approved enthusiastically,
because navigare necesse est (Latin: “to sail isnecessary”).

Updates from
Staying in Good Health During the Pandemic
Thanatip Jantarapakde(Thailand,1998)

Greetings from Bangkok. I have beenworking at the Marine Department ofThailand since I graduated from the maritime
safety administration of WMU in 1998. My
responsibility is vessel traffic management, which
gives me chances to travel to many countries
and meet many WMU graduates and Sasakawa
Fellows.
Going back in time 3 years ago, my wife andI started running because of health problems.
I have deep vein thrombosis which causes
complications of the heart and lungs, and my wife
has office syndrome. We believed that running
would improve our health, and moreover, all we
needed for this was a pair of shoes. Then we wereready to start running anywhere.
I have participated in many running events,from mini marathons (10 km) to half marathons(21 km), and to full marathons (42.195 km) we never stopped running. It not only makes
me healthier, its also allows me to participate inholiday activities with my family. In addition, we
have been to many interesting places in various
countries, including Japan, and met new friends
as well as old friends who haven't seen each otherin a long time.
It's been almost 2 years since the coronavirus
has spread around the world. Staying safe
during the epidemic is very important. Though
COVID-19 may disrupt running events, it
gives me a chance to adjust to a “new normal” ofrunning, such as running in the city with fitness
masks for protection while keeping my distance,or running in a safe place near my home. I
think that one important way to fight against
COVID-19 is to stay healthy, and exercising is
one of the things that keep us healthy. Others
may not to run like me because you can choose

Panamanian Ports & COVID-19
Melissa Barria Villarreal(Panama, 2015)

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Panama
declared a State of National Emergency throughthe enactment of Cabinet Resolution No.11,
dated 13th March, 2020.
As the result of this resolution, several
regulations were enacted. These regulate andaffect the execution of activities carried out in all
sectors, including the maritime and port sectors,
which play key roles in the country’s commercial
activities. Accordingly, the Panama Maritime
Administration set out a series of nationwide
measures aimed at guaranteeing both the fluidityof maritime traffic in government-managed ports
and private concessioned port terminals and thesafety of crew changes.
The implemented measures are as follows:- Adoption of IMO Guidelines throughCircular No. 4204, as amended;- Coordination with relevant government
entities, such as the Ministry of Health(MINSA),
Ministryof
Security(MINSEG), and National Immigration
Service;- Enactment of security and Panamanianmaritime economic measures, andtheir effective communication throughenactment of circulars; and- Drafting of procedures for the purposesof repatriation and the safe embarkation/
disembarkation of crew members.
Additionally, on an international level:- Panama has been using the Panama
Maritime Single Window System(VUMPA) since 2017. This is a toolsuccesfully implemented in logistics andport operations for overseeing the arrival,
stay, and departure of vessels. With the
COVID-19 pandemic, the system has
been adjusted to the “new normal” ofsocial distancing, standarization, anddigitalization of documents in ports.
The Panama Maritime Administration
intends to reinforce this system throughthe integration of technologies that will
maximize facilitation of international
maritime commerce.
- Panama supports and has subscribedto the Declaration of Members of thePort Authorities Roundtable (PAR),an initiative of the Maritime and Port
Authority of Singapore (MPA), in order toensure that maritime commerce is carriedout without delays and at no risk for allparties involved.
The Panama Maritime Administration
has always stated that its main objective is tomaintain operations of all ports in Panama
without interruption and for the safety of all
6

the other exercise that you like and is appropriate
for your health.
My goal when the COVID-19 situation
improves is for my family and I to go running inJapan again, maybe even joining the next Tokyo
Marathon or Fuji Marathon. I truly hope that
this pandemic will be over and look forward tomeeting all friends face-to-face again soon.

personnel involved. This challenge is being
handled succesfully. In this sense, we are pleased
to say that, because of the measures that havebeen adopted, the country has been able toachieve the following:✓ Low rate of personnel infected with
COVID-19 in relation to the number ofworkers involved in the ship-port interface
at private port instalations.
✓ Successful implementation of logisticalefforts to provide humanitarian help tothe cruise ships Zaandam and Rotterdam,
facilitating the exchange of medical
personnel, passengers, and various supplies
needed by the ships and passengers.
Panama was the only country in Latin
America to offer humanitarian assistance.
✓ Provision of uninterrupted services at
the main government-managed ports,
ensuring that the populations of nearby
islands received food supplies and could
carry out their main fishing activities in asafe manner.
✓ Ship-to-ship oil transfer operations carriedout succesfully once safety measures wereverified in order to prevent risks to themarine environment.
In conclusion, the efforts made by the
Panama Maritime Administration facilitatedthe achievement of positive results for comercial
activities within the country, throughout theregion, and worldwide.

Sasakawa Fellows
On Receiving the RINA Ian Telfer Prize
Eko Maja Priyanto(Indonesia, 2017)

On March 17, 2021, I was informed that I
have been awarded the Ian Telfer Prize by theRoyal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA)
for the best published paper on energy andenvironment related issues by authors under theage of 35. My paper was titled “The Potentialof Methanol as an Alternative Marine Fuelfor Indonesian Domestic Shipping” and was
published in the Transactions of the RoyalInstitution of Naval Architects (Ref IJME590).
This paper was also part of my WMU MSc
dissertation. My WMU co-authors werealso involved in authoring this paper, namely
Professor Aykut I. Ölcer, Associate Professor
Dimitrios Dalaklis, and Assistant Professor
Fabio Ballini. The objective of this paper is toprovide recommendations for the Indonesian
Government and related stakeholders toconsider methanol as a promising marine fuelfor the domestic shipping industry and on
how to improve their capacity-building toward
energy security by utilizing potential resources.
The award was then formally announced
and conferred at the Annual General Online
Meeting on April 29, 2021. I was fortunately
able to attend the meeting together with Prof.
Aykut Olcer, Nippon Foundation Professorial
Chair in Marine Technology and Innovation,
who was my MSc dissertation supervisor.
The knowledge and experience that I acquired
during my time studying at WMU, particularly
in maritime energy and environmental subjects,
significantly paved the way for me to pursue
work in line with my field of specialization,
and also contribute to my organization andhome country. For instance, I am currently
supporting the Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Resources together with an Indonesian stateowned company to conduct a feasibility study
on the use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

as an alternative marine fuel. This study aims
to provide insight into and explore potential
applications of LNG as an alternative fuel foroffshore supporting vessels, such as AHTS andcrew boats, in Indonesian oil and gas exploration.
As this is a pilot project and parameters need
to be identified, it has been beneficial for me toshare ideas based on my experience with how
Sweden and other countries have been able
to improve their capabilities and capacities inintroducing new ecofriendly technology into
their respective maritime industries.
Receiving the Ian Telfer Prize would not havebeen possible for me without the support andopportunities provided by His Exellency Dr.
Yohei Sasakawa and the Nippon Foundationthat enabled me to gain invaluable knowledge
from the experts at WMU. Also, I wish to express
my highest appreciation to Prof. Aykut Olcer for
his encouragement and support throughout myacademic journey at the WMU specializing inMaritime Energy Management (MEM).
Domo arigatou gozaimasu.

My Journey Since Graduating from WMU
Prasad Subhawickrama(Sri Lanka, 2019)
It has been more than a year since thegrand graduation ceremony at
World
Maritime University (WMU), but my sweet
memories of my time in Malmö are still alive
and I cherish them every moment. Also, thetechnical know-how and hands-on experienceI gained at WMU has enabled me to build up
a lot of confidence and trustworthiness in myprofessional career. Practical application of the
cutting-edge knowledge and skills I gained at
WMU has led to inspiring scenarios despite
the numerous encounters I have faced due tothe COVID 19 pandemic since resuming myduties at the Port of Colombo.
Being back at work at the Port ofColombo was a challenging period amid the
pandemic environment, but things are getting
better post-pandemic. The short-term port
congestion caused by worker shortages andthe falling number of ship calls resulted innegative growth in container throughput inthe year 2020. However, these consequences
highlighted the need for strong resilience inport activities and new business opportunities
that guarantee cargo for the Port of Colombo.
Paperlesscommunication
with
port
stockholders providing automated or semiautomated solutions where possible and thedevelopment of a port-related logistics sector
have been identified as the key areas to be
improved or introduced in the post-pandemic
era in response to the lessons learnt during the
pandemic.
The process of introducing a new port
community system is underway with the aimof creating a completely paperless environment
for stockholders. Furthermore, the applicationof automation technologies in new container
terminal operations is under review. Thereis a window of opportunity for value-added
services related to transit cargo due to thegrowing trend of soft product transshipment.
Hence, new port logistics centers are being
planned for the Port of Colombo in order toentice global 3PL players to commence logistics
activities here, providing a much better logistics
network for the port with guaranteed cargo. I
am very happy to have had such challenging
opportunities in my workplace that haveenabled me to practically apply what I learnedat WMU.
The role of port professionals in executing
these new developments is vital, and their
7

technical competency plays a major part in theoutcomes. Hence, the opportunity I received
to study at WMU with the assistance of
the Nippon Foundation was a much-valued
juncture in my professional career. While I
was encountering difficulties at the Port ofColombo, the Sasakawa team—especially
Kudo-san and Takeshi-san—arranged a warm
reception for my wife, who was participating ina study visit to Japan. She told me that thereception was a memorable occasion for her
during her time in Japan, and she appreciatedthe kind hospitality of the Sasakawa family
despite the COVID 19 pandemic situation.

Announcement from the Office!
We would like to inform all Sasakawa Fellows of a survey we are conducting
on the Friends of WMU, Japan Newsletter. This confidential survey is youropportunity to help shape the future of the Newsletter. Your feedback will help
guide further positive changes across the Sasakawa family, so we would like to get
100% participation in order to ensure that each and every Fellow’s voice is heard!
When you receive the survey by mail (physical) and/or email (digital), please giveit your prompt attention. Thank you very much ahead of time, and we look forward
to your responses!

Online WMU Class Reunion
Aditya T Pramana (Indonesia, 2010)

Amidst the global pandemic situation worldwide, we (the WMU Class
of 2010) have been able to continue communicating with one anotherthrough internet meetings using the most popular methods available
nowadays.
This all started with a simple instant message on a social media platformfrom one class member, Rona Riantini, who said that she misses seeing all
the members of the Class of 2010. Magically, many people replied withthe same message, and I suddenly thought: “Hey! Why don’t we meet
online?” Accordingly, as suggested by my colleague, Tazril, we set a timeand date for an online class reunion.
This simple message then took on “amazing race” momentum, with allof us tasked with the mission of gathering as many class members asavailable at the designated time for the online reunion, which was lessthan 48 hours away. Who would have thought such a reunion could
indeed be so fruitful! Furthermore, what’s a class reunion without a WMUsong, right? So, yes! We did sing the WMU song at the beginning of themeeting, since most of the participants were also Sasakawa Scholars who
remember the song by heart.
Despite the global time-zone challenge for conducting the meeting, we
did have a lot of fun. Class members from across the globe were present,
joining in from Bangladesh, Belize, Belgrade, Cape Verde, Dubai, India,

Indonesia ( Jakarta, Surabaya), Japan (Tokyo), London, Madagascar,
Malta, Peru (Lima), the Philippines, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yangon.
We talked about not only our current work after graduating from
WMU, but also about our families and events that have happened in
our lives over the 11 years since we were last together. After the session
ended, we set up a social media group including even more Class of 2010
members, which also sparked the idea of ANOTHER online reunion!
So, why wait if you want to have a virtual class reunion? Trust me, itwill be FUN! And I would also like to thank my dear friend Sugomori
Masashi for giving me the chance to write about our class reunion.

Correction from Previous Issue and Apology

We, the Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat, neglected crediting an image provided by ReCAAP for Newsletter 75. The photograph (middle ofright column, Page 4), which was of the ReCAAP ISC Piracy and Sea Robbery Conference in 2019, was used for the article titled, “A Dialogue withProfessor Mejia: On Maritime Issues, Treaties, and Career.” The Secretariat sincerely apologizes to ReCAAP as well as our readers for this mistake.

This August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
published a part of its sixth assessment report on climate change based on thelatest scientific understanding, stating that “human influence has warmed theclimate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years.” Whileinternational shipping is the most efficient mode of transport supporting
the sound development of the global economy, it accounts for around 2% of
global CO2 emissions, equivalent to those of a country, and actions should
be taken to address this urgent matter. To accelerate the decarbonization ofshipping, IMO has actively developed legal instruments since the 2000s,
and recently the private sector has also started initiatives to provide financial
incentives and put pressure to urge actions from the shipping sector.

I would guess many readers work in the public sector; I would like toemphasize the importance of cooperation with peoples from the private
sectors, as actions by both sectors complement each other. From myexperience, there is a limit in what the governments can do and thus to think
about what you can do with the private partners is inevitable in order tomake a social impact and achieve goals. I expect that readers have alreadybeen building cooperative relationships with the private sector and working
together, so I hope those connections will be strengthened more and global
challenges, such as climate change, would be solved in the future.

Marika Nishimuro

Japan Ship Technology Research Association (JSTRA)This newsletter is published under a grant from The Nippon Foundation

to promote communication among the Sasakawa Fellows of WMU (World Maritime University)and edited by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in cooperation with Dr. Yoshiaki Kunieda
Ms. Maki Tominaga, Ms. Marika Nishimuro, Mr. Eisuke Kudo and Ms. Sue Jackson.
Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation
The Sasakawa Peace Foudation Bldg., 1-15-16 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8524 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-5157-5263 Fax: +81-(0)3-5157-5230 URL: http://www.spf.org/en/