Essays

CONTINUATION OF AN ‘EXPERIENCE’
By Mr. Anantha Prasad (India 1997)
My enrolment at WMU was by sheer
chance. So was my sponsorship from The
Nippon Foundation. The letter ofadmission to WMU in February 1996 wasa very pleasant surprise. It was a very
exciting moment - the first time I was
getting an opportunity to do a master’s
degree in Shipping, a subject I was
dealing with as a part of my profession.
The place was even more exciting Sweden. Leaving family behind was adifficult choice but I had to comfort
myself knowing it was for my future.
Traveling to Malmö from Copenhagenon a passenger ferry and the experienceat WMU was unforgettable. Sea travel wasanother first for me, as was the snow I
saw on the way.
I am now reaping the benefits of theinvaluable knowledge I gained at WMU. I

have been lucky enough to be back withthe same portfolio I held before. Any
subject I deal with concerning shipping be it Maritime Law, IMO matters or others,
is no longer strange to me. After all, thisis what was intended by the people who
established WMU, to make you feel atease with the subject you are dealing with,through that all important stint at Malmö.
Visiting Japan twice by being lucky
enough to have been sponsored by The
Nippon Foundation
was the mostremarkable of my Malmö experiences.
On the second occasion, being in the
midst of my classmates, friends once
again, felt as I’d never left WMU. The‘Friends of WMU, Japan’ activities havethis as their objective. What more can I
wish for than the opportunity to continue
my WMU experience?

Sasakawa Fellows Celebrated the 20th Anniversary of WMU

Message from the Secretariat
Deepest sympathy to our friend

We welcome your contribution to Newsletter/Website

The husband of Ms. Ninfa Martinez (1997), a memberof The Association of WMU-Sasakawa Fellows(Philippine Chapter), Inc., passed away on June 24,
2003. The late Mr. Edgar Martinez was also a graduateof WMU. Our profound condolences to Ninfa and herfamily members.

The Secretariat invites you to contribute either to theNewsletter or the Website. Photographs are also welcome.
(We prefer to have printed copies sent by post, but for
those who wish to send by e-mail, the resolution must be
at least 400 dpi.) Please note, however, that due to space
limitations, some contributions might be reduced involume, held over to the next issue, or be changed forinclusion in the website at the Secretariat’s discretion.

Editor’s Postscript
One year has passed since we started this newsletter. In
the beginning stages, we did not have any expertise inpublishing newsletters so we struggled with our newtasks. We are now on our fourth issue, due to the great
efforts of the staff at the Ship & Ocean Foundation. It isdeeply gratifying for me to review this year and realize
this newsletter will continue to be published. The workof the editorial members including the staff of SOF isgetting on track, and we just wish we could print more of
the many letters from members of the Friends of WMU,
Japan, in the limited space of the newsletter.
Some Sasakawa fellows met with Mr Sasakawa inMalmö during the week of the celebration of the 20th

Anniversary of WMU in June. Unfortunately, I could not
be there due to the 77th session of the MSC meeting, but
I know that it was a great opportunity to exchange views
with Mr Sasakawa as well as to expand the Fellows’
network. WMU was established in 1983 and the
Sasakawa fellowship started five years after theestablishment of the University with more than 200
Sasakawa Fellows from 39 countries participating.
Strengthening the network among them will greatly help
them play an important role in their respective countries.

Ko KOISO
Chief Researcher, The Shipbuilding Research Association of Japan

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 Ship & Ocean Foundation in cooperation with
Mr. Ko Koiso, Prof. Toshio Hikima, Ms. Masako B. Otsuka, and Ms. Sue Jackson.

Secretariat: International Cooperation Division, Ship & Ocean Foundation
Kaiyo Senpaku Building, 1-15-16 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo JAPAN 105-0001
Tel. 81-3-3502-1887 Fax. 81-3-3502-2033 URL: http://www.sof.or.jp/

Sasakawa Fellows with Mr. Sasakawa at the Japanese Honorary Consulate, MalmöA

unanimous consensus amongfrequent visitors to Malmö
may be that June is the best
time to visit the third largest Swedishcity blessed with rich greenery. The
time is June, and the scene is Malmö.
What else is missing to make commemorative events a great success,which mark the 20th anniversary of
WMU, now a significant educationallandmark in Malmö?
The 20th Anniversary Celebration of
WMU (June 3-4) was preceded byanother memorable event, and theevening of June 2 added to the festive
mood of the week. Sasakawa Fellows,
graduates and current students,
welcomed Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of “Friends of WMU, Japan,” to a

reception at the Japanese Honorary
Consulate building. Representing thecurrent students, Mr. Mohab Mahmoud
Ahmed Abou-el Kawam (Egypt 2003)
gave a welcoming speech. “Ourgratitude to this great man (Mr.
Sasakawa) will not only be in the formof words, but also by sharing his great
vision. Ladies and gentlemen, as
Sasakawa Fellows, we promise Mr.
Sasakawa that his aim and vision isextended by every one of us
throughout our careers,” he said.
Notwithstanding the long flightfrom Tokyo, Mr. Sasakawa talked
intimately with each participant. In
his greeting, Mr. Sasakawa called on
the current students to help eachother not only while studying in

Malmö, but also after graduation byworking together for the international
maritime community.
The graduate Sasakawa Fellows
who attended the reception were Mr.
Gao Deyi (China 1995); Mr. George
Reynolds(Jamaica2000);
Ms.
Viktoriya Radchenko (Ukraine 2001);
Mr. Robertas Tarasevicius (Lithuania
1999), and Mr. Abdul Samad bin
ZainalAkbar(Malaysia
1992).
Among the guests who were kindenough to come to the reception were
Dr. Karl Laubstein and WMU staff
members; former rector Dr. Danny
Waters; Honorary Consul General ofJapan, Dr. Nils Stormby, andProfessor Kenji Ishida of Kobe
University of Mercantile Marine.

International Symposium
Commemorating the Anniversary
Malmö City Hall where Gala Dinner was held

coastal countries to dispatch theirmaritime officers for further training.
Most important of all is the dedicationof the brilliant faculty here. To all ofyou, I would like to extend my deep
gratitude and respect.
Those of us here today are
extremely fortunate that our countries
have coastlines. This good fortune issomething that we must remember tobe grateful for. But beyond simple
fortune, the position of our countries
has had a deep impact on thedevelopment of our societies.
This is partly because the oceans
Mr. William O’Neil conferring an honorable award to Mr. Yohei Sasakawa
have
been
used
to
transport
everything conceivable. Goods, people,
n June 3, 2003, an international the party. Some students appeared in hopes, and even misfortunes andsymposium took place under the national dress and performed dances sorrows... Further, our people’s lives
theme of “WMU: Model of and songs of their own countries.
in every age have been closely linked
International Learning and Cooperation,”with the ocean. It has provided a
Here is the complete text of Mr. livelihood for large segments of ouras part of the 20th Anniversary
Celebration of WMU. Mr. Yohei Sasakawa’s keynote address.
populations. However, in all parts of
Sasakawa made a keynote address at
the world, the last half of the 20th
century has seen the explosive
the morning session of the symposium,
development of such areas as shipping
along with other luminaries, including
Mr. William A. O’Neil, Secretaryth and fishing. It has seen unprecedented
exploitation of our undersea andGeneral of IMO, and Mr. Michael Gray,coastal resources. It has seen the
ex-editor of Lloyd’s List, who also
progress of marine tourism and leisuredelivered speeches and lectures.
The full day symposium was
activities. As this has progressed, we
crowned with the Special Award
have come to the realization that every
By Yohei Sasakawa
Ceremony, where Mr. Sasakawa wasregion in the world is experiencing thePresident, The Nippon Foundation
conferred an honorable award inheavy pollution of its oceans, theJune 3, 2003
recognition of his many years ofdepletion of marine resources, and theconspicuous contribution to WMU. Your Excellency Mr. Ilmar Reepalu, destruction of coastal environments. It
The symposium was followed by the Chairman of Malmo City Board; has become clear that even the oceans
Gala Dinner, which was held at Malmö Chancellor Emeritus Dr. C.P. Srivastava, have a tolerance limit, one which theyCity Hall and attended by the Prime Founding Chancellor of WMU; Mr. are fast approaching.
Until the past few decades, it was
Minister of Sweden, Mr. Göran William O’Neil, Secretary General of
Persson, and as many as 300 invited IMO; Dr. Karl Laubstein, President of thought that our oceans were large
guests. Taking advantage of the long WMU; Distinguished Visitors; Members enough to easily accommodate
evening hours in northern Europe, a of the WMU faculty; students, ladies unfettered utilization. The fact is,however, that they are rather fragile.
great mixture of nationalities enjoyed and gentlemen:
Six years have gone by since I last We have come to realize that recklessthe festivities and exchanges late into
visited you here in Malmö in 1997, and development and exploitation are
the night.
On June 4, the annual “International so today is a great pleasure for me. I am increasing the danger that the very
Day Party” was held in the courtyard delighted to offer my congratulations foundations for human survival willof Henrik Smith Hostel, as part of the on the twentieth anniversary of this be destroyed.
When we recognized this danger, we
20th anniversary celebration this year. excellent institution.
The successful execution of WMU’s came up with the following points
Preparations were made by the current
students under the supervision of the mission is made possible by the which all of humankind needs to beStudent Council’s International Day support of the Kingdom of Sweden, aware of:Committee chairperson Ms. Yasuko and the friendship of the city of □ Oceans are a common heritage ofhumankind.
Suzuki (Japan 2003). Many students Malmö. Additionally, the University’s
cooked and offered their national programs would have no effect at all □ Our oceans are an essential componentof Earth’s life-support system.
delicacies, adding something special to were it not for the willingness ofO

Keynote Speech for 20
Anniversary of World
Maritime University

2

□ All

marine problems are closelyinterlinked. They need to be studied
as a whole.
□ Marine development and exploitationmust be carried out in sustainableways that fully take the global
environment into consideration.
Today, we can say that we haveachieved an overall transition in theway we think of our oceans. The ideaof a “freedom of the seas” has given
way to the principle of ocean
governance, which guides today’s
maritime activities. One vital issue ofthe 21th Century is how to actually
put this concept into practice. You see,for the most part, it still only exists inthe form of principles and rules.
Territorial issues are also a direct
result of the global nature of ouroceans. In regions where the territorial
waters of several nations abut eachother, the actions of any one
government are naturally limited. Inorder to keep these limitations fromstirringup
regional
conflict,frameworks of multilateral cooperation
have become increasingly important.
In order to address issues such asthese, WMU was founded twenty years
ago, and since then has provided
higher education in the maritime andshipping fields from an international
perspective. It is this kind of proactive
international cooperation that The
Nippon Foundation most likes tosupport. The Nippon Foundation was
founded by my late father, Ryoichi
Sasakawa, in 1962. Today, it is thelargest foundation in Japan. Its
activities range widely, but focus on
two major areas: basic human needs
and human resources development.
Further, it has had a strong tie to thesea since its founding, due to the factthat Japan is an island nation, and isthus completely surrounded by thesea. Since WMU focuses on humanresourcesdevelopmentinthemaritime field, it is a joy for us to
support it.
Here, we have channeled ourenergy into cultivating the humanresources that will contribute to theglobal maritime community. We do
this through the Sasakawa Fellowship
Program, under which students from3around the world can study at WMU.
These students will then take theirplaces as the next generation ofmaritime leaders. Since it was firstbegun in 1987, this program has
provided fellowships to 260 students
from 39 countries.
This year, our support will expand
even further with the endowment of
three Nippon Foundation Chairs.
Another example of our work todevelop the human resources of themaritime world is a network ofuniversities that we helped toestablish the International Associationof Maritime Universities, or IAMU. As
technology progresses, the skills
required of seafarers are undergoingdrastic changes. They are being
required to master equipment andconcepts that are advancing at a
dramatic pace. IAMU was therefore
founded in 2000 in an effort toachieve higher levels of maritime
education in all countries. The
ultimate goal is to promote maritime
safety and at the same time protect
the marine environment. Today, thenetwork has a membership of 35
merchant marine and maritime
universities
aroundtheworld,
including WMU. The association seeks
to respond to the coming changes inthemaritime
communitybyconducting research at member
universities in such areas as theexciting new roles envisioned formarine specialists on seagoing vessels.
Ryoichi Sasakawa’s motto, which
describes our foundation’s outlook,

was “The world is one family; allhumankind are brothers and sisters.”
He felt strongly that, in order forcountries to become self-sufficient, itis necessary to give the younger
generations the opportunity toreceive a proper education. He
wanted education to endow young
people not only with knowledge andskills, but also with an understandingof the diversity of cultures and values
that would help them to nurture asense of mutual tolerance. Our
support of WMU is directly in linewith these ideas.
There is a Japanese saying: “It takes
ten years for a tree to grow, but ittakes one hundred years to foster
human resources.” In recognition of
the effort required to raise ouryounger generations, I promise The
continuing
NipponFoundation’s
support of WMU.
The leaders needed by theinternational society are people whohave profound insight into regionaland global problems. At the sametime, they respect our planet’splurality of values and diversity ofcultures. They can overcome thedifferences among nations, religions,
ethnic groups, and cultures. They
have the will and drive to commit
themselves to world peace andprosperity. I believe that the true
underlying concept of WMU, and its
role, is to cultivate leaders with thiskind of awareness.
Thank you.

Audience eagerly listening to Mr. Sasakawa’s speechInternational Symposium
Commemorating the Anniversary
Malmö City Hall where Gala Dinner was held

coastal countries to dispatch theirmaritime officers for further training.
Most important of all is the dedicationof the brilliant faculty here. To all ofyou, I would like to extend my deep
gratitude and respect.
Those of us here today are
extremely fortunate that our countries
have coastlines. This good fortune issomething that we must remember tobe grateful for. But beyond simple
fortune, the position of our countries
has had a deep impact on thedevelopment of our societies.
This is partly because the oceans
Mr. William O’Neil conferring an honorable award to Mr. Yohei Sasakawa
have
been
used
to
transport
everything conceivable. Goods, people,
n June 3, 2003, an international the party. Some students appeared in hopes, and even misfortunes andsymposium took place under the national dress and performed dances sorrows... Further, our people’s lives
theme of “WMU: Model of and songs of their own countries.
in every age have been closely linked
International Learning and Cooperation,”with the ocean. It has provided a
Here is the complete text of Mr. livelihood for large segments of ouras part of the 20th Anniversary
Celebration of WMU. Mr. Yohei Sasakawa’s keynote address.
populations. However, in all parts of
Sasakawa made a keynote address at
the world, the last half of the 20th
century has seen the explosive
the morning session of the symposium,
development of such areas as shipping
along with other luminaries, including
Mr. William A. O’Neil, Secretaryth and fishing. It has seen unprecedented
exploitation of our undersea andGeneral of IMO, and Mr. Michael Gray,coastal resources. It has seen the
ex-editor of Lloyd’s List, who also
progress of marine tourism and leisuredelivered speeches and lectures.
The full day symposium was
activities. As this has progressed, we
crowned with the Special Award
have come to the realization that every
By Yohei Sasakawa
Ceremony, where Mr. Sasakawa wasregion in the world is experiencing thePresident, The Nippon Foundation
conferred an honorable award inheavy pollution of its oceans, theJune 3, 2003
recognition of his many years ofdepletion of marine resources, and theconspicuous contribution to WMU. Your Excellency Mr. Ilmar Reepalu, destruction of coastal environments. It
The symposium was followed by the Chairman of Malmo City Board; has become clear that even the oceans
Gala Dinner, which was held at Malmö Chancellor Emeritus Dr. C.P. Srivastava, have a tolerance limit, one which theyCity Hall and attended by the Prime Founding Chancellor of WMU; Mr. are fast approaching.
Until the past few decades, it was
Minister of Sweden, Mr. Göran William O’Neil, Secretary General of
Persson, and as many as 300 invited IMO; Dr. Karl Laubstein, President of thought that our oceans were large
guests. Taking advantage of the long WMU; Distinguished Visitors; Members enough to easily accommodate
evening hours in northern Europe, a of the WMU faculty; students, ladies unfettered utilization. The fact is,however, that they are rather fragile.
great mixture of nationalities enjoyed and gentlemen:
Six years have gone by since I last We have come to realize that recklessthe festivities and exchanges late into
visited you here in Malmö in 1997, and development and exploitation are
the night.
On June 4, the annual “International so today is a great pleasure for me. I am increasing the danger that the very
Day Party” was held in the courtyard delighted to offer my congratulations foundations for human survival willof Henrik Smith Hostel, as part of the on the twentieth anniversary of this be destroyed.
When we recognized this danger, we
20th anniversary celebration this year. excellent institution.
The successful execution of WMU’s came up with the following points
Preparations were made by the current
students under the supervision of the mission is made possible by the which all of humankind needs to beStudent Council’s International Day support of the Kingdom of Sweden, aware of:Committee chairperson Ms. Yasuko and the friendship of the city of □ Oceans are a common heritage ofhumankind.
Suzuki (Japan 2003). Many students Malmö. Additionally, the University’s
cooked and offered their national programs would have no effect at all □ Our oceans are an essential componentof Earth’s life-support system.
delicacies, adding something special to were it not for the willingness ofO

Keynote Speech for 20
Anniversary of World
Maritime University

2

□ All

marine problems are closelyinterlinked. They need to be studied
as a whole.
□ Marine development and exploitationmust be carried out in sustainableways that fully take the global
environment into consideration.
Today, we can say that we haveachieved an overall transition in theway we think of our oceans. The ideaof a “freedom of the seas” has given
way to the principle of ocean
governance, which guides today’s
maritime activities. One vital issue ofthe 21th Century is how to actually
put this concept into practice. You see,for the most part, it still only exists inthe form of principles and rules.
Territorial issues are also a direct
result of the global nature of ouroceans. In regions where the territorial
waters of several nations abut eachother, the actions of any one
government are naturally limited. Inorder to keep these limitations fromstirringup
regional
conflict,frameworks of multilateral cooperation
have become increasingly important.
In order to address issues such asthese, WMU was founded twenty years
ago, and since then has provided
higher education in the maritime andshipping fields from an international
perspective. It is this kind of proactive
international cooperation that The
Nippon Foundation most likes tosupport. The Nippon Foundation was
founded by my late father, Ryoichi
Sasakawa, in 1962. Today, it is thelargest foundation in Japan. Its
activities range widely, but focus on
two major areas: basic human needs
and human resources development.
Further, it has had a strong tie to thesea since its founding, due to the factthat Japan is an island nation, and isthus completely surrounded by thesea. Since WMU focuses on humanresourcesdevelopmentinthemaritime field, it is a joy for us to
support it.
Here, we have channeled ourenergy into cultivating the humanresources that will contribute to theglobal maritime community. We do
this through the Sasakawa Fellowship
Program, under which students from3around the world can study at WMU.
These students will then take theirplaces as the next generation ofmaritime leaders. Since it was firstbegun in 1987, this program has
provided fellowships to 260 students
from 39 countries.
This year, our support will expand
even further with the endowment of
three Nippon Foundation Chairs.
Another example of our work todevelop the human resources of themaritime world is a network ofuniversities that we helped toestablish the International Associationof Maritime Universities, or IAMU. As
technology progresses, the skills
required of seafarers are undergoingdrastic changes. They are being
required to master equipment andconcepts that are advancing at a
dramatic pace. IAMU was therefore
founded in 2000 in an effort toachieve higher levels of maritime
education in all countries. The
ultimate goal is to promote maritime
safety and at the same time protect
the marine environment. Today, thenetwork has a membership of 35
merchant marine and maritime
universities
aroundtheworld,
including WMU. The association seeks
to respond to the coming changes inthemaritime
communitybyconducting research at member
universities in such areas as theexciting new roles envisioned formarine specialists on seagoing vessels.
Ryoichi Sasakawa’s motto, which
describes our foundation’s outlook,

was “The world is one family; allhumankind are brothers and sisters.”
He felt strongly that, in order forcountries to become self-sufficient, itis necessary to give the younger
generations the opportunity toreceive a proper education. He
wanted education to endow young
people not only with knowledge andskills, but also with an understandingof the diversity of cultures and values
that would help them to nurture asense of mutual tolerance. Our
support of WMU is directly in linewith these ideas.
There is a Japanese saying: “It takes
ten years for a tree to grow, but ittakes one hundred years to foster
human resources.” In recognition of
the effort required to raise ouryounger generations, I promise The
continuing
NipponFoundation’s
support of WMU.
The leaders needed by theinternational society are people whohave profound insight into regionaland global problems. At the sametime, they respect our planet’splurality of values and diversity ofcultures. They can overcome thedifferences among nations, religions,
ethnic groups, and cultures. They
have the will and drive to commit
themselves to world peace andprosperity. I believe that the true
underlying concept of WMU, and its
role, is to cultivate leaders with thiskind of awareness.
Thank you.

Audience eagerly listening to Mr. Sasakawa’s speechSasakawa Fellows in Vietnam The present author became involved
with the project and was dispatched by
are in High Spirits
JICA to VIMARU on May 6-23 this year as

News from Alumni

Mr. Hermogino (center) with Mr. Kudo and Mr. Risuandi

Reunion Onboard
Mr. Elson E. Hermogino (1996), a memberof the Association of WMU-Sasakawa
Fellows (Philippine Chapter), Inc., hasrecently visited Japan. He is Assistant Chiefof Staff, Plans and Programs / International
Affairs, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). As aguest of Japan Coast Guard (JCG), Mr.
Hermogino participated in an observation
tour of search and rescue vessels;
ship/airplane support bases; operation

By Prof. Toshio Hikima
The volume of marine transport in
Vietnam has registered an annual averageof 10% increase over the past 10 years. If
the trend persists, Vietnam will need as
many as 18,000 seafarers in 2005 to copewith the increasing transport demand.
On the other hand, the 1995
amendment of STCW convention requires
signatory nations to institutionalize
maritime education/training reforms thatwill keep pace with the modernization ofship facilities and ensure ship operation
safety. The Vietnam Maritime University(VIMARU) found it difficult to implement
training at a level in compliance with the
IMO convention standards, because of theobsoleteness and shortage of training
facilities and equipment. In response to
the Vietnamese government’s request, in
October 2001 JICA launched the “Projecton the Improvement of Higher Maritime
Education in Vietnam” to help VIMARU torefurbish its facilities and curricula. It willcontinue until the end of September 2004.

facilities of the Vessels Traffic Management
System (VTMS) and the Global Maritime
Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), and
JCG supervisory control center. In addition,
he made a trip to western Japan, visiting
JCG’s Maritime Academy in Kure.
PCG is currently working on the
improvement of its mooring facilities andbase ports, and of search and rescue
communication systems. Mr. Hermogino
will work to have his findings from his
recent trip incorporated in a long-term
master plan of the Philippines’ social
development research.
During his stay in Japan, Mr.
Hermogino was invited to the annual JCG
fleet operation review on May 24. He wasjoined on board a JCG patrol vessel by
two of his acquaintances also invited to
the review --- Mr. Eisuke Kudo, and Mr.
Yan Risuandi (Indonesia 1990) who, asreported in the last issue of thisNewsletter, is now stationed at theIndonesian Embassy in Tokyo.

Myanmar Coordinator Visited
Mr. Sasakawa
Mr. Kyaw Zeya (1996), Director of
Department of Marine Administration,
Myanmar Ministry of Transport, met Mr.
Yohei Sasakawa at the headquarters of
The Nippon Foundation on May 8, 2003.
Mr. Sasakawa welcomed Mr. Zeya into histidy office and a friendly talk took place.
He picked up the topic of the former
premier Mr. Mori’s recent visit to
Myanmar that aimed at helping reinstate
diplomatic relations between Japan and
Myanmar. He accompanied Mr. Mori as amember of the Japanese delegation. On
that occasion, Mr. Zeya tried to visit Mr.
Sasakawa at the hotel where he was staying,
but their meeting then was not realized.
The main purpose of Mr. Zeya’s visit toTokyo was to represent his own
government at the ASEAN-Japan Transport
Policy Workshop held in the second weekof May. A total of 20 representatives fromdifferent countries participated in the
ASEAN workshop and discussed diverse
topics in the areas of potential cooperation:

Dr. Uy, Prof. Hikima, and Dr. Suu

At Ho Chi Minh City

VIMARU is located in the port city
Haiphong, some 100 km east of Hanoi.
Both Rector and Vice-Rector of theuniversity, Dr. Suu (MET 1991) and Dr.
Uy (MET 1992), respectively, are
Sasakawa Fellows. Allow me to use thisspace to express my gratitude again forthe hospitality they gave me at the timeof my visit to VIMARU.
I was welcomed by six WMU graduates
in Hanoi and Haiphong, while I met eightWMU graduates in Ho Chi Minh City
where I visited on weekends. Thus I met
with 16 WMU graduates in all, 13 ofwhom were students during my tenure at
WMU. Reunion with them was the mostmemorable event during my recent
sojourn in Vietnam. Dear readers, I am
glad to report that Sasakawa Fellows in
Vietnam are in high spirits, creating analumni association that holds meetingsat regular intervals.

Training Program in Yokohama

Mr. Zeya (center) with Mr. Sasakawa and Mr. Nagamitsu, Executive
Director, The Nippon Foundation

Mr. A.F.M. Sirajul Islam (1996), ship
surveyor, Mercantile Marine Department,
Bangladesh Ministry of Shipping, is now
staying in Japan and participating in"Group Training Course in International
Maritime Convention and Ship Safety
Inspection" during the period of April 8
to October 31, 2003. The training course
is being held at Overseas Shipbuilding
Cooperation Centre (OSCC), Yokohama,as part of the Japanese government's
technical cooperation program that aims
at providing trainees from developing
countries with practical knowledge on
ship inspection and related IMO
conventions. A total of 15 trainees of 12□ An international forum on seafarers’ policy□ Maritime security measures for ports

and ships□ A concept of ASEAN coast guard modelledon JCG□ Advanced

ship and port technology
exemplified by high-speed marinetransportation networks and Megafloat
Mr. Zeya said he would return to Japanagain in October to participate in aninternational conference on the fightagainst terrorism, whilst another ASEAN
meeting is scheduled to take place inAugust in Yangon.

4a short-term expert to give instructions
on switchboard simulator training
stipulated in STCW95. On that occasion,
I met with many WMU graduates andSasakawa Fellows.

5

Mr. Islam (5th from the right) visiting a Japanese garden

countries are participating in the sixmonth training course. The photo is ascene from a sight-seeing excursion in
Yokohama Port area, which wassponsored by JICA.

Sasakawa Fellows in Vietnam The present author became involved
with the project and was dispatched by
are in High Spirits
JICA to VIMARU on May 6-23 this year as

News from Alumni

Mr. Hermogino (center) with Mr. Kudo and Mr. Risuandi

Reunion Onboard
Mr. Elson E. Hermogino (1996), a memberof the Association of WMU-Sasakawa
Fellows (Philippine Chapter), Inc., hasrecently visited Japan. He is Assistant Chiefof Staff, Plans and Programs / International
Affairs, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). As aguest of Japan Coast Guard (JCG), Mr.
Hermogino participated in an observation
tour of search and rescue vessels;
ship/airplane support bases; operation

By Prof. Toshio Hikima
The volume of marine transport in
Vietnam has registered an annual averageof 10% increase over the past 10 years. If
the trend persists, Vietnam will need as
many as 18,000 seafarers in 2005 to copewith the increasing transport demand.
On the other hand, the 1995
amendment of STCW convention requires
signatory nations to institutionalize
maritime education/training reforms thatwill keep pace with the modernization ofship facilities and ensure ship operation
safety. The Vietnam Maritime University(VIMARU) found it difficult to implement
training at a level in compliance with the
IMO convention standards, because of theobsoleteness and shortage of training
facilities and equipment. In response to
the Vietnamese government’s request, in
October 2001 JICA launched the “Projecton the Improvement of Higher Maritime
Education in Vietnam” to help VIMARU torefurbish its facilities and curricula. It willcontinue until the end of September 2004.

facilities of the Vessels Traffic Management
System (VTMS) and the Global Maritime
Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), and
JCG supervisory control center. In addition,
he made a trip to western Japan, visiting
JCG’s Maritime Academy in Kure.
PCG is currently working on the
improvement of its mooring facilities andbase ports, and of search and rescue
communication systems. Mr. Hermogino
will work to have his findings from his
recent trip incorporated in a long-term
master plan of the Philippines’ social
development research.
During his stay in Japan, Mr.
Hermogino was invited to the annual JCG
fleet operation review on May 24. He wasjoined on board a JCG patrol vessel by
two of his acquaintances also invited to
the review --- Mr. Eisuke Kudo, and Mr.
Yan Risuandi (Indonesia 1990) who, asreported in the last issue of thisNewsletter, is now stationed at theIndonesian Embassy in Tokyo.

Myanmar Coordinator Visited
Mr. Sasakawa
Mr. Kyaw Zeya (1996), Director of
Department of Marine Administration,
Myanmar Ministry of Transport, met Mr.
Yohei Sasakawa at the headquarters of
The Nippon Foundation on May 8, 2003.
Mr. Sasakawa welcomed Mr. Zeya into histidy office and a friendly talk took place.
He picked up the topic of the former
premier Mr. Mori’s recent visit to
Myanmar that aimed at helping reinstate
diplomatic relations between Japan and
Myanmar. He accompanied Mr. Mori as amember of the Japanese delegation. On
that occasion, Mr. Zeya tried to visit Mr.
Sasakawa at the hotel where he was staying,
but their meeting then was not realized.
The main purpose of Mr. Zeya’s visit toTokyo was to represent his own
government at the ASEAN-Japan Transport
Policy Workshop held in the second weekof May. A total of 20 representatives fromdifferent countries participated in the
ASEAN workshop and discussed diverse
topics in the areas of potential cooperation:

Dr. Uy, Prof. Hikima, and Dr. Suu

At Ho Chi Minh City

VIMARU is located in the port city
Haiphong, some 100 km east of Hanoi.
Both Rector and Vice-Rector of theuniversity, Dr. Suu (MET 1991) and Dr.
Uy (MET 1992), respectively, are
Sasakawa Fellows. Allow me to use thisspace to express my gratitude again forthe hospitality they gave me at the timeof my visit to VIMARU.
I was welcomed by six WMU graduates
in Hanoi and Haiphong, while I met eightWMU graduates in Ho Chi Minh City
where I visited on weekends. Thus I met
with 16 WMU graduates in all, 13 ofwhom were students during my tenure at
WMU. Reunion with them was the mostmemorable event during my recent
sojourn in Vietnam. Dear readers, I am
glad to report that Sasakawa Fellows in
Vietnam are in high spirits, creating analumni association that holds meetingsat regular intervals.

Training Program in Yokohama

Mr. Zeya (center) with Mr. Sasakawa and Mr. Nagamitsu, Executive
Director, The Nippon Foundation

Mr. A.F.M. Sirajul Islam (1996), ship
surveyor, Mercantile Marine Department,
Bangladesh Ministry of Shipping, is now
staying in Japan and participating in"Group Training Course in International
Maritime Convention and Ship Safety
Inspection" during the period of April 8
to October 31, 2003. The training course
is being held at Overseas Shipbuilding
Cooperation Centre (OSCC), Yokohama,as part of the Japanese government's
technical cooperation program that aims
at providing trainees from developing
countries with practical knowledge on
ship inspection and related IMO
conventions. A total of 15 trainees of 12□ An international forum on seafarers’ policy□ Maritime security measures for ports

and ships□ A concept of ASEAN coast guard modelledon JCG□ Advanced

ship and port technology
exemplified by high-speed marinetransportation networks and Megafloat
Mr. Zeya said he would return to Japanagain in October to participate in aninternational conference on the fightagainst terrorism, whilst another ASEAN
meeting is scheduled to take place inAugust in Yangon.

4a short-term expert to give instructions
on switchboard simulator training
stipulated in STCW95. On that occasion,
I met with many WMU graduates andSasakawa Fellows.

5

Mr. Islam (5th from the right) visiting a Japanese garden

countries are participating in the sixmonth training course. The photo is ascene from a sight-seeing excursion in
Yokohama Port area, which wassponsored by JICA.

International Maritime Information

EssaysModel Audit Scheme Now Under Development The First Meeting of the Joint MSC/MEPG/TCC Working Group

Klaipeda Seaport, Lithuania

The Ministerial Conference on Transport (Tokyo, 2001）opened the way for the establishment of the IMO audit program on Flag
State Implementation.

It has been recognised among IMO
Member States that strengthening of the
Flag State implementation of the IMO
Conventions is essential to secure anadequate level of maritime safety andmarine environmental protection. In thiscontext, in 2002, IMO started developing ascheme to measure a Flag State performanceon the three key issues of implementationof IMO instruments, i.e., the enactment ofappropriate legislation, its implementationand enforcement of the instruments.
The Council takes a lead in developing
the Audit Scheme, but “the joint
MSC/MEPC/TCC Working Group on thevoluntary IMO Model Audit Scheme” wasestablished in order to facilitate detailed
consultations. The first meeting of the joint
Working Group was held from 28 May to 4
June at the same time with MSC 77. It
reached a general agreement on theframework of the Model Audit Scheme anda work plan targeting the adoption at the24th Assembly in 2005.
The aim of the Audit Scheme is todetermine to what extent Member States are
implementing and enforcing the applicable
IMO instruments, so as to further enhancetheir performance. The IMO instruments
which should be covered by audits are
considered as: SOLAS 74 (excluding Chapter
XI-2 on Maritime Security for the time
being); SOLAS 78 Protocol; SOLAS 88
Protocol, MARPOL 73/78; STCW, LL66, LL88
Protocol, Tonnage 69; and COLREG 72.
The Audit Scheme is on a voluntary basis,
and a Member State wishing to be audited
has to express its intention in accordancewith procedures of the Audit Scheme, which
will be developed in due course. IMO

Klaipeda Seaport Development

Secretary-General will establish the audit
team for the Member State from a list of
possible auditors. The audit team is
responsible for planning, performing andpreparing a report of the audit in a fairmanner and in accordance with an agreed
time frame. The audit report will not be
disclosed to other Member States, and only
an anonymized summary report will becirculated after consultation with theaudited State.
It is extremely important for someauditedStatestoenhancetheirperformance through preparation process
or following up the Audit results.
Therefore, capacity-building would beconsidered as an essential element for the
success of the Audit Scheme. The capacitybuilding is to include an adequate supply
of appropriately trained people, along withappropriate hardware and software systems.
There are still many substantive issues
for the further development of the Scheme,
including completion of the procedures,
an audit standard, time frame, and so on.
Subsequently, the joint Working Groupestablished a correspondence group inorder to facilitate discussion during thesessions, keeping in mind that the targetof the adoption is at the 24th Assemblyin 2005.
While it was agreed that the Model
Audit Scheme should start out as avoluntary one, it is being debated whether
it should become a mandate Scheme in the
future, taking into account the ICAO’s
experience. The Council decided that the
Scheme be developed in such a manner as
not to exclude the possibility in the futureof it becoming mandatory.

By Ms. Nadezda Kovtunova (Lithuania 2002)
Klaipeda Seaport is a landlord port.
Currently, Klaipeda State Seaport
Authority (KSSA) is working on a large
investment program, which was agreed
to by the Government of the Republic of
Lithuania and is to be implemented
during the period 2002-2006. The
objective of the program is toincorporate Klaipeda port in the Trans
European network, in view of the coming
Lithuanian membership in the European
Union in May, 2004. The total cost of theinvestment program is estimated toamount to LTL 382 million (i.e.
approximately EUR 107 million).
As a first step, the Port Entrance
Rehabilitation Project was successfully
implemented in 2002. The Klaipeda
port’s entrance breakwaters were
rehabilitated and extended, whilst partsof the port, including the entrance
channel, were dredged up to 14-14.5m.
After rehabilitation, five quays havebecome available for handling vessels
with 12.5m drafts and up to 60,000 tonsof dry cargo and 80,000 tons of oil
product capacities. The program also
includes reconstruction of quays, as wellas road and railway access to the port.
As a next step, the possibility ofbuilding a new deep-sea port (up to 17m
depth) outside the entrance of theKlaipeda port is currently being examinedby the Study for the Port Development
Project in the Republic of Lithuania. Its
main objectives are to examine the role of

6

7

the Klaipeda port in the regional andnational economies of Lithuania, and towork out a long-term master plan and ashort-term development plan. The study
is being conducted as part of the Japanese
government’s cooperation with Lithuania.
Its Scope of Work was signed in 2002,
whereas actual work started in March,
2003. Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), the official agency
responsible for the implementation oftechnical cooperation programs of theJapanese government, is at present
undertaking the Study at the Klaipeda
port in close cooperation with KSSA. The
results will be announced in August, 2004.
In addition, the railway administrations
and customs officials of the Ukraine,
Lithuania and Belarus are working on a
combined railway transportation route
Klaipeda - Odessa - Klaipeda, which was
opened on February 8, 2003. The “Viking”
shuttle train goes from Klaipeda to Odessa
in less than 50 hours, once a week. At thesame time, railway operators andforwarders of the three countries areworking on improving the internationaltransport corridor between the Baltic and
the Black sea, aiming to create a transit
cargotransportation
route
from
Scandinavian countries to the regions of
the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Far
East. There are negotiations taking place
to launch a shuttle train from Klaipeda to
Moscow as well.

International Maritime Information

EssaysModel Audit Scheme Now Under Development The First Meeting of the Joint MSC/MEPG/TCC Working Group

Klaipeda Seaport, Lithuania

The Ministerial Conference on Transport (Tokyo, 2001）opened the way for the establishment of the IMO audit program on Flag
State Implementation.

It has been recognised among IMO
Member States that strengthening of the
Flag State implementation of the IMO
Conventions is essential to secure anadequate level of maritime safety andmarine environmental protection. In thiscontext, in 2002, IMO started developing ascheme to measure a Flag State performanceon the three key issues of implementationof IMO instruments, i.e., the enactment ofappropriate legislation, its implementationand enforcement of the instruments.
The Council takes a lead in developing
the Audit Scheme, but “the joint
MSC/MEPC/TCC Working Group on thevoluntary IMO Model Audit Scheme” wasestablished in order to facilitate detailed
consultations. The first meeting of the joint
Working Group was held from 28 May to 4
June at the same time with MSC 77. It
reached a general agreement on theframework of the Model Audit Scheme anda work plan targeting the adoption at the24th Assembly in 2005.
The aim of the Audit Scheme is todetermine to what extent Member States are
implementing and enforcing the applicable
IMO instruments, so as to further enhancetheir performance. The IMO instruments
which should be covered by audits are
considered as: SOLAS 74 (excluding Chapter
XI-2 on Maritime Security for the time
being); SOLAS 78 Protocol; SOLAS 88
Protocol, MARPOL 73/78; STCW, LL66, LL88
Protocol, Tonnage 69; and COLREG 72.
The Audit Scheme is on a voluntary basis,
and a Member State wishing to be audited
has to express its intention in accordancewith procedures of the Audit Scheme, which
will be developed in due course. IMO

Klaipeda Seaport Development

Secretary-General will establish the audit
team for the Member State from a list of
possible auditors. The audit team is
responsible for planning, performing andpreparing a report of the audit in a fairmanner and in accordance with an agreed
time frame. The audit report will not be
disclosed to other Member States, and only
an anonymized summary report will becirculated after consultation with theaudited State.
It is extremely important for someauditedStatestoenhancetheirperformance through preparation process
or following up the Audit results.
Therefore, capacity-building would beconsidered as an essential element for the
success of the Audit Scheme. The capacitybuilding is to include an adequate supply
of appropriately trained people, along withappropriate hardware and software systems.
There are still many substantive issues
for the further development of the Scheme,
including completion of the procedures,
an audit standard, time frame, and so on.
Subsequently, the joint Working Groupestablished a correspondence group inorder to facilitate discussion during thesessions, keeping in mind that the targetof the adoption is at the 24th Assemblyin 2005.
While it was agreed that the Model
Audit Scheme should start out as avoluntary one, it is being debated whether
it should become a mandate Scheme in the
future, taking into account the ICAO’s
experience. The Council decided that the
Scheme be developed in such a manner as
not to exclude the possibility in the futureof it becoming mandatory.

By Ms. Nadezda Kovtunova (Lithuania 2002)
Klaipeda Seaport is a landlord port.
Currently, Klaipeda State Seaport
Authority (KSSA) is working on a large
investment program, which was agreed
to by the Government of the Republic of
Lithuania and is to be implemented
during the period 2002-2006. The
objective of the program is toincorporate Klaipeda port in the Trans
European network, in view of the coming
Lithuanian membership in the European
Union in May, 2004. The total cost of theinvestment program is estimated toamount to LTL 382 million (i.e.
approximately EUR 107 million).
As a first step, the Port Entrance
Rehabilitation Project was successfully
implemented in 2002. The Klaipeda
port’s entrance breakwaters were
rehabilitated and extended, whilst partsof the port, including the entrance
channel, were dredged up to 14-14.5m.
After rehabilitation, five quays havebecome available for handling vessels
with 12.5m drafts and up to 60,000 tonsof dry cargo and 80,000 tons of oil
product capacities. The program also
includes reconstruction of quays, as wellas road and railway access to the port.
As a next step, the possibility ofbuilding a new deep-sea port (up to 17m
depth) outside the entrance of theKlaipeda port is currently being examinedby the Study for the Port Development
Project in the Republic of Lithuania. Its
main objectives are to examine the role of

6

7

the Klaipeda port in the regional andnational economies of Lithuania, and towork out a long-term master plan and ashort-term development plan. The study
is being conducted as part of the Japanese
government’s cooperation with Lithuania.
Its Scope of Work was signed in 2002,
whereas actual work started in March,
2003. Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), the official agency
responsible for the implementation oftechnical cooperation programs of theJapanese government, is at present
undertaking the Study at the Klaipeda
port in close cooperation with KSSA. The
results will be announced in August, 2004.
In addition, the railway administrations
and customs officials of the Ukraine,
Lithuania and Belarus are working on a
combined railway transportation route
Klaipeda - Odessa - Klaipeda, which was
opened on February 8, 2003. The “Viking”
shuttle train goes from Klaipeda to Odessa
in less than 50 hours, once a week. At thesame time, railway operators andforwarders of the three countries areworking on improving the internationaltransport corridor between the Baltic and
the Black sea, aiming to create a transit
cargotransportation
route
from
Scandinavian countries to the regions of
the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Far
East. There are negotiations taking place
to launch a shuttle train from Klaipeda to
Moscow as well.

Essays

CONTINUATION OF AN ‘EXPERIENCE’
By Mr. Anantha Prasad (India 1997)
My enrolment at WMU was by sheer
chance. So was my sponsorship from The
Nippon Foundation. The letter ofadmission to WMU in February 1996 wasa very pleasant surprise. It was a very
exciting moment - the first time I was
getting an opportunity to do a master’s
degree in Shipping, a subject I was
dealing with as a part of my profession.
The place was even more exciting Sweden. Leaving family behind was adifficult choice but I had to comfort
myself knowing it was for my future.
Traveling to Malmö from Copenhagenon a passenger ferry and the experienceat WMU was unforgettable. Sea travel wasanother first for me, as was the snow I
saw on the way.
I am now reaping the benefits of theinvaluable knowledge I gained at WMU. I

have been lucky enough to be back withthe same portfolio I held before. Any
subject I deal with concerning shipping be it Maritime Law, IMO matters or others,
is no longer strange to me. After all, thisis what was intended by the people who
established WMU, to make you feel atease with the subject you are dealing with,through that all important stint at Malmö.
Visiting Japan twice by being lucky
enough to have been sponsored by The
Nippon Foundation
was the mostremarkable of my Malmö experiences.
On the second occasion, being in the
midst of my classmates, friends once
again, felt as I’d never left WMU. The‘Friends of WMU, Japan’ activities havethis as their objective. What more can I
wish for than the opportunity to continue
my WMU experience?

Sasakawa Fellows Celebrated the 20th Anniversary of WMU

Message from the Secretariat
Deepest sympathy to our friend

We welcome your contribution to Newsletter/Website

The husband of Ms. Ninfa Martinez (1997), a memberof The Association of WMU-Sasakawa Fellows(Philippine Chapter), Inc., passed away on June 24,
2003. The late Mr. Edgar Martinez was also a graduateof WMU. Our profound condolences to Ninfa and herfamily members.

The Secretariat invites you to contribute either to theNewsletter or the Website. Photographs are also welcome.
(We prefer to have printed copies sent by post, but for
those who wish to send by e-mail, the resolution must be
at least 400 dpi.) Please note, however, that due to space
limitations, some contributions might be reduced involume, held over to the next issue, or be changed forinclusion in the website at the Secretariat’s discretion.

Editor’s Postscript
One year has passed since we started this newsletter. In
the beginning stages, we did not have any expertise inpublishing newsletters so we struggled with our newtasks. We are now on our fourth issue, due to the great
efforts of the staff at the Ship & Ocean Foundation. It isdeeply gratifying for me to review this year and realize
this newsletter will continue to be published. The workof the editorial members including the staff of SOF isgetting on track, and we just wish we could print more of
the many letters from members of the Friends of WMU,
Japan, in the limited space of the newsletter.
Some Sasakawa fellows met with Mr Sasakawa inMalmö during the week of the celebration of the 20th

Anniversary of WMU in June. Unfortunately, I could not
be there due to the 77th session of the MSC meeting, but
I know that it was a great opportunity to exchange views
with Mr Sasakawa as well as to expand the Fellows’
network. WMU was established in 1983 and the
Sasakawa fellowship started five years after theestablishment of the University with more than 200
Sasakawa Fellows from 39 countries participating.
Strengthening the network among them will greatly help
them play an important role in their respective countries.

Ko KOISO
Chief Researcher, The Shipbuilding Research Association of Japan

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 Ship & Ocean Foundation in cooperation with
Mr. Ko Koiso, Prof. Toshio Hikima, Ms. Masako B. Otsuka, and Ms. Sue Jackson.

Secretariat: International Cooperation Division, Ship & Ocean Foundation
Kaiyo Senpaku Building, 1-15-16 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo JAPAN 105-0001
Tel. 81-3-3502-1887 Fax. 81-3-3502-2033 URL: http://www.sof.or.jp/

Sasakawa Fellows with Mr. Sasakawa at the Japanese Honorary Consulate, MalmöA

unanimous consensus amongfrequent visitors to Malmö
may be that June is the best
time to visit the third largest Swedishcity blessed with rich greenery. The
time is June, and the scene is Malmö.
What else is missing to make commemorative events a great success,which mark the 20th anniversary of
WMU, now a significant educationallandmark in Malmö?
The 20th Anniversary Celebration of
WMU (June 3-4) was preceded byanother memorable event, and theevening of June 2 added to the festive
mood of the week. Sasakawa Fellows,
graduates and current students,
welcomed Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of “Friends of WMU, Japan,” to a

reception at the Japanese Honorary
Consulate building. Representing thecurrent students, Mr. Mohab Mahmoud
Ahmed Abou-el Kawam (Egypt 2003)
gave a welcoming speech. “Ourgratitude to this great man (Mr.
Sasakawa) will not only be in the formof words, but also by sharing his great
vision. Ladies and gentlemen, as
Sasakawa Fellows, we promise Mr.
Sasakawa that his aim and vision isextended by every one of us
throughout our careers,” he said.
Notwithstanding the long flightfrom Tokyo, Mr. Sasakawa talked
intimately with each participant. In
his greeting, Mr. Sasakawa called on
the current students to help eachother not only while studying in

Malmö, but also after graduation byworking together for the international
maritime community.
The graduate Sasakawa Fellows
who attended the reception were Mr.
Gao Deyi (China 1995); Mr. George
Reynolds(Jamaica2000);
Ms.
Viktoriya Radchenko (Ukraine 2001);
Mr. Robertas Tarasevicius (Lithuania
1999), and Mr. Abdul Samad bin
ZainalAkbar(Malaysia
1992).
Among the guests who were kindenough to come to the reception were
Dr. Karl Laubstein and WMU staff
members; former rector Dr. Danny
Waters; Honorary Consul General ofJapan, Dr. Nils Stormby, andProfessor Kenji Ishida of Kobe
University of Mercantile Marine.