MARCH

2006

14

Moving into the Twenty-First Century:Where is WMU Heading?
A Period of Change and Reform

relevant to WMU:
・increasing internationalization of academia
The World Maritime University has changed (academic staff, student populations, and academsubstantially since the beginning of the new ic programs)
・the drive for common global academic andcentury, in response to emerging trends andchanges in the international educational and professional standards (e.g., the move towards
industry environment in which it operates. common university degree programs, transferBacked by input from its international Board of ability of academic credits and qualifications, etc.
Governors and higher education authorities from in the European university milieu; the aims of
the international university milieu, WMU has the International Association of Maritime
during the period 2000 – 2005 embarked on a Universities (IAMU) in the field of MET)
・greater emphasis on entrepreneurial
comprehensive, ongoing process of reform which(business)
activities by HE providers to generate
has greatly increased the academic profile and theincomeandenhance their financial sustainability
global role of the University. This process is・
increasing
international competition amongcontinuing under WMU’s 2005 – 2010 StrategicHEinstitutions
for students and financial
Plan which charts the basic course of the Universiresources,andincreased
mobility of students
ty until the end of this decade.
acrossnational
borders
The main external impetus to the academic
・greater emphasis on quality and transparency
reforms and development of WMU over the lastinhigher education
five years have been two comprehensive
institutional audits of WMU by the leading
Among the emerging trends or changes in theEuropean higher education authority, namely, the1999 evaluation of WMU by the Association of world of maritime transportation since 2000
European Universities (CRE) and 2004 which are particularly relevant to WMU are theevaluation by the European University Associa- following:・the focus on maritime security in the waketion (EUA), the successor to CRE. The 1999
of
9/11
CRE Report concluded that WMU had two
・
the growing need for periodic upgrading oralternatives for its future development, namely, torefreshercourses for professional staff
continue developing along the lines of its existing
・
the
need
for more intensive research on
academic program and global reach (the so-called
criticalissuesofmaritime security and marine
steady-state approach), or to adopt a more radical
environmental
protection
approach whereby the University would

Karl Laubsteinsignificantly raise and expand its academic profile
and widen its global role. The 2004 EUA Report
noted approvingly that WMU had chosen andsuccessfully embarked on the process of radical
change.
As for emerging trends and changes in higher
education (HE) worldwide, the following are

WMU, with its international mandate and asa player in the increasingly competitive international market for advanced professional
maritime education, must be capable to respondeffectively to the new challenges and opportunities arising from changes in the international
educational and maritime sector.

Academic Changes andCapacity-Building
During the period 2000 – 2005 WMU hassignificantly raised and expanded its academic
profile in advanced maritime education andresearch. The principal changes in the academic
program of the University during the last five
years are:
1. The diversification and strengthening of
M.Sc. curriculum through the revision or
addition of certain subjects, specializations andelectives.

staffing of five new academic Chairs funded byexternal donors – three by the Nippon Founda2. The expansion of the global outreach tion and one each by the Governments ofprograms of WMU:
Canada and France. The University, with(a) expansion of the program of short-term, financial assistance from the Chinese Governnon-degree Professional Development Courses ment, has also upgraded and greatly expanded(PDCs), of which two-thirds are delivered at its IT system, and enhanced its financial
client locations outside Malmö;
sustainability through greatly increased revenue(b) introduction of M.Sc. program in Interna- generation from WMU research and consultantional Transport and Logistics (ITL) delivered cy work.
in Shanghai;
The University has also further expanded its(c) introduction of M.Sc. program in linkages and alliances with higher education
Maritime Safety and Environmental Manage- institutions and associations around the world. It
ment (MSEM) delivered in Dalian;
was among the founders of the International(d) introduction of Postgraduate Diploma Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU),
Program in Marine Insurance by distance-learn- and it has played a leading role in IAMU as welling.
as other global organizations such as the International Maritime Lecturers’ Association (IMLA).
3. Introduction of doctoral programs:
Finally, all these changes at WMU have been(a) Ph.D. in International Maritime and underpinned by quality and its independent
Commercial Law, a joint degree with the external validation – that is, the systematic
University of Wales (Swansea).
raising of academic and other institutional(b) Ph.D. in Maritime Administration standards and their validation by an effective
focusing on the technical, legal or management system of both internal and external Quality
aspects of maritime administration.
Assurance (QA).
4. Significant increase in WMU research,
consultancy work and publications (including
establishment of bi-annual WMU Journal of
Maritime Affairs)
Among the current academic initiatives is also
the planned establishment of a maritime law
program at the Master’s level in collaboration
with Lund University in Sweden.
This program will be delivered at Lund
University starting in 2006/2007.
During the period 2000 – 2005 the University has also greatly strengthened its institutional
resource capacity through the establishment andWhere does WMU stand now?
Given all these changes and developments,
what has been the impact on WMU and its
service to the global maritime community? And
how is WMU currently being regarded by theinternational university milieu? What is its status
as a higher education institution?
First, the demand for study at WMU
continues to outstrip the University’s capacity:
over the last five years the number of applications for a place at WMU continued to holdsteady around 3 or 4:1. Total student enrollment
reached a high of over 600 students in 2005: 283
full-time students in the M.Sc. and Ph.D.
programs offered in Malmö, Shanghai andDalian, some 300 part-time students in shortcourses (PDCs) delivered largely at client
locations outside Malmö; and 25 students in the
new distance-learning Postgraduate Diploma
Program in Marine Insurance. Moreover, in2005 the University had the largest-ever income
from increased donor funding, revenue

Friends of WMU JAPAN2

generation by the University itself from research,
PDCs and consultancy work, and greatly
increased fellowship funding from the students’home countries, employers or themselves.
Indeed, over half of the 2005 entrants were
financed by the users – the students or theiremployers or countries. This is a remarkableprogress over previous years when user funding
ranged from 10 to 25 per cent of total fellowshipfunding. It can also be taken as an indicationthat “quality pays.”
The total academic output in terms ofresearch, consultancy work and academic publications has also increased considerably. As for thecurrent status of WMU as an HE institution, it
must be recognized that WMU is a comparatively small player in a relatively narrow andspecialized academic field. However, despite thelimitations of size and narrow intellectual scope,
reviews of WMU by leading university
education authorities such as the European
University Association (EUA) have concluded
that:
・the academic standards of WMU compare
well with good international university
standards;
・WMU has become a real university in termsof its academic program, academic standards,
and operating processes;
・the program of WMU is that of a genuine
graduate school with a comprehensive Masters,
Doctoral and research program;
・WMU has made considerable progress inenhancing its global role issuing from its international mandate and linkage with IMO.
The fundamental aim of the World
Maritime University remains making theacronym “WMU” an internationallyrecognized brand name for academic andprofessional excellence.
The progress to date indicates that the
University is on course to achieve this.

Karl Laubstein

President

January 2006

Life in Malmö
A New Amazing Landmark in Malmö
A new amazing landmark building in Malmö called “Turning Torso”
was officially finished in the late fall, 2005. Turning Torso is a 190 meter - high building, the highest building in Sweden, and is also
one of the highest spine-tingling residential and commercial towers
in Europe.
The building is the work of Mr. Santiago Calatrava, a well-known
Spanish architect, and is definitely one of his spectacular works,
located in the Western Harbour (This building can be easily seenfrom the World Maritime University).
The building consists of nine cubes with a total of 54 floors, with a
90 degree twist from base to top. According to Mr. Calatrava’s
official website, his work is basically inspired by animal and human
movements. And this unique shaped building is modeled after ahuman torso in a turning motion.
It was my first visit in Malmö in October 2005, and when I took alook at the building, I was deeply impressed with the funny shapeand height. It is truly an astonishing building. Turning Torso
mainly has rental apartments, and according to the HSB website,
there are 147. I really wanted to see the inside. Unfortunately, I
was not allowed to go into the building at that time. The privilege
was reserved for residents only; however, I was able to enjoy
walking around the building and its outskirts on a sunny day.
There are a number of gorgeous houses, cafés, shops, and paths
here and there in the Western Harbour. It is worthwhile to go
visit there for fun if you have a chance.
Shinichi Ichikawa
Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat

Four Seasons in Malmö
Mohd. Fairoz bin ROZALI(Malaysia, 2006)

O

ur lives in Malmö, Sweden revolve around the four seasons.
A life packed with interesting and bountiful experiences.
Therefore, it's up to the individual himself to manoeuvre his
vessel towards a common goal.

WINTER

Basically there are two
events which claim the interesto f m a n y s t u d e n t s . Th o s ecoming from warmer countries
fi n d t h a t t h e y c a n t r y i c eskating in Malmö. There are a few places you can find free ice
skating, such as Folkets Park or Raoul Wallenberg’s park. For
those who want to be part of a historic moment in Malmö,
Tuesday, the 8th of March, 2006, at 11:00 am the Swedish Prime
Minister, Göran Persson, will officiate the beginning of theconstruction of the city tunnel. He will be drilling the first hole

Friends of WMU JAPANin the ground in central Malmö. I
believe that WMU students shouldtake this wonderful opportunity to
be present at this very momentous
occasion.

SPRINGW hile enjoying the beautiful
panorama within Malmö, you can learn to scuba dive, which is ideal
to do in spring. Take a PADI (Professional Association of Diving
Instructors) Open Water Diver course, the most widely recognized
and respected diving certification in the world. Within a few days,
you can be enjoying the underwater world.
Not sure if a full-blown course is for you? Take a Discover Scuba
D i v i n g p r o g r a m a t a PA D I D i v eCenterorResortthroughw w w. d y k t e r m i n a l e n . s e a n dexperience what you're missing. So
what are you waiting for… Learn todive today!

3International
Maritime Information
Current news of the International Maritime Organization
The twenty-fourth regular session of the Assembly
The twenty-fourth regular session of the Assembly was held from November 21st to December 2nd at
the headquarters of IMO in London. During the session a number of issues were discussed and someresolutions were adopted as the outcomes of the deliberations.
The following list includes the specific items discussed and reflected in the resolutions.
・Adoption of amendments to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (A.972(24))
・IMO Member State Audit Scheme (A973 (24), A974 (24), A975 (24))
・Safety of Navigation (A.976(24), A.977(24), A.978(24))
・Piracy off the coast of Somalia (A.979(24))
・Ship recycling (A.980(24), A.981(24))

・Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs)( A.982(24))

・OPRC Convention 1990 and OPRC-HNS Protocol 2000 (A.983(24))

・Facilitation of the carriage of the IMDG Code Class 7 radioactive materials (A.984(24))
・Maritime security (A.985(24))

・Support for the United Nations Millennium Declaration (A.986(24))
・Fair treatment of seafarers (A.987(24))

・Protocol of 2002 to the Athens Convention (A.988(24))
・Wreck Removal Convention - Conference to be heldMore detailed information is available at the following IMO web-site:(http://www.imo.org/Newsroom/mainframe.asp?topic_id=144&doc_id=5342)“Ministerial Conference on International Transport Security” in Tokyo“M

inisterial Conference on International Transport Security”
was held by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure andTransport, Japan from January 11 to 13, 2006 in Tokyo. The
conference discussed the following three topics: (1) Maritime
security (2) Aviation security (3) Land transport security, under themain theme of enhancing transport security while realizing smoothand efficient transportation. A total of approximately 220 participants from the countries of Australia, Canada, China, France,
Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia,
Russian Federation, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and theUnited States of America were at the conference, as well as theorganizations of the European Commission (EC), the International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime
Organization (IMO), and the World Customs Organization(WCO). The Ministers responsible for transport security from major

Friends of WMU JAPANcountries exchanged views and information for enhancing transport
security and discussed issues that should be addressed in a coordinated, cooperative manner. As a result, the Ministers were unanimousin their desire to send a strong message to the world of their commitment to assure security in transportation through cooperation
among countries, capacity building assistance, and endorsement of
the initiatives of relevant international institutions. Also, since avian
influenza and transport security are similar in their need for
emergency response, Ministers agreed to endeavor to minimize any
negative impact on transport systems arising from such diseases.
(Mr. E.E. Mitropoulos, the Secretary-General of IMO, came to
Japan to attend the conference and visited Mr. Sasakawa on January
13 in order to have a broad exchange of views on various maritime
problems.)

4

Alumni News

Beach field trip (2005)

D

The Technical Sideof the Maritime Industry

uring my studies at WMU, one of the lectures for the Port Management specialization was “Port Infrastructure and Long Term Planning”. For a
civil engineer like me, this was a very interesting subject, so I decided to talkto the lecturer, Mr. Ronald de Heer, a visiting professor from UNESCO-IHE
Institute for Water Education, who suggested that I study at his instituteafter my studies in Sweden. To complement my knowledge of port management acquired at WMU with the technical aspects of ports and coasts offered
an interesting opportunity, and I decided to take it.
UNESCO-IHE is an institute specializing in hydraulic and environmental
engineering. It is located in Delft (Holland), a city known for a high level oftechnical education, represented by the Technical University TU-Delft, and
UNESCO-IHE, which has strong links with the university. Similar to WMU,UNESCO-IHE is an international organization, part of the UN educational
system, and most of the students come from countries from all over the world.
The course I am following is a M.Sc. in Coastal Engineering and Port
Development, which includes the study of the physical phenomena of the sea
and the coast, in particular coastal morphology, as well as the planning,
design and construction of ports and harbours. Topics like ocean waves, tides,
sediment transport, remote sensing and GIS, port design and coastal
infrastructure (e.g. dikes, groins, breakwaters, berths and access channels),
dredging and land reclamation, coastal zone management, and environmental
impact assessment are taught in detail during the course.
It is quite interesting to learn all these aspects of the maritime field thathave a vital role in the development of maritime industry. For instance, in theconstruction of a port more than 60% of the investments are related todredging and coastal protection; therefore the proper site-selection andlocation of a port, and detailed studies of the physical conditions (waves,wind, sediment transport, soil characteristics, etc.) are extremely important
for a port manager in order to decide how and where to invest in port
infrastructure. Certainly, terminal construction and equipment selection must
be considered as well.
Furthermore, the impact of ports in the coastal morphology is also important; there are many examples in the world where port breakwaters haveinterrupted the sediment transport balance generating erosion down-drift,
which can affect beaches and constructions near the coast. In this respect, mythesis topic is “Analysis of the Erosion/Accretion Process in Puerto Chiapas,
Mexico”, in which I am modelling the effect of the port on the coast, and thealternatives to solve erosion down-drift and sedimentation in the accesschannel. For this I am using specialized software called Delft-3D, developed
by Delft Hydraulics.
Undoubtedly, after my studies at WMU and UNESCO-IHE, I feel well
prepared and very motivated to apply my knowledge to the development of
the maritime field in my country and globally, because as we all well know,
the sea has no borders, and we all should contribute to the improvement ofwhat we work for: ports, ships, trade, water... the ocean.

By Fernando Bustamante(Mexico, 2004)

Breakwater construction units (2005)

Mr. Bustamante and his wife, Mrs. Claudia Gonzalez, taken in
front of Delft City Hall, Netherlands.

Friends of WMU JAPAN

5

M
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These items have spread all over the world!
At the WMU Graduation Ceremony in 2005, we had the pleasureof meeting Mr. Eisuko Kudo, when we were asked for a contribution
to this newsletter about what it is like to be a host family.
We have been hosts for ten years now, and our students have comefrom many countries, some of them sponsored by the Ship and Ocean
Foundation of Japan. Life as a WMU student is ver y busy : theschedule is tight and your spare time is limited. Host families areaware of that and do not want to interfere with their students’ studies.
But they do take time to meet us. Jonny and I usually invite them toour home. We talk about Swedish traditions and offer them Swedish
food to eat. Sometimes we take outings by car into the countrysidearound Malmö. When WMU organises activities, we always try toparticipate.
On their part, the students give us a lot in return. They invite us toshare meals with them, give us gifts and talk about their culture andeveryday life in their countries.
Being a host family has given us the possibility to increase ourunderstanding of different cultures. It is also a great honour andpleasure to realise that “the world is a family and all humankind arebrothers and sisters.”

Reflections from a Host Family

Anna Kuylenstierna

From left: Mr. Song (China
2006), Mr. Ekdahl, Ms.
Kuylenstierna, and Mr.
Sun (China 2005)

We – Anna Kuylenstierna and Jonny Ekdahl – are a host family for
WMU students in Malmö, Sweden.
Here is a little about our background: while I am a former primaryschool teacher, Jonny has had a maritime career. He started as a cadet
on a Swedish training sailing ship to the islands of the West Indies in
1954-55. He completed his military service with the Swedish navy,
mainly in the submarine division. He was later employed by the
Swedish shipbuilding yard “Kockums” in Malmö. His hobby for many
years has been the seaman’s craft of making items out of wood andhemp rope, such as pencil holders, candlesticks and seaman’s puzzles.

Remediation Work in Canada

contaminants to eliminate or reduce health and ecological hazards. My
job as a remediation facilitator basically entails assessing sites withenvironmental impacts, deciding the best way to remediate, and project
managing the remediation.
You might say that my current job as a remediation facilitator is far
from my previous job with the maritime profession. In a sense it is trueand false. I’m more involved now with trucks and household heating
fuel than with ships and ports. However, water still plays a vital factor in
my current job. The presence of ground or surface water potentiallydirects the way a site needs to be remediated. This is where a marine
environmental training comes in handy. Water is water, be it an ocean,
pond or underground water, and needs to be protected to remain at a
certain level of quality.
In Canada, environmental protection plays a very important rolecompared to some places I’ve been to. Canada’s soil and water quality
criteria may be more stringent, but the general objective of protectingt h e e n v i r o n m e n t i s t h e s a m e a n y w h e r e . I ’m g l a d I r e c e i v e denvironmental training from WMU, and I’m doing my part in making
the world a safer and cleaner place to live in.

Ben Selirio(Philippines 1998)

I recently immigrated to Canada and landed a job as a remediation
facilitator for a company called Environmental Solutions Remediation
Services (ESRS). Our company grew from the insurance industry andfrom the need to reduce or remove environmental liability from
accidents. The sites we go to are varied: It could be a ditch contaminatedwith diesel fuel from a truck accident or a house with leaking heating
fuel.
S ite remediation invol ves removing, reducing or managing

HNS Meeting in Yokohama

and an Example of Emergency Response to HNS Accidents. I am also
grateful for the opportunity to meet with and talk to experts from Australia,
Japan, Korea, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, and to exchange
information and views regarding emergency response to HNS incidents andaccidents in order to further improve our practical response measures, humanresources and to solve the problems we are facing at present. An interesting
technical tour was arranged for us to the Maritime Disaster Prevention
Center (MDPC) and the Tokyo Wan Traffic Advisory Service Center on
January 26th.
I have learnt a great deal from the above-mentioned experts’ presentations,discussions and exchanges during important meetings for further improving
our emergency response, measures and actions to HNS accidents and reducing
the damage to a minimum.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to Mr. Kudo
and his colleague Mr. Ichikawa and some WMU students from Japan for verykindly talking with me at the meeting (reception).

Xu Cuiming(China 1996)

From left: Mr. Shimizu,
Ms. Suzuki, Ms. Xu, Mr.
Nakazono, and Mr. Saito

First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Japan Coast
Guard and Ocean Policy Research Foundation (OPRF) for inviting me toattend the Expert Meeting on Preparedness and Response to Pollution
Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), which was held on
January 25-26, 2006 in Yokohama, Japan, and to give the presentation on
China’s Strategy and Resources for Emergency Response to HNS Accidents

Friends of WMU JAPAN6

An OPRF Staff Member Visits Malawi
The 55-year-old M/V “Ilala” on Lake Malawi

Mr. Saeki cherished each other’s memories of their great Professor.
D uring Mr. Saeki's stay in Malawi, he had a chance to meet
another WMU graduate (Class of 2001), Capt. Jones Kazembe, Vice
Principal of the Marine Training College (MTC) in Monkey Bay on
Lake Malawi. Capt. Kazembe works actively on seafarers training in
Malawi. MTC has produced a total of 196 graduates.
Though Malawi is a landlocked country, its maritime industries areactive due to Lake Malawi (22,490km 2 ), the third largest lake in
Africa. Malawi has produced twenty-one WMU graduates so far.
Through the trip to Malawi, Mr. Saeki reaffirmed the significant
contribution of WMU to the maritime fields of the world. The WMUgraduates are playing active roles in the maritime fields from studyingat WMU.

Mr. Msowoya (left)
and Mr. Saeki (right)

Mr. Seiji Saeki of OPRF (one of the Secretariat members of "Friendsof WMU, Japan") visited the Republic of Malawi in Southern Africa
in November, 2005. The purpose of his visit was to investigate thecurrent situation of vessels, shipbuilding facilities, and ship repairing
facilities in African countries as a part of OPRF research activities.
Mr. Saeki met Mr. A. D. B. Msowoya, Director of Marine Services(Ministry of Transport and Public Works) in order to ask for hiscooperation on Mr. Saeki's research work in Malawi. Mr. Msowoya is
one of the first graduates of the WMU Class of 1985 and was the firststudent of Prof. Kensaku Nomoto at WMU. Coincidentally, Prof.
Nomoto was also Mr. Saeki’s professor at Osaka University before histransfer to WMU in 1983. What a small world! Mr. Msowoya andEmi Senuma,
Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat

WMU-Sasakawa Fellows’
and Graduates’ Reunion in Manila
from Japan, along with Mr. Vo
D u y Th a n g ( 2 0 0 1 ) , a s aVietnamese delegate. Dr. Takeshi
Nakazawa (Professor of WMU)
a n d M r . S h u i c h i Te r a m a e(Counselor of OPRF) also
participated in the meeting.
After the seminar, Mr. Rolando
L. N. Punzalan, Jr. (2002), Mr.
Rogello Estrada Villanueva Jr.
(2004), Mr. Alla Victor Tamayo
Dela Vega (2004), Mr. Joeven
Libreja Fabul (2004) and Ms.
Lydia Sinangote Pacheco (2004)
Message to Mr. Sasakawa
enjoyed a delicious meal and anice view of Manila Bay with us.
In the open seminar and the reception on Dec. 7, we had a chance to see
Ms. Presca Lee B. Lugo (2002, Ms. Jabeth S. J. Aleman Dacanay (2003),
Ms. Jean V. Pugal Pia (2003), Mr. Joselito F. Dela Cruz (2003), Mr. Jerry
A. Nibre (2003) and Ms. Lydia Sinangote Pacheco (2004).
Finally, we had a Sasakawa fellows meeting at the Manila DiamondHotel and mailed our greetings and photos to Mr. Yohei Sasakawa,
Chairman of the "Friends of WMU, Japan.
Thank you everyone. “Mabuhai!”

Tom Okamura(Japan 2002)

The seminar on Developing Manpower and Human Resources for
Seafarers in Asia hosted by Ministr y of Land, Infrastructure of
Tr a n s p o r t o f J a p a n w a s h e l d D e c e m b e r 6 - 7 , 2 0 0 5 i n M a n i l a ,Philippines. This seminar was financially supported by Ocean Policy
Research Foundation. The participants from Indonesia, Japan,
Philippines and Vietnam discussed related topics and adopted asummary record.
On this occasion, Mr. Naoki Saito (2004) and I attended the seminar

Friends of WMU JAPAN7

A Year-end Party in Tokyo

Friends of WMU, Japan Chapter held a year-end party in Tokyo on December 28, 2005, welcoming two newcomers who are enrolling at WMU in theclass of 2007. Japan started to send Japanese students to WMU in 2001 and
10 in total have studied at WMU up until last year. With guests from oursponsor OPRF, Mr. Kudo, Mr. Ichikawa, and Mr. Sakai (who is also joining
the ESSP course in the class of 2007), we sat at the same table eating
delicious Vietnamese cuisine together, renewed our friendships, and recalled
memories of WMU days.
From front right, Mr. Kudo (OPRF), Mr. Emi (2007), Mr. Matsui (2007), Mr. Nakazono(2005), Ms. Yakabe (2004), Mr. Sakai (OPRF), Mr. Okamura (Big Tom: 2002), Mr.
Shimizu (2004), Mr. Saito (2004), Ms. Suzuki (2003).

The Fifteenth Meeting of The Port State Control Committee
in The ASIA-PACIFIC REGION (Tokyo MOU)
Naoto Nakagawa

Th e fi f t e e n t h m e e t i n g o f t h e Po r t S t a t e C o n t r o lCommittee in the Asia-Pacific region was held in
Bangkok, Thailand, from November 7 to 10, 2005. The
meeting was organized by the Marine Department of
Ministry of Transport and Communications, Thailand.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of themember Authorities, observers and the Secretariats of the
IMO, the Black Sea MOU, the Indian Ocean MOU andthe Paris MOU.
Some alumni of WMU, including Sasakawa Fellows
and the editor of the newsletter, participated in themeeting. It was the last meeting for Mr. Sasamura who
lectured at WMU several years ago to participate as the
Secretariat of the Tokyo MOU.

Information from the Secretariat
The International Association of Maritime Universities’ (IAMU) 6th
Annual General Assembly was held at World Maritime University in
Malmö, Sweden on October 24-26, 2005. One of our WMU Sasakawa
Fellows, Mr. Nabil Anwari (Morocco, 2005) presented his thesis at theAssembly, “The Doctrine of seaworthiness in the context of the ISPS

Editor’s Postscript

It was an honor for me to have worked on the WMU newsletter. I
have been a member of the editorial board of the newsletter for two
years, and in particular I have been reporting IMO meetings. For me
this is the last opportunity to write something for the newsletter. My
greatest pleasure was that it allowed me to meet many alumni of
WMU. I was very impressed that so many alumni are participating in
IMO and other maritime related meetings, including their excellent
contribution to the discussions. Actually, I remember some of them as
tough negotiators during IMO meetings. I felt their high degree ofprofessionalism, their logical way of thinking and rich knowledge ofCode and the relevant amendments to SOLAS 1974”. Therefore, theFriends of WMU, Japan Secretariat has decided to post his excellent
thesis on the website, “Friends of WMU, Japan” (http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp/). If you have a chance, please take a look at his outstanding work.

the maritime sector, and I believe this common professional spirit
among alumni of WMU can be called ‘WMU spirit’. I respected thisand I enjoyed doing business with them. I wish that I can work withthem in the future. Thank you very much, readers and I hope myreports were useful to all of you.