Extraction from a Letter to Mr. Sasakawa
Felicity Viola Ankoma-Sey(Ghana, 2001)
The “Friends of WMU, Japan”
secretariat would like to share withall the readers a beautiful picturefrom Ms. Felicity Ankoma-Sey in
Ghana. The following message is
extracted from her warm letter:

This picture is of my seven yearold daughter Victoria, my four-yearsold Lawrence, Emmanuel, andmyself after church service in July,
2006. Thank you all so much foryour unending care and kindness
towards us Sasakawa Fellows.

April 30th, 2006 Another Date to Remember
In my country, we have a saying that “One has tocross three bridges during his/her lifetime: Birth,
Marriage, and the last one is Death.”
The first and last are involuntary, so to speak;
you don't have a choice in being born andsomeday you have to die. On the other hand, themiddle one depends on the person him/herself,plus other circumstances of course, whether it
happens or not. Also, one can plan and participate
fully in this event, contrary to the other two.

On April 30th, 2006, I was able to cross that
middle bridge when I married a long-timefriend - Michael Paul Likingo, who is logistician
to a local logistics company here in Dar Es
Salaam. We had a civil wedding here at a place
known as Karimjee Hall, followed by areception at the Bahari Beach Hotel.
It was a touching and memorable event for me
and I'm so happy to share this news with you all.

The Editorial Board Membersof the “Friends of WMU, Japan”
Newsletter(left side: Ms. Senuma, Mr. Omi, Ms. Otsuka,
Mr. Tagami, and Mr. Ichikawa)(right side: Mr. Imai, Mr. Hikima, Ms. Yakabe, and Mr. Kudo)

We would like to introduce the editorial board members who havebeen greatly cooperating with the “Friends of WMU, Japan”
newsletter.
Our newsletter, which is basically issued four times a year, inJune, September, December, and March, is distributed to WMU
Sasakawa Fellows, over a hundred Japanese members of “Friendsof WMU, Japan” , and a large number of people related to maritime
affairs and organizations.
We discuss ideas for the contents of each issue and decide which

Editor’s Postscript

All the best! - These words always remind me of my graduation day
from WMU in 2004. How much of “the best” is given and taken
among friends. It was an unforgettable feeling, a complex mixture ofwishes and tears. The two years have passed quickly, and I recently
used these words again when our 26 new friends from the class of2007 departed Osaka for Malmö. The field study trip to Japan for
Sasakawa Fellows took place in the second week of September, andI was given the opportunity to accompany the group. It was a very
nice field trip and I enjoyed visiting a number of remarkable places
all over Japan as well as being in the company of our new friends.

articles should be carried in the next issue at the meeting. As you
have probably noticed, this newsletter is like the alumni bulletin for
WMU Sasakawa Fellows, so to speak; therefore, we would like toinvite you to contribute articles, essays, and photos for the
newsletter on your daily activities, official occasions, gatherings ofFellows and family information, such as marriages, births, and soon. We look forward to your contributions.
We send you cordial holiday greetings and our sincere best
wishes for your prosperity and happiness in 2007.

You will see in this issue how we had a good time with a lot oflaughs. I could not, at the same time, help but thinking about myown classmates. The memories will never fade away even though
the time will never come back. I believe all my friends are very well,enjoying good health and their lives, and so am I. Although ourpaths may cross only rarely in the future, I still believe that we willremain friends forever. My dear new friends and old friends too, I
wish you all the best!

17

http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp/

Stella J. Katondo(Tanzania, 2000)

DECEMBER

2006

Mr.

Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The
Nippon Foundation, made a speechon October 16, 2006, at IAMU's general
assembly meeting held in Dalian, China.
He stated that although the sea wasthought to have virtually unlimited capacity
for use by human beings, it has turned out tobe very fragile, due to ever-increasing
amounts of pollution. He stressed that weneed to adapt ourselves from just using thesea to protecting it. He proposed “thesustainable development of maritime activities.”
This raises the necessity of a new frameworkof international cooperation, whereby
nongovernmental maritime organizations, theIMO, and governments support each other as
they reform maritime policy together, as
opposed the traditional system, in which eachgovernment basically acts on its own. Many tech ships, such as advanced LNG carriers.
new challenges defy the conventional way of He also questioned the excessive emphasis
handling problems on a case-by-case basis, on cramming students with knowledge andsuch as environmental damage caused by skills required to operate ships amid theaging ships, disruption of transportation global shortage of seafarers, rather thancaused by marine accidents, as well as piracy producing seafarers who take pride in theirand terrorism in internationally vital sea lanes work and possess a true seaman's spirit. The
development of well-balanced seafarers issuch as the Strait of Malacca.
He pointed out that seafarer-centered possible only if they are taught the pride andsafety management for the international philosophy of being a seafarer, not just the
shipping industry also requires further efforts skills and knowledge necessary for safe vessel
due to the increase in the number of high- operation.

Finally, he stated that IAMU can make areal contribution by providing a new forum
which will allow maritime universities toengage in transnational activities, transcending
national borders and controls. He welcomes
your efforts to develop the human resources
who can respond to changes and makecontributions to the global maritime
community beyond the confines of states.
Please visit our website for the entire text.
http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp/

Ms.YKABE Fumi (Japan, 2004)

IAMU（The International Association of Maritime Universities）is an association of the institutions of maritime education and training.
Since its establishment in November 1999 IAMU has expanded its membership, now boasting 47 members, inclusive of The Nippon Foundation.

September 13, 2006 (Wed)National Institute for Sea Training

The Japan Field Study Trip 2006
The Shepherd Visits his Flock26

Sasakawa Scholarship Students who major facilities in the station: Underwater 3D Shaking Table,

enrolled in the World Maritime University in 2006 wereinvited to a Japan Field Study Trip that took place from
September 10th through 17th. This program aims to give the first grade students opportunities to meet people in Japanese maritime
fields and to exchange views and information with them, as well as
to enhance the participants' knowledge about Japan.

Concrete Exposure Test Area, Simulation Tank for Oil Recovery inMarine Situations, and Large Hydro-Geo Flume. The students
seemed especially interested in the Large Hydro-Geo Flume, which
can generate regular and random waves with heights up to 3.5m. It
was a very beneficial experience for the students, and special
thanks are due to Mr. Makita and Ms. Yamashita, who supported
this event from the beginning.

September 11, 2006 (Mon)The fourth day of training. Nonetheless, the students appeared
rather excited about the prospect of seeing the inside of the Seiun
Maru and the Nippon Maru - tall ship, owned by the National
Institute for Sea Training. The students first boarded the Nippon
Maru, berthed at Ariake multipurpose wharf, and were guided to
the lecture room where they were greeted with a warm welcome
speech by Capt. Yoshiharu Takei. Mr. Naoki Saito, Sasakawa
Fellow, also extended a heartfelt welcome to the party.
The group then split into two and took a tour of the ship (thebridge, engine room, cabins, decks, etc.) for about half an hour,which was followed by a question-and-answer session. From the
Nippon Maru they got on board the transport vessel Shintoku anddid a tour of the Port of Tokyo. From Shintoku they embarked on
the Seiun Maru, berthed at Ariake dock R-L in front of the Museumof Maritime Science.
In the Seiun Maru's lecture room, Mr. Tomonori Okamura,another Sasakawa Fellow, made a presentation on how theinstitute's students were trained on the Seiun Maru. They musthave been impressed by their senior by five years at the university.

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

September 14, 2006 (Thu)The Nippon Foundation

As the students arrived at Imari Shipyard, Mr. Noriaki Akiyama,
Board of Directors & Senior Managing E.O., and other staff
members warmly welcomed them. After watching a short movie
about Namura Shipbuilding, they were taken on a shipyard tour.
The students also boarded the unfinished Bulk Carrier by the quay
and were shown the inside of the new carrier, which is supposed
to be completed and delivered to the client in a couple of weeks.
This was such an interesting experience that all the students werevery grateful.

Reception at The Nippon Foundation

On the same day of the courtesy call on Mr. Sasakawa, the students
were invited to a “Welcome
Reception” by “Friends of
WMU, Japan”. Approximately
160 guests, including OPRF
staff members, attended thereception. And one of thestudents, Mr. HTAY AUNG
from Myanmar, received asurprise birthday treat fromall the guests when they sang the “Happy Birthday” song. He wasalso treated to a tasty cake by Mr. Sasakawa. It must have been avery memorable birthday for him.

Maritime Disaster Prevention Center

On September 12th, the students had their most unforgettable
experience during this trip. For those who were there, they knowwhat I am talking about. All the students boarded a fisherman's
boat to reach “No. 2 Bulwark”, where Fire Fighting Training could
be observed. It was a chilly stormy afternoon. The ocean waspretty rough. All the windows were shut because of the rainoutside. And these factors made the students very seasick. I
suppose that was the most exciting experience during this trip
(Yeah, right!!). After leaving “No. 2 Bulwark”, they returned to the
Maritime Disaster Prevention Center to be shown the Oil Spill
Control Training Facilities outside the building by Mr. Asobu
Tanaka, Chief Instructor of the Center. He showed the students
the “Training Pool”, where waves can be created by computer, as
well as the “Mock-up Shoreline” that consists of three areas: A
Sand Beach, Wave-proof Blocks, and Reef. His amazing
performance and explanations made the students more interested
in these facilities.

September 12, 2006 (Tue)Port and Airport Research InstituteOn the morning of September 12, they visited Independent
Administrative Institution Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI)in Yokosuka. They were warmly welcomed and led to a largepresentation room for an introduction to PARI's research andoperations as well as its history. Then, Ms. Yamashita led us to four

Friends of WMU JAPANMr. Kudo from OPRF briefed the students on the objectives of thetour of Hakata Port in Fukuoka Prefecture. They boarded theMariera and listened to a presentation given by Mr. Masanari
Suzuki, Manager of the Port Promotion Section at Hakata Port andHarbor Bureau, on the Port facilities. After disembarking, thestudents were taken to the Kashii Container Terminal by bus. In a
conference room in a building adjacent to the Terminal, aquestion-and-answer session was held.

Imari Shipyard of Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

On the morning of September 11th, the students and Mr. Bruce P.
Browne paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Koichi Fujiwara, DirectorGeneral of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT).
After his warm welcome speech, the 26 students were divided into
3 groups according to their specialization, and the lecture lasted
until 13:00, which didn't seem long enough for the students toabsorb detailed information on Japan maritime affairs. Still, we hopethat they had a fruitful time at the MLIT.

The students moved on to The Nippon Foundation to pay a
courtesy call on Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon
Foundation as well as the “Friends of WMU, Japan”. The students
nervously introduced themselves, but gradually became morerelaxed and created a friendly atmosphere among them. Mr.
Johnnie Borland gave a great speech of appreciation to Mr.
Sasakawa. Mr. Browne presented the “WMU Emblem Stand” to Mr.
Sasakawa as a token of WMU's appreciation as well.

Hakata Port

2

September 16, 2006 (Sat)

Himeji Castle

All the students visited Himeji Castle, which is registered as a World
Heritage site by UNESCO, and strolled through “Kokoen,” thecastle's Japanese garden. Because the students' stay in Tokyo had
been extended by a day, they could not visit the traditional
Japanese cities of Kyoto and Nara this year, which is normally
included in the itinerary each year. The visit to Himeji Castle,
therefore, offered an opportunity, even though for a short time, forthe students to experience Japan's culture and tradition first hand.

Farewell Party in Kobe

September 15, 2006 (Fri)

Nippon Steel Corporation, Yawata Works

The history of the Nippon Steel Co. and it's product and also thehistory of Yawata Works were highlighted for about 20 minutes ina video. The history and explanations about manufacturing were
offered by Mr. Koichi Masuda. This was followed by a questionand-answer session in which the students asked about thecompany's policy of securing stable imports of raw materials, thetypes of agreements that are reached for the shipping of steel
plates for shipbuilding and rail steel for railroads, and agreements
on chartering carrier vessels of ore, coke, and coal, and ideas on
how to prepare a better environment at the work site. Because
the areas inside the Works are expansive and possibly dangerous,
the students could only inspect them from inside the bus for mostof the tour. But at the blast furnace, they could get off and listen
to explanations about steelmaking processes.

Friends of WMU JAPANA farewell party for the 26 scholarship students was held in thereception hall of the hotel they were staying in, along withmembers of Friends of WMU, Japan residing in the Kobe region,and others connected to WMU. Warm words of encouragement
and support were extended to the students by many supportersof the WMU Sasakawa Fellowship Program, including Mr. KiyoshiHara, the Governor of WMU, and representatives from the Japan
Coast Guard and maritime universities.
On behalf of the fellows of 2007, Ms. Fancy Numfor from
Cameroon gave a splendid address of appreciation and gratitude.
This Japan Field Study Trip, perhaps even more fruitful than inprevious years, thus came to a close. The Ocean Policy Research
Foundation and “Friends of WMU, Japan” secretariat are keenly
aware that the training in Japan would not have materialized
without the cooperation of many people. We would like to takethis opportunity to thank every one concerned.

3September 13, 2006 (Wed)National Institute for Sea Training

The Japan Field Study Trip 2006
The Shepherd Visits his Flock26

Sasakawa Scholarship Students who major facilities in the station: Underwater 3D Shaking Table,

enrolled in the World Maritime University in 2006 wereinvited to a Japan Field Study Trip that took place from
September 10th through 17th. This program aims to give the first grade students opportunities to meet people in Japanese maritime
fields and to exchange views and information with them, as well as
to enhance the participants' knowledge about Japan.

Concrete Exposure Test Area, Simulation Tank for Oil Recovery inMarine Situations, and Large Hydro-Geo Flume. The students
seemed especially interested in the Large Hydro-Geo Flume, which
can generate regular and random waves with heights up to 3.5m. It
was a very beneficial experience for the students, and special
thanks are due to Mr. Makita and Ms. Yamashita, who supported
this event from the beginning.

September 11, 2006 (Mon)The fourth day of training. Nonetheless, the students appeared
rather excited about the prospect of seeing the inside of the Seiun
Maru and the Nippon Maru - tall ship, owned by the National
Institute for Sea Training. The students first boarded the Nippon
Maru, berthed at Ariake multipurpose wharf, and were guided to
the lecture room where they were greeted with a warm welcome
speech by Capt. Yoshiharu Takei. Mr. Naoki Saito, Sasakawa
Fellow, also extended a heartfelt welcome to the party.
The group then split into two and took a tour of the ship (thebridge, engine room, cabins, decks, etc.) for about half an hour,which was followed by a question-and-answer session. From the
Nippon Maru they got on board the transport vessel Shintoku anddid a tour of the Port of Tokyo. From Shintoku they embarked on
the Seiun Maru, berthed at Ariake dock R-L in front of the Museumof Maritime Science.
In the Seiun Maru's lecture room, Mr. Tomonori Okamura,another Sasakawa Fellow, made a presentation on how theinstitute's students were trained on the Seiun Maru. They musthave been impressed by their senior by five years at the university.

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

September 14, 2006 (Thu)The Nippon Foundation

As the students arrived at Imari Shipyard, Mr. Noriaki Akiyama,
Board of Directors & Senior Managing E.O., and other staff
members warmly welcomed them. After watching a short movie
about Namura Shipbuilding, they were taken on a shipyard tour.
The students also boarded the unfinished Bulk Carrier by the quay
and were shown the inside of the new carrier, which is supposed
to be completed and delivered to the client in a couple of weeks.
This was such an interesting experience that all the students werevery grateful.

Reception at The Nippon Foundation

On the same day of the courtesy call on Mr. Sasakawa, the students
were invited to a “Welcome
Reception” by “Friends of
WMU, Japan”. Approximately
160 guests, including OPRF
staff members, attended thereception. And one of thestudents, Mr. HTAY AUNG
from Myanmar, received asurprise birthday treat fromall the guests when they sang the “Happy Birthday” song. He wasalso treated to a tasty cake by Mr. Sasakawa. It must have been avery memorable birthday for him.

Maritime Disaster Prevention Center

On September 12th, the students had their most unforgettable
experience during this trip. For those who were there, they knowwhat I am talking about. All the students boarded a fisherman's
boat to reach “No. 2 Bulwark”, where Fire Fighting Training could
be observed. It was a chilly stormy afternoon. The ocean waspretty rough. All the windows were shut because of the rainoutside. And these factors made the students very seasick. I
suppose that was the most exciting experience during this trip
(Yeah, right!!). After leaving “No. 2 Bulwark”, they returned to the
Maritime Disaster Prevention Center to be shown the Oil Spill
Control Training Facilities outside the building by Mr. Asobu
Tanaka, Chief Instructor of the Center. He showed the students
the “Training Pool”, where waves can be created by computer, as
well as the “Mock-up Shoreline” that consists of three areas: A
Sand Beach, Wave-proof Blocks, and Reef. His amazing
performance and explanations made the students more interested
in these facilities.

September 12, 2006 (Tue)Port and Airport Research InstituteOn the morning of September 12, they visited Independent
Administrative Institution Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI)in Yokosuka. They were warmly welcomed and led to a largepresentation room for an introduction to PARI's research andoperations as well as its history. Then, Ms. Yamashita led us to four

Friends of WMU JAPANMr. Kudo from OPRF briefed the students on the objectives of thetour of Hakata Port in Fukuoka Prefecture. They boarded theMariera and listened to a presentation given by Mr. Masanari
Suzuki, Manager of the Port Promotion Section at Hakata Port andHarbor Bureau, on the Port facilities. After disembarking, thestudents were taken to the Kashii Container Terminal by bus. In a
conference room in a building adjacent to the Terminal, aquestion-and-answer session was held.

Imari Shipyard of Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

On the morning of September 11th, the students and Mr. Bruce P.
Browne paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Koichi Fujiwara, DirectorGeneral of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT).
After his warm welcome speech, the 26 students were divided into
3 groups according to their specialization, and the lecture lasted
until 13:00, which didn't seem long enough for the students toabsorb detailed information on Japan maritime affairs. Still, we hopethat they had a fruitful time at the MLIT.

The students moved on to The Nippon Foundation to pay a
courtesy call on Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon
Foundation as well as the “Friends of WMU, Japan”. The students
nervously introduced themselves, but gradually became morerelaxed and created a friendly atmosphere among them. Mr.
Johnnie Borland gave a great speech of appreciation to Mr.
Sasakawa. Mr. Browne presented the “WMU Emblem Stand” to Mr.
Sasakawa as a token of WMU's appreciation as well.

Hakata Port

2

September 16, 2006 (Sat)

Himeji Castle

All the students visited Himeji Castle, which is registered as a World
Heritage site by UNESCO, and strolled through “Kokoen,” thecastle's Japanese garden. Because the students' stay in Tokyo had
been extended by a day, they could not visit the traditional
Japanese cities of Kyoto and Nara this year, which is normally
included in the itinerary each year. The visit to Himeji Castle,
therefore, offered an opportunity, even though for a short time, forthe students to experience Japan's culture and tradition first hand.

Farewell Party in Kobe

September 15, 2006 (Fri)

Nippon Steel Corporation, Yawata Works

The history of the Nippon Steel Co. and it's product and also thehistory of Yawata Works were highlighted for about 20 minutes ina video. The history and explanations about manufacturing were
offered by Mr. Koichi Masuda. This was followed by a questionand-answer session in which the students asked about thecompany's policy of securing stable imports of raw materials, thetypes of agreements that are reached for the shipping of steel
plates for shipbuilding and rail steel for railroads, and agreements
on chartering carrier vessels of ore, coke, and coal, and ideas on
how to prepare a better environment at the work site. Because
the areas inside the Works are expansive and possibly dangerous,
the students could only inspect them from inside the bus for mostof the tour. But at the blast furnace, they could get off and listen
to explanations about steelmaking processes.

Friends of WMU JAPANA farewell party for the 26 scholarship students was held in thereception hall of the hotel they were staying in, along withmembers of Friends of WMU, Japan residing in the Kobe region,and others connected to WMU. Warm words of encouragement
and support were extended to the students by many supportersof the WMU Sasakawa Fellowship Program, including Mr. KiyoshiHara, the Governor of WMU, and representatives from the Japan
Coast Guard and maritime universities.
On behalf of the fellows of 2007, Ms. Fancy Numfor from
Cameroon gave a splendid address of appreciation and gratitude.
This Japan Field Study Trip, perhaps even more fruitful than inprevious years, thus came to a close. The Ocean Policy Research
Foundation and “Friends of WMU, Japan” secretariat are keenly
aware that the training in Japan would not have materialized
without the cooperation of many people. We would like to takethis opportunity to thank every one concerned.

3

News from Alumni

Towards Sustainable Exploitationof Fisheries ResourcesAward Ceremony for Sasakawa Fellows, Class of 2006
and WMU GRADUATION '06

T

he night before the WMU Graduation Ceremony, the“Award Ceremony for Sasakawa Fellows, Class of 2006”
and its reception were held under the sponsorship of
the Ocean Policy Research Foundation on Saturday, October 7,
at the Japanese Consulate Hall.
At the Award Ceremony, we had approximately 150 guests,
including Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos (WMU's Chancellor and
IMO Secretary-General), Mr. William O'Neil (IMO Former
Secretary-General), Mr. David Edwards (IMO Staff Head ofTechnical Cooperation Division), Mr. Andrew Sukawaty(Chairman and CEO of INMARSAT, Ltd), and Dr. Karl Laubstein(President of WMU).

were announced:_ Anish Hebbar (Sasakawa Fellow) of the Indian Coast Guard
won the Chancellor's Medal for Academic Excellence;_ Paul Wright (Sasakawa Fellow) of the Jamaica Defence
Force Coast Guard won the Informa Award for the best
dissertation.
At the graduation ceremony, the new Student Council took
office. Mokrane Fedila of Algeria takes over as President, andwill also serve as a member of the Board of Governors. He will
work alongside his colleagues, Ramon Sevilla Lopez (Sasakawa
Fellow) of the Philippines, who is Vice-President, Collins Mbah
Acho of Cameroon, who is Secretary, and Christian Nchotu
Nde of Cameroon, who is Treasurer.

Anwari Nabil

R(Morocco, 2005)

ight after graduating from WMU last October, I
was tasked to head the Fisheries Division in the
coastal city of Tan Tan, which is located south of
Morocco. I regard this new appointment as having greatsignificance, namely, the recognition that WMU graduates canhead a division and particularly, towards the development of
my professional career. The new position has given me theinvaluable opportunity to apply the knowledge andexperience that I acquired during my studies at WMU. I also
consider it as a benchmark to evaluate my professional skills
and capabilities.
It is worth mentioning that the southern parts of Morocco
have a huge halieutic potential in some species such as
sardines, octopus and calamari.
The Fisheries Division has the following broad objectives:

Tree Planting

For the third year running, the graduating students presented agift to the City of Malmö: 21 new trees for the public park area
between the University building and the sea. A large group of
students took part in the ceremony, at which the City was
represented by Mr. Ilmar Reepalu, Chairman of Malmö City
Board, and the University by Professor Patrick Donner,
Mr. Anish Hebbar
Associate Dean.
This year's trees bring the total of WMU trees to 63. They are
Mr. Nagamitsu, Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation,
whitebeams, a species chosen for its resistance to both salt andpresented membership certificates of the “Friends of WMU,
wind - essential qualities for survival on the Öresund coast.
Japan” to the 26 new Sasakawa Fellows. We now have 302
The trees symbolise the living and growing friendship between
Sasakawa Fellows from 43 different countries. We believe thatthe students of WMU and the people of Malmö. The treethis massive network will eventually help promote maritime
planting ceremony and the gift presented to Mr. Reepalu wereaffairs now and in the future.
co-ordinated by Ali Asghar (Sasakawa Fellow) of the Pakistan
On Sunday, October 8, WMU's Chancellor and IMO SecretaryMarine Academy.
General, Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos, conferred Master of
Science degrees on the Class of 2006: 113 students from 49
different countries. Ms. Maria Norrfalk, Director General of theSwedish International Development Agency, was the Guest of
Honor.
The high point of the ceremony was the presentation of twohonorary doctorates: to Mr. David Cockcroft, General Secretaryof the International Transport Workers' Federation, and to Mr.
Andrew Sukawaty, Chairman and CEO of INMARSAT, Ltd. The
awards marked the outstanding global contribution made byboth Honorary Doctors of Science, and also the particularsupport to the growth and development of WMU made by
their organisations.
During the ceremony, the annual special awards to students

Friends of WMU JAPAN4

To carry out administrative management of the fleet
registered and active within the district of Tan Tan. Thislatter consists of small scale, coastal and industrial vessels;●●

Some freezer trawlers (331 NT, 1200 HP) forming part of anindustrial fleet composed of 54 freezer trawlers.

To regulate fishing activity, including, inter alia:-To deliver and renew fishing licenses, throughinspections pertaining to the sea-worthiness of vessels
and to the conformity of fishing gear;-To ensure compliance with the fishery management plan
launched by the department in 2004, with respect tocephalopods (mainly octopus);-To note the infringements of fishing regulations andapply the appropriate sanctions in this respect (fines,
withdrawal of license, etc.);-To prepare statistical and periodic reports, with anemphasis on monitoring significant indicators of fishingactivity within the district.

I consider that the achievement of these objectives is not
merely a matter of compliance with public policy, but also anapproach towards the sustainable development of the fishingindustry within this region, bearing in mind the principles of
the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries adopted by
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) in 1995.

Friends of WMU JAPANThe size of sardines is being checked by inspectors againstcommercial limits

5

News from Alumni

Towards Sustainable Exploitationof Fisheries ResourcesAward Ceremony for Sasakawa Fellows, Class of 2006
and WMU GRADUATION '06

T

he night before the WMU Graduation Ceremony, the“Award Ceremony for Sasakawa Fellows, Class of 2006”
and its reception were held under the sponsorship of
the Ocean Policy Research Foundation on Saturday, October 7,
at the Japanese Consulate Hall.
At the Award Ceremony, we had approximately 150 guests,
including Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos (WMU's Chancellor and
IMO Secretary-General), Mr. William O'Neil (IMO Former
Secretary-General), Mr. David Edwards (IMO Staff Head ofTechnical Cooperation Division), Mr. Andrew Sukawaty(Chairman and CEO of INMARSAT, Ltd), and Dr. Karl Laubstein(President of WMU).

were announced:_ Anish Hebbar (Sasakawa Fellow) of the Indian Coast Guard
won the Chancellor's Medal for Academic Excellence;_ Paul Wright (Sasakawa Fellow) of the Jamaica Defence
Force Coast Guard won the Informa Award for the best
dissertation.
At the graduation ceremony, the new Student Council took
office. Mokrane Fedila of Algeria takes over as President, andwill also serve as a member of the Board of Governors. He will
work alongside his colleagues, Ramon Sevilla Lopez (Sasakawa
Fellow) of the Philippines, who is Vice-President, Collins Mbah
Acho of Cameroon, who is Secretary, and Christian Nchotu
Nde of Cameroon, who is Treasurer.

Anwari Nabil

R(Morocco, 2005)

ight after graduating from WMU last October, I
was tasked to head the Fisheries Division in the
coastal city of Tan Tan, which is located south of
Morocco. I regard this new appointment as having greatsignificance, namely, the recognition that WMU graduates canhead a division and particularly, towards the development of
my professional career. The new position has given me theinvaluable opportunity to apply the knowledge andexperience that I acquired during my studies at WMU. I also
consider it as a benchmark to evaluate my professional skills
and capabilities.
It is worth mentioning that the southern parts of Morocco
have a huge halieutic potential in some species such as
sardines, octopus and calamari.
The Fisheries Division has the following broad objectives:

Tree Planting

For the third year running, the graduating students presented agift to the City of Malmö: 21 new trees for the public park area
between the University building and the sea. A large group of
students took part in the ceremony, at which the City was
represented by Mr. Ilmar Reepalu, Chairman of Malmö City
Board, and the University by Professor Patrick Donner,
Mr. Anish Hebbar
Associate Dean.
This year's trees bring the total of WMU trees to 63. They are
Mr. Nagamitsu, Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation,
whitebeams, a species chosen for its resistance to both salt andpresented membership certificates of the “Friends of WMU,
wind - essential qualities for survival on the Öresund coast.
Japan” to the 26 new Sasakawa Fellows. We now have 302
The trees symbolise the living and growing friendship between
Sasakawa Fellows from 43 different countries. We believe thatthe students of WMU and the people of Malmö. The treethis massive network will eventually help promote maritime
planting ceremony and the gift presented to Mr. Reepalu wereaffairs now and in the future.
co-ordinated by Ali Asghar (Sasakawa Fellow) of the Pakistan
On Sunday, October 8, WMU's Chancellor and IMO SecretaryMarine Academy.
General, Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos, conferred Master of
Science degrees on the Class of 2006: 113 students from 49
different countries. Ms. Maria Norrfalk, Director General of theSwedish International Development Agency, was the Guest of
Honor.
The high point of the ceremony was the presentation of twohonorary doctorates: to Mr. David Cockcroft, General Secretaryof the International Transport Workers' Federation, and to Mr.
Andrew Sukawaty, Chairman and CEO of INMARSAT, Ltd. The
awards marked the outstanding global contribution made byboth Honorary Doctors of Science, and also the particularsupport to the growth and development of WMU made by
their organisations.
During the ceremony, the annual special awards to students

Friends of WMU JAPAN4

To carry out administrative management of the fleet
registered and active within the district of Tan Tan. Thislatter consists of small scale, coastal and industrial vessels;●●

Some freezer trawlers (331 NT, 1200 HP) forming part of anindustrial fleet composed of 54 freezer trawlers.

To regulate fishing activity, including, inter alia:-To deliver and renew fishing licenses, throughinspections pertaining to the sea-worthiness of vessels
and to the conformity of fishing gear;-To ensure compliance with the fishery management plan
launched by the department in 2004, with respect tocephalopods (mainly octopus);-To note the infringements of fishing regulations andapply the appropriate sanctions in this respect (fines,
withdrawal of license, etc.);-To prepare statistical and periodic reports, with anemphasis on monitoring significant indicators of fishingactivity within the district.

I consider that the achievement of these objectives is not
merely a matter of compliance with public policy, but also anapproach towards the sustainable development of the fishingindustry within this region, bearing in mind the principles of
the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries adopted by
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) in 1995.

Friends of WMU JAPANThe size of sardines is being checked by inspectors againstcommercial limits

5

News from Alumni
Chinese Fellows Welcomed Mr. Sasakawa in Dalian
Zhang Shiping(China, 1995)

Summern in Trelleborg
Rodolfo R. Diawa(Philippines, 2006)

T(from left) Mr. Fan Zhongzhou (Non-Sasakawa Fellow), Mr. Yu Jian (1993)
Mr. Zhang Shiping (1995), Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Mr. Bao Junzhong (2004)
Mr. Li Yuheng (2003), Mr. Song Wei (2006)

On the afternoon of October 15, 2006, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa,the head of The Nippon Foundation, met with six
Chinese alumni of the World Maritime University at Dalian
Maritime University Library, Dalian, China. One of the alumni,
Mr. Yu Jian, came over from Beijing for the special occasion,
while the rest were from Dalian Maritime Safety Administration
and Dalian Maritime University.
Mr. Sasakawa was warmly welcomed by the honor guard
students of Dalian Maritime University when he arrived.
During the interaction, each of the alumni introduced
themselves and talked about their present jobs and status in theirrespective institutions. All the alumni were very grateful to Mr.
Sasakawa and his Foundation for supporting their attendance atthe World Maritime University, which not only benefits their

Life Rescue Training

home country, but the world shipping industry as well. Mr.
Sasakawa very much appreciated the work that the alumni havedone and wished them even greater success in the future.
On behalf of the Chinese alumni, Mr. Zhang Shiping, Directorof DMU Library, expressed the group's heartfelt gratitude to Mr.
Sasakawa for taking time out of his very tight schedule to visit
China to meet with the WMU-Sasakawa alumni, and presented to
Mr. Sasakawa a small token of the group's appreciation.
After meeting with the WMU-Sasakawa alumni, Mr. Sasakawa
also visited Dalian Maritime University Library, one of the twentyfour Chinese university libraries with books donated by the Japan
Science Society, The Nippon Foundation, the university simulator
centre and life-saving training center.

Enjoying the Filipino culture of Bayanihan

without the usual gathering in front of the television forvideoke, a favorite activity of Filipinos. With the sun still
shining we took the opportunity to bounce on the trampoline
and play Swedish games.
This is one way to release stress and to build friendships not
only with students but other people as well. This experience isanother page to be added to the book of a Filipino student's
life in Malmö.

Of Coveralls and Hard Hats …
Anish Arvind Hebbar(India, 2006)

F

The Port of Brisbane in Australia
Luciola Almeida(Brazil, 2006)I

nstead of flying back to Brazil, I decided to take theopposite direction and go to Australia. The reason was theinterest I had after reading an article by Prof. Horck about
the port of Brisbane. The port seemed to be quite ambitious:“We will not be the first port in Australia in volume of cargo, but
we will be the best in environmental management and quality ofservice.” Wow!
I researched more about the port and reached the conclusionthat they were really good in this area. Getting in contact with
But it wasn't all work. I could also enjoy the world famous
them, I was lucky enough to be asked to visit in January. I didn't
think twice: on the January 1st I was already there, experiencing Autralian trademarks: kangaroos, koalas, beaches, wine, …andsharks (from a safe distance, fortunately). Australian animals are
the beginning of 2006 before the rest of the world.
The port of Brisbane is doing very well in terms of “the closest things to alien life you are likely to encounter onenvironmental management (it has just won the Australian earth” and the natural environment in the rain forest is also
National Reporting Award from the annual People and fabulous. Moral of the story: changing a holiday at home for a
bit of work isn't so bad!
Environment Report). Therefore, I learned a lot!

Friends of WMU JAPANrelleborg is a nearby town located in the southern partof Skåne, 35 minutes from Malmö city by yellow bus.
In this town there are beautiful beaches and campsites
where people can relax and spend some time watching therolling waves of the sea and go swimming. On July 8, 2006,
Filipino Sasakawa Fellows, Ruel Concepcion, Larry Gonzales,
Maria Theresa Daguio, Eric Evangelista, and Ramon Lopez,
myself, and two other Filipino students, Jocelyn Magsalin and
Glide Garcia, visited a Filipino-Swedish family living there,
who act as foster parents for us.
We spent the whole day doing different activities that makethe summer enjoyable. In the morning some of us were busy
trying to show our individual expertise in cooking; others
prepared the ingredients for more food to be cooked. Thiskind of activity shows that the Filipino culture of bayanihan(cooperation) still exists. The day wouldn't be complete

6

ield studies are integral to the curriculum at the World
Maritime University, particularly so if you happen to bein the Maritime Safety and Environment Protection
course. But the MSEP field studies have been characteristicallydistinct from those of other specializations. While the otherspecialization students were busy dusting off their businesssuits in preparation, we MSEP students were issued withcoveralls and hard hats.
Soon enough, on a frosty winter morning we were on thefreezing deck of a tanker in the port of Malmö studying its
compliance with the SOLAS regulations. As if it were not coldenough in Malmö, we pursued our study of initial andperiodical surveys of both cargo and passenger vessels for a
fortnight in Finland. Thanks to the warmth of our hosts wesurvived the sub-zero temperatures through ice-laden decks,
cargo holds and even a lifeboat (albeit secured on a davit!).
Dumle is forever etched in our minds. It's not because wewent through a day-long procedure of an inclining experiment
aboard the ship to estimate its stability, but it’s because welearnt of its owner's weakness for a traditional Swedish toffee
that goes by the same name. We have been to the picturesqueisland of Wen from Landskrona, but only to measure noise

Friends of WMU JAPAN7

The last students of MSEP at WMOlevels aboard the passenger ferry and verify compliance with
the IMO Code. On another occasion, we physically measured asmall fishing vessel and then traced out its curves to determine
its tonnage. Believe it or not, we have even donned immersion
suits and abandoned into a life raft in gale force winds. A
fellow student was winched up from the raft. Of course, thiswas conducted by Viking at their world class survival training
facility.
Alas! We happen to be the last MSEP course at the World
Maritime University. There shall be no more coveralls and hard
hats...

News from Alumni
Chinese Fellows Welcomed Mr. Sasakawa in Dalian
Zhang Shiping(China, 1995)

Summern in Trelleborg
Rodolfo R. Diawa(Philippines, 2006)

T(from left) Mr. Fan Zhongzhou (Non-Sasakawa Fellow), Mr. Yu Jian (1993)
Mr. Zhang Shiping (1995), Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Mr. Bao Junzhong (2004)
Mr. Li Yuheng (2003), Mr. Song Wei (2006)

On the afternoon of October 15, 2006, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa,the head of The Nippon Foundation, met with six
Chinese alumni of the World Maritime University at Dalian
Maritime University Library, Dalian, China. One of the alumni,
Mr. Yu Jian, came over from Beijing for the special occasion,
while the rest were from Dalian Maritime Safety Administration
and Dalian Maritime University.
Mr. Sasakawa was warmly welcomed by the honor guard
students of Dalian Maritime University when he arrived.
During the interaction, each of the alumni introduced
themselves and talked about their present jobs and status in theirrespective institutions. All the alumni were very grateful to Mr.
Sasakawa and his Foundation for supporting their attendance atthe World Maritime University, which not only benefits their

Life Rescue Training

home country, but the world shipping industry as well. Mr.
Sasakawa very much appreciated the work that the alumni havedone and wished them even greater success in the future.
On behalf of the Chinese alumni, Mr. Zhang Shiping, Directorof DMU Library, expressed the group's heartfelt gratitude to Mr.
Sasakawa for taking time out of his very tight schedule to visit
China to meet with the WMU-Sasakawa alumni, and presented to
Mr. Sasakawa a small token of the group's appreciation.
After meeting with the WMU-Sasakawa alumni, Mr. Sasakawa
also visited Dalian Maritime University Library, one of the twentyfour Chinese university libraries with books donated by the Japan
Science Society, The Nippon Foundation, the university simulator
centre and life-saving training center.

Enjoying the Filipino culture of Bayanihan

without the usual gathering in front of the television forvideoke, a favorite activity of Filipinos. With the sun still
shining we took the opportunity to bounce on the trampoline
and play Swedish games.
This is one way to release stress and to build friendships not
only with students but other people as well. This experience isanother page to be added to the book of a Filipino student's
life in Malmö.

Of Coveralls and Hard Hats …
Anish Arvind Hebbar(India, 2006)

F

The Port of Brisbane in Australia
Luciola Almeida(Brazil, 2006)I

nstead of flying back to Brazil, I decided to take theopposite direction and go to Australia. The reason was theinterest I had after reading an article by Prof. Horck about
the port of Brisbane. The port seemed to be quite ambitious:“We will not be the first port in Australia in volume of cargo, but
we will be the best in environmental management and quality ofservice.” Wow!
I researched more about the port and reached the conclusionthat they were really good in this area. Getting in contact with
But it wasn't all work. I could also enjoy the world famous
them, I was lucky enough to be asked to visit in January. I didn't
think twice: on the January 1st I was already there, experiencing Autralian trademarks: kangaroos, koalas, beaches, wine, …andsharks (from a safe distance, fortunately). Australian animals are
the beginning of 2006 before the rest of the world.
The port of Brisbane is doing very well in terms of “the closest things to alien life you are likely to encounter onenvironmental management (it has just won the Australian earth” and the natural environment in the rain forest is also
National Reporting Award from the annual People and fabulous. Moral of the story: changing a holiday at home for a
bit of work isn't so bad!
Environment Report). Therefore, I learned a lot!

Friends of WMU JAPANrelleborg is a nearby town located in the southern partof Skåne, 35 minutes from Malmö city by yellow bus.
In this town there are beautiful beaches and campsites
where people can relax and spend some time watching therolling waves of the sea and go swimming. On July 8, 2006,
Filipino Sasakawa Fellows, Ruel Concepcion, Larry Gonzales,
Maria Theresa Daguio, Eric Evangelista, and Ramon Lopez,
myself, and two other Filipino students, Jocelyn Magsalin and
Glide Garcia, visited a Filipino-Swedish family living there,
who act as foster parents for us.
We spent the whole day doing different activities that makethe summer enjoyable. In the morning some of us were busy
trying to show our individual expertise in cooking; others
prepared the ingredients for more food to be cooked. Thiskind of activity shows that the Filipino culture of bayanihan(cooperation) still exists. The day wouldn't be complete

6

ield studies are integral to the curriculum at the World
Maritime University, particularly so if you happen to bein the Maritime Safety and Environment Protection
course. But the MSEP field studies have been characteristicallydistinct from those of other specializations. While the otherspecialization students were busy dusting off their businesssuits in preparation, we MSEP students were issued withcoveralls and hard hats.
Soon enough, on a frosty winter morning we were on thefreezing deck of a tanker in the port of Malmö studying its
compliance with the SOLAS regulations. As if it were not coldenough in Malmö, we pursued our study of initial andperiodical surveys of both cargo and passenger vessels for a
fortnight in Finland. Thanks to the warmth of our hosts wesurvived the sub-zero temperatures through ice-laden decks,
cargo holds and even a lifeboat (albeit secured on a davit!).
Dumle is forever etched in our minds. It's not because wewent through a day-long procedure of an inclining experiment
aboard the ship to estimate its stability, but it’s because welearnt of its owner's weakness for a traditional Swedish toffee
that goes by the same name. We have been to the picturesqueisland of Wen from Landskrona, but only to measure noise

Friends of WMU JAPAN7

The last students of MSEP at WMOlevels aboard the passenger ferry and verify compliance with
the IMO Code. On another occasion, we physically measured asmall fishing vessel and then traced out its curves to determine
its tonnage. Believe it or not, we have even donned immersion
suits and abandoned into a life raft in gale force winds. A
fellow student was winched up from the raft. Of course, thiswas conducted by Viking at their world class survival training
facility.
Alas! We happen to be the last MSEP course at the World
Maritime University. There shall be no more coveralls and hard
hats...

Extraction from a Letter to Mr. Sasakawa
Felicity Viola Ankoma-Sey(Ghana, 2001)
The “Friends of WMU, Japan”
secretariat would like to share withall the readers a beautiful picturefrom Ms. Felicity Ankoma-Sey in
Ghana. The following message is
extracted from her warm letter:

This picture is of my seven yearold daughter Victoria, my four-yearsold Lawrence, Emmanuel, andmyself after church service in July,
2006. Thank you all so much foryour unending care and kindness
towards us Sasakawa Fellows.

April 30th, 2006 Another Date to Remember
In my country, we have a saying that “One has tocross three bridges during his/her lifetime: Birth,
Marriage, and the last one is Death.”
The first and last are involuntary, so to speak;
you don't have a choice in being born andsomeday you have to die. On the other hand, themiddle one depends on the person him/herself,plus other circumstances of course, whether it
happens or not. Also, one can plan and participate
fully in this event, contrary to the other two.

On April 30th, 2006, I was able to cross that
middle bridge when I married a long-timefriend - Michael Paul Likingo, who is logistician
to a local logistics company here in Dar Es
Salaam. We had a civil wedding here at a place
known as Karimjee Hall, followed by areception at the Bahari Beach Hotel.
It was a touching and memorable event for me
and I'm so happy to share this news with you all.

The Editorial Board Membersof the “Friends of WMU, Japan”
Newsletter(left side: Ms. Senuma, Mr. Omi, Ms. Otsuka,
Mr. Tagami, and Mr. Ichikawa)(right side: Mr. Imai, Mr. Hikima, Ms. Yakabe, and Mr. Kudo)

We would like to introduce the editorial board members who havebeen greatly cooperating with the “Friends of WMU, Japan”
newsletter.
Our newsletter, which is basically issued four times a year, inJune, September, December, and March, is distributed to WMU
Sasakawa Fellows, over a hundred Japanese members of “Friendsof WMU, Japan” , and a large number of people related to maritime
affairs and organizations.
We discuss ideas for the contents of each issue and decide which

Editor’s Postscript

All the best! - These words always remind me of my graduation day
from WMU in 2004. How much of “the best” is given and taken
among friends. It was an unforgettable feeling, a complex mixture ofwishes and tears. The two years have passed quickly, and I recently
used these words again when our 26 new friends from the class of2007 departed Osaka for Malmö. The field study trip to Japan for
Sasakawa Fellows took place in the second week of September, andI was given the opportunity to accompany the group. It was a very
nice field trip and I enjoyed visiting a number of remarkable places
all over Japan as well as being in the company of our new friends.

articles should be carried in the next issue at the meeting. As you
have probably noticed, this newsletter is like the alumni bulletin for
WMU Sasakawa Fellows, so to speak; therefore, we would like toinvite you to contribute articles, essays, and photos for the
newsletter on your daily activities, official occasions, gatherings ofFellows and family information, such as marriages, births, and soon. We look forward to your contributions.
We send you cordial holiday greetings and our sincere best
wishes for your prosperity and happiness in 2007.

You will see in this issue how we had a good time with a lot oflaughs. I could not, at the same time, help but thinking about myown classmates. The memories will never fade away even though
the time will never come back. I believe all my friends are very well,enjoying good health and their lives, and so am I. Although ourpaths may cross only rarely in the future, I still believe that we willremain friends forever. My dear new friends and old friends too, I
wish you all the best!

17

http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp/

Stella J. Katondo(Tanzania, 2000)

DECEMBER

2006

Mr.

Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The
Nippon Foundation, made a speechon October 16, 2006, at IAMU's general
assembly meeting held in Dalian, China.
He stated that although the sea wasthought to have virtually unlimited capacity
for use by human beings, it has turned out tobe very fragile, due to ever-increasing
amounts of pollution. He stressed that weneed to adapt ourselves from just using thesea to protecting it. He proposed “thesustainable development of maritime activities.”
This raises the necessity of a new frameworkof international cooperation, whereby
nongovernmental maritime organizations, theIMO, and governments support each other as
they reform maritime policy together, as
opposed the traditional system, in which eachgovernment basically acts on its own. Many tech ships, such as advanced LNG carriers.
new challenges defy the conventional way of He also questioned the excessive emphasis
handling problems on a case-by-case basis, on cramming students with knowledge andsuch as environmental damage caused by skills required to operate ships amid theaging ships, disruption of transportation global shortage of seafarers, rather thancaused by marine accidents, as well as piracy producing seafarers who take pride in theirand terrorism in internationally vital sea lanes work and possess a true seaman's spirit. The
development of well-balanced seafarers issuch as the Strait of Malacca.
He pointed out that seafarer-centered possible only if they are taught the pride andsafety management for the international philosophy of being a seafarer, not just the
shipping industry also requires further efforts skills and knowledge necessary for safe vessel
due to the increase in the number of high- operation.

Finally, he stated that IAMU can make areal contribution by providing a new forum
which will allow maritime universities toengage in transnational activities, transcending
national borders and controls. He welcomes
your efforts to develop the human resources
who can respond to changes and makecontributions to the global maritime
community beyond the confines of states.
Please visit our website for the entire text.
http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp/

Ms.YKABE Fumi (Japan, 2004)

IAMU（The International Association of Maritime Universities）is an association of the institutions of maritime education and training.
Since its establishment in November 1999 IAMU has expanded its membership, now boasting 47 members, inclusive of The Nippon Foundation.