73
December
2020

An Online Congratulations and Welcome

Ms. Lyndell Lundahl
Assistant Registrar

2020 Sasakawa Fellows Ceremony
2020 has been an extraordinary year in so many
ways. The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged us
to find solutions to new problems and to find new
ways of carrying out long-established traditions.
Such was the case this year with the Sasakawa
Fellows Awards Ceremony and the traditional
Orientation Gathering in 2020.
The annual Sasakawa Fellows Awards
Ceremony was held on 28 September for students
in the Class of 2020 whose fellowships are fundedby The Nippon Foundation. With the 27 Fellows
in the Class of 2020, the total number of Sasakawa
Fellows now stands at 660 from more than 70
countries. A record number of 31 students in theClass of 2021 are funded by the Foundation as
Sasakawa Fellowship Students.
In a normal year, the Sasakawa fellows’Awards Ceremony is a highlight of the year, heldon graduation weekend. Sadly, in 2020, it was
impossible for the students in the Class of 2020
to undertake their traditional field study visit toJapan in May, and also impossible for the officialsof the Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa
Peace Foundation to come to Malmö for theAwards Ceremony.
The ceremony was therefore held online, andDr Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon
Foundation, and members of the Sasakawa Peace
Foundation that administers the fellowship
programme, joined the ceremony remotely fromJapan. The students and WMU faculty and staff
gathered in the WMU Sasakawa Auditorium.
Many students were extremely excited and alittle nervous to be meeting Dr Sasakawa andsenior members of The Nippon Foundation andPeace Foundation staff for the first time. Tension
gathered as some technological problems weresolved, and then we were away!

Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, WMU
President, addressed the gathering and thanked
The Nippon Foundation for their continued
support to the University which has been ongoingsince 1987. She stated that “the Class of 2020
will go down in the history of the University,
as a group of splendid individuals, who have allshown reserves of resilience, bravery, commitment
and tenacity”. She referred to the honour the
students have of being Sasakawa Fellows and the
expectations it entails.
Dr Sasakawa congratulated the students,emphasizing the important role they will play
as members of the Sasakawa Fellows’ Network,
working together across sectors, professions,race and national borders. He encouraged themto use the knowledge and experience they havegained at WMU to unlock the new potentialof the ocean saying, “The mission that you aretasked with, as maritime experts, is immense. Let
us work together to put all our efforts in solving
the numerous issues of the ocean on hand.” The
graduating students were then delighted to havethe opportunity of each greeting Dr Sasakawa
and many took the chance tothank him personally for the
chance to study at WMU.
The WMU Sasakawa
Fellows Programme provides
a global network to enable
the Fellows to support theircountriesinaddressing
maritime policy challenges
and to develop excellence inleadership as well as promoteinternational cooperation. “Share the Pain. Sharethe Hope. Share the Future,” reflects The Nippon
Foundation’s mission of social innovation toachieve a society where people support one
another.
Following the audience with Dr Sasakawa,
President Doumbia-Henry congratulated each
Fellow and handed them their certificates sent by
the Peace Foundati

Orientation Gathering for Class 2021
The meeting then took on the form of themuch-appreciated Orientation Gathering. Firstly,
the students were addressed by Mr Eisuke Kudo,
Advisor for the Sasakawa Peace Foundation(SPF) and WMU Governor, and Mr Takeshi
Mizunari, Research Fellow, Ocean Education
Division, Policy Research Department of SPF.
Mr Kudo emphasized the importance of making
connections with other Sasakawa Fellows, while at
WMU, and beyond, to advance the global network.
The meeting concluded with Fellows in theClass of 2020 representing the seven specializationsof the MSc in Maritime Affairs welcoming
the incoming Sasakawa Fellowship Students,
some of whom were in attendance personally,
with others joining via video conferencing. The
students discussed the practical means of staying
in touch with their Sasakawa colleagues after theirgraduation and were pleased to identify a numberof ways in which modern social media channels
enabled close cooperation.
One world, one family. Graduation marks
the beginning of a new phase in the Sasakawa
relationship.

Noelia SANCHEZ

Argentina
MSEA

Aditya PRATAP SINGH

Officer, International Affairs, Argentine Coast Guard

Commandant ( Jg)/ General Duty Officer, Indian Coast Guard

Studying at the WMU is a unique opportunity to improve the international relationships across the world and achieve the best training
education. The idea to establish a new friendship overseas and increase
the networking is a privilege. My desire is help and develop the international maritime skills in my country

It is my singular honour to be associated with Sasakawa Foundationand WMU, and indeed I shall be working to maximise my knowledge
in the maritime field. These lifelong experiences will be devoted to sustainable maritime goals.

India
MSEA

Chandara YEM

Budi SANTOSO

Officer, International Cooperation
Center of Partnerhsip Facilitation and International Organization, Secretariat General
Ministry of Transportation

Technical Officer

Cambodia
OSGM

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to thank you for offering
the Sasakawa Fellowship Award. I strongly believe that this opportunity will allow me to expand and strengthen my existing knowledge
which will eventually contribute to my professional career and the development of my organization after returning to Cambodia.

Indonesia
MLP

Ronald GONZALES NIEVES

Sedigheh ZAREIHead of Investment Department, Investment Department
Kish Investment and Development Company Belong to Kish Free Zone
Organization

Lieutenant, Colombian Navy, Colombian Navy

14 months is just the beginning of a journey that we start in this ship
(WMU) driven by the locomotive force of a dream, which transits ona channel made to succeed (SPF).
Cambodia
OSGM

Iran
MLP

Djaiblond Dominique-Yohann KOUAKOU

Yuki ICHIMURAAs a WMU Sasakawa Fellowship, I measured the great opportunities
offered to me. I am committed to give the best version of myself in
learning but more important applying the knowledge given by thisworld class university. It is only when we are together that we will bestronger.

Japan
MSEA

Alumita SEKINAIRAI

Officer, Training and Education Dep., Japan Coast Guard

My main goal is to reflect on what I learn from this renowned university (WMU) on the management, sustainability and governance ofthe ocean to my beloved country, Fiji. As it is a developing country, I
am honored to be awarded with a scholarship from Sasakawa Peace
Foundation in order to learn and grasp as much as I can on the issues
about the ocean.

Japan
MLP

Synclesia Wenia PWATIRAH

Ayumi SATO

Being a Sasakawa Fellow in WMU is a great opportunity given to me.
I will return to my home country with a wealth of knowledge to contribute my quota to the continuous development of Ghana’s maritime
sector and the world at large. Thank you, Dr Sasakawa.

Japan
MET

Joaquín JUÁREZ

Guatemala
MLP

I am very honored and grateful for the scholarship offered by the
Sasakawa Peace Foundation. I would like to treasure this fellowshipconnection and I constantly strive for maritime education in mycountry and around the world.

Garpuh Garvoie KARDOH

Navy Officer, General Directorate of Maritime Affaris
Maritime Authority - Ministry of Defense

Head of Transshipment Monitoring
Safety, Inspection, Survey and Audit, Liberia Maritime Authority

After complete the MSc program in maritime affairs at WMU, I wantto contribute my experience and knowledge in the development of the
Guatemalan Maritime Administration with the implementation ofinternational maritime Instruments. Thank you to the Sasakawa Peace
Foundation for this excellent opportunity.

The Sasakawa Fellowship Foundation has given me admiration for
its existence to promote peace and exchange of information between
countries worldwide. I’m grateful for the opportunity, I will retune
home and employ knowledge acquired from WMU to coordinate
manage and improve the state of the transshipment sector in mycountry.

Liberia
SML

Satish KAMATH

Khaing Zar Zar HTUN

Engineer and Ship Surveyor cum Deputy Director General (Tech).
Engineering Wing, Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai, India

India
MSEA

I am very honored to be a member of the Sasakawa Fellowship. Since
WMU is a prominent platform in tackling global issues, I am surethat partnership and collaboration through this fellowship are playing significant roles in the ocean field.

Associate Professor
International Affairs Division, Knowledge Capital Department
Japan Agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers

Training Officer, Basic and Leadership Training School, Ghana Navy

Ghana
MLP

I am honored to be a member of the prestigious WMU Sasakawa
Fellows. I would like to enhance my specialty especially maritime
safety and marine environmental protection at WMU, and further
contribute to the international maritime society in the future.

Junya OTANIShipping Registration Officer , Qualifications & Licensing ,Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji

Fiji
OSGM

WMU’s contribution SDGs goals and also its aim to empowering women in the maritime affairs, and lack of female maritime experts in Iran
has encouraged me to take part in master program of WMU. but without SPF support it was impossible. Giving people of developing country
the chance of education is most practical way to better future for ourworld, peace and environment.
Technical Official, Maritime Bureau
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Commanding Officer, Patrol Vessel “Atchan 2”,Cote D’ivoire Navy

Cote D’Ivoire
MSEA

Thank you Sasakawa Peace Foundation for giving me the opportunity
to pursue my dream to study at WMU. I am very happy to be the partof Sasakawa’s network, and I will also be motivated to support andwiden the Sasakawa Fellows’ network after my graduation

Administrative Officer, Department of Marine Administration
Ministry of Transport and Communication

I will make best use of this opportunity given to me by the Sasakawa
Peace Foundation. I will contribute in a positive way and surely drive
the change in my organisation after completing this education at
WMU.I shall devote my time to work for cleaner oceans and sustainable shipping.

MyanmarSML

2Studying at WMU gives me a great opportunity to gain knowledge andexperience about maritime industry. Moreover, it can give me a chance
to have international friends working in maritime fields. After graduation from WMU, I will apply my knowledge by contributing not only
maritime capacity building to my own country but also international
collaboration in maritime affairs.

2021
Yakubu ABUBAKAR

Kwilasa Lushanga NG’WIGULU

Environmental Management Officer
Directorate Of Environmental And Social Impact Assessment (DESIA)
National Environment Management Council (NEMC)

Staff Development Officer I
Transport School, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology

Nigeria
OSGM

To be an ocean and maritme leader and solution provider in the maritime and ocean governance through capacity develpment to contribute
my quota in achieving the UN 2030 goals 14 and 13 by training andretraining of personnel in the ocean and maritime industry.

Tanzania
OSGM

Chris PILARA

Gabriel Chukwuemeka CHIKELU
Senior Legal Counsel
Piracy & Law Enforcement, Federal Ministry of Justice

Nigeria
MLP

I pledge to be of good conduct at all times during my stay in WMU
and after graduation. I will be a good ambassador of the foundationand pursue enthusiastically the expansion of the already existing
WMU Sasakawa Fellow’s network in Africa.

Technical Officer
Business Research & Development, Planning Division
Laem Chabang Port, The Port Authority of Thailand

ThailandPM

Sr. Maritime Industry Development Specialist (MIDS)
STCW Office, Monitoring Division
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)

Beyond grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity to join the
WMU, this will never be in vain. It is my resolute will to contributethe best way possible to the maritime industry in a way that will impact internationally especially in the field of training and education.

Quality Management Responsible & Maritime Training Support Specialist
Department of Maritime Protection
National Directorate of Maritime Transport

Timor-Leste
MSEA

Aymen ABDAOUI

Through the years, your contribution to humanity has been unprecedented. You changed people’s lives, including mine. I will forever be
grateful to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for this rare opportunity.
In any way, I will take part and involve in all programs by the SPF andhelp other Sasakawa Fellows.

As holder of chief engineer officer 1st class and the national diploma ofstate engineer in energy and machine, I’m experienced in management,
operation and maintenance onboard different ships(passengers, ro-ro ,cargo..). My ambition when achieving MEM master to specialize in theenergy management field.

Chief Engineer
Maintenance Departement, Tunisian Navigation Company “CTN”

Tunisia
MEM

Mahmoud Papa CONTEH

Bibian TURYAHUMURA

Wth this life changing opportunity accorded me by the Sasakawa
Peace Fellowship, I resolve to do my utmost best to transform my
dream into reality for the benefit of not only my family and institution, but to the Sasakawa Fellowship as well. This will no doubt enable
me to give back to society.

I am so grateful and profoundly honored to Sasakawa Peace Foundation
and Nippon foundation for giving me a chance to hone my skills and do
my masters in maritime affairs with Maritime Energy Management as
my specialization. I will gain knowledge in this field of energy efficiencyof ships and apply it back in my country which will help to contribute
positively to the maritime environment.

Maritime Information Technology Officer
Maritime Department, Ministry Of Works and Transport

Major, Law Enforcement Officer, Ministry Of Defence

Sierra Leone
MLP

UgandaMEM

Maria Mercedes AREVALO ARANAGA

Sayakkara Mesthrilage Dinishiya ATHUKORALA

Director of Formulation, Monitoring and Control of Climate Policies
Venezuelan National Direction of Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change.
Ministry of Ecosocialism

Assistant Marine Environment Officer
Planning Division, Marine Environment Protection Authority

Sri Lanka
OSGM

WMU is the premier centre where global maritime leaders are made.
Being a Sasakawa Fellow I am honored to be there and it is a great
turning point in my life ever. This will do strengthen my career life
academically, professionally with a rich socio-cultural background.

Venezuela
OSGM

Climate change governance is key for implementing projects of both mitigation and adaptation, for this reason, I would like to gain knowledge andskills to lead my country into a sustainable development process based onprinciples of participation, accountability, transparency and equity. I feelhonored for receiving this unique and great scholarship from Sasakawa
Peace Foundation.

Ishara Gihan DHARMASIRI

Tien Hoang NGUYEN

I am much honoured and privileged to receive the fellowship from theSasasakawa Peace Foundation and this is the golden opportunity forme to learn about maritime affairs which I will be able to contributeto the improvement of maritime field in Sri Lanka.

As members of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, we should cooperatecomprehensively to jointly develop the maritime industry of countries
in particular and the world in general.

Commander
Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Sri Lanka Coast Guard

Sri Lanka
MSEA

It’s an honor for me to be part of the Sasakawa fellowship, and to study
at WMU is the biggest dream I have ever had. Upon my graduation,
I will return to Timor-Leste and contribute to the development of
the maritime sectore, especially the protection of marine biodiversity.

Garry LAYNESA

Commander
Department of Transportation (DOTr), Philippine Coast Guard

Philippines
OSGM

In this strange time half govern by the pandemic, I will do what’s in mypower to learn and become more proficient in the fields of maritime
affair and to become a better person.

Domingos XIMENESNUNES

Dana Justine DELACRUZ

Philippines
MET

Thank you Mr. Sasakawa for this opportunity. The knowledge andskills on maritime and affairs from WMU will help my country tomeet the national demands through sustainable marine management.
Also, as WMU graduate I will be a live member of the Sasakawa Fellows’ network in advocating maritime issues worldwide.

Financial Specialist
Financial Department, Vietnam Maritime Administration

MET (Maritime Education & Training)
MEM (Maritime Energy Management)
MLP (Maritime Law & Policy)
MSEA (Maritime Safety & Environmental Administration)

Vietnam
MLP

OSGM (Ocean Sustainability, Governance & Management)
PM(Port Management)
SML (Shipping Management & Logistics)3

A Look into Shipping’s Future
Mr. Adam Corbett

London Correspondent
TradeWinds

Over the past 30 years the shipping industry has
been one of the main drivers behind globalisationof the world economy.
Low cost seaborne transportation has been
critical to the trans-boundry movement of energy,
raw materials and finished goods, amounting tomore than 11bn tons annually, according to figure
from the United Nations Conference on Tradeand Development.
It has allowed global production systems todevelop and for international free trade to prosper.
But the environmental, technological, socialand political developments are bringing changeon the shipping industry. And now the current
coronavirus pandemic is another factor which are
now shaping its future.

New fuels to power shipping

emissions by 2050.
Shipbroker Clarksons recently estimated thatthe shipping industry will require around $1 trillion
in investment in alternative fuel ships for the IMO
target to be achieved.
A study by classification society DNV GL
estimates that carbon-neutral fuels will account for
60% of shipping’s energy needs by 2050.
DNV GL believes a mixture of radical new
alternative fuels will be used in shipping at thattime incaluding bio-based LNG as well as biomarine gas oil.

Crew numbers will reduce as automation
progresses

The cost of employing seafarers is increasing.
The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006
has established global minimum labour standards
for seafarers.
As part of the agreement seafarers are
required work under approved wage agreements
and have defined welfare benefits in place.
Some developed economies are now applying
national minimum wage standards to foreignseafarers employed in their Exclusive Economic
Zones.
The coronavirus pandemic has also increased
concern over seafarer’s wellbeing. An estimated400,000 seafarers have not been able to returnhome after completing their contracted term ofservice because of quarantine and travel restrictions.
The trend toward automation in the shipping
business is already underway. The pandemic has
also accelerated the use of remote services toshipping such as ship survey work.
More than half the world fleet is alreadyequipped with high speed internet connection.
This is increasing the number of shipping
operations monitored and controlled from shore
and paving the way for future ship automation
and reduce crew numbers.

The shipping industry is the most efficient
form of transportation. The emergence of ultra
large containerships over 20,000-teu in cargocapacity, and very large ore carriers of 400,000dwt, have taken its economies of scale to a newlevel in the last decade.
The industry’s remarkable cost efficiency
is partly reliant on burning the cheapest fuel,residual heavy fuel oil.
But the use of marine fuel oil is now going
through a revolutionary change. The Marpol
Convention now requires that ships must burnfuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5% ortake equivalent abatement measures.
It is the first step in moving the industry awayfrom high-polluting residual fuel oil and towardcleaner more refined fuels.
The latest ultra large cruiseships andcontainerships, such as the 23,000-teu CMA
CGM Jacques Saade (built 2020) delivered thisyear, are dual-fueled to run on either heavy fueloil or cleaner LNG. Around 10% of the worldorderbook are dual fuel vessels which can run on
LNG or conventional fuel oil.
The International Maritime Organization Shipping trades will also change
has set a goal to halve shipping’s carbon
The challenge to reduce global warming andefforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement
on Climate Change will play a huge part inshaping the shipping markets of the future.
DNV GL’s recent energy study estimates that
seaborne trade will continue to grow to 2030. But
the international moves to curb global warming,and the use of fossil fuels, will see oil and coalseaborne transportation peak around that time
before going into slow decline. Cleaner energy
supplies such as LNG will continue to grow until
2050 before that too goes into decline DNV GL
estimates.
More than two thirds of electrical power
generation will be from wind and alternative
renewable energy sources by 2050, the study
estimates, dramatically reducing demand for
traditional energy transportation.
The accelerating trend toward globalisation
could also go into reverse impacting the shipping
markets. The protectionist policies of the US
President Trump administration in the UnitedStates, and the departure of the United Kingdom
from the European Union, are two recent
examples of a move away from international free
trade agreements.
The next decade will show if a political trend
toward more protectionist policies continues.
Recent impact of the coronavirus pandemic
has also raised questions on whether the global
production systems are sustainable.
Car plants and other manufacturing industries
around the world have been forced into closure
because of difficulties in sourcing component
parts from a global network of suppliers during
the pandemic.
Many countries were unable to secure
personnel protective equipment (PPE) for nurses
and doctors because of an over reliance on global
outsourcing by developed economies.
Technology such as digital printing is alsochanging the way production is being viewed andmaking it more possible to produce goods closer
to market.
December 2020

Growth of world seaborne trade(Source: UNCTAD)(Billions of tons)

4System of International Regulations Pertaining to
the Transport of Dangerous Goods
Mr. Takashi HAMADA

UN Recommendations(Orange Book & Purple Book)

Manager, Research Team
Safety & Technology Division
Nippon Kaiji Kentei Kyokai (NKKK)Introduction
How are dangerous goods such as gases andflammable liquids safely transported by sea? Largevolume cargo is usually transported by ships in bulk,
but the majority of dangerous goods are transported
in packaged form and packed in containers. The
transport of dangerous goods by sea is regulated
under chapter VII of the SOLAS Convention, andthe importance of this convention is increasing evenfurther due to growing safety awareness and a spiritof compliance.
I worked for the IMO for five years. Among
my various duties during this time, in relation todangerous goods I performed work involving the
IBC Code. Later, after returning to Japan and
NKKK in 2001, I became involved in work on
cargo-related issues, and I currently serve as theexpert nominated by the Japanese Government for
the United Nations’ Sub-Committee of Expertson the Transport of Dangerous Goods; and forthe IMO’s Sub-Committee on the Carriage ofCargoes and Containers (CCC) as an expert in thisfield. Here I would like to provide an overview ofinternational regulation regarding the transport ofdangerous goods.
1. Regulations Commonly applicable to
all Modes of Transport“Dangerous goods” are generally defined as
goods that can easily cause fires or explosions andpotentially cause damage to the health, safety,
or property of individual persons or to public
property. However, this definition is extremelyvague, and it is possible for a chemical product to beclassified as “dangerous goods” by some countries,
thereby placing restrictions on its handling, and“not dangerous goods” by other countries, thereby
allowing its unrestricted transport. Furthermore,
substances that pose no problems for land transport
may in some cases be classified as “dangerous goods”
for maritime transport. In this way, the vagueness ofthe definition of “dangerous goods” causes confusion
for international and multimodal transport.
Consequently, there has been a need tominimize disparities between transport regulations
for dangerous goods among countries/regions
as well as transport modes (land/sea/air) andformulate internationally balanced transportconditions, leading to the formulation of the“Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous
Goods (UN Recommendations)”.
Because the “UN Recommendations” regulates
transport conditions related to the transport ofdangerous goods that are common across all modesof transport (methods for testing and categorizing
dangerous goods, containers, packaging, labelling,
preparation of transport documents, etc.) and are
structured so that individual countries are able toimplement the regulations as-is, they also havesubheadings referred to as “Model Regulations”.
Furthermore, because the cover of the book-formof the regulations is orange, they are also referred by
the nickname “Orange Book”.
Reviewed regularly the “Model Regulations”
are revised once every two years; the 21st Revised
Edition, which includes the set of amendmentsthat were adopted in December 2018, is the latest
version.
2. International Regulations for the Transport ofDangerous Goods by Sea: IMDG CodeThe predicted accidents and dangers upon whichsafety regulations are premised differ according to
the transport mode. Accordingly, international
regulatory organizations for each mode of transport(land/sea/air) formulate their own codes that are
based on the “Model Regulations” and incorporate
conditions specific to the relevant transport mode.
With regard to maritime transport, the relevant
code, as I am sure you all know, is the “International
Maritime Dangerous Goods Code” (IMDG Code).
This Code incorporates transport methods thattake into account conditions specific to maritime
transport. In accordance with the provisions of the
SOLAS Convention, contracting governments are
required to enact safety regulations in compliancewith the IMDG Code.
Revision of the IMDG Code takes places

every second year to coincide with the revision of
the United Nations’ “Model Regulations”. Whentransporting dangerous goods, please be sure
to check the latest edition of the IMDG Codepublished by the IMO as well as domestic laws andany other relevant regulations.
One issue that is currently being discussed by the
IMO is how best to improve education and training
for those involved in the maritime transportof dangerous goods. As a general rule it is the
responsibility of the consignor to determine whether
or not cargo constitutes “dangerous goods” andensure that it is packed in appropriate packagings/
containers and labelled/marked correctly. However,in reality accidents are occurring that are believed
to have been caused by non-declaration or misdeclaration based on inappropriate determinations(classification). To ensure that dangerous goods aretransported appropriately, more effective educationand training for not only maritime personnel but
also shore-based personnel involved in the transportof dangerous goods needs to be considered.
Incidentally, in Japan, my organization—NKKK—
regularly holds training courses and seminars forconsignors and others involved in the transport ofdangerous goods.
3. Enforcement of the IMDG CodeFor reference, I would like to introduce theJapanese unique inspections of dangerous goodsin accordance with our national regulations. The
inspection is conducted at the time when goods arepacked in containers or stowed on board ships bywhich it is checked as to whether dangerous goods
have been appropriately prepared for sea transport
and the packages thereof are to be properly packed/
stowed. It is carried out by government inspectors
and inspectors from organizations registered by theGovernment (including NKKK).
Conclusion
Currently, the IMDG Code contains
approximately 3,000 entries of dangerous goods.
As mentioned above, the IMDG Code is revised
every two years, at which time new entries areadded. Moving forward, not only is the number of
entries expected to continue to increase, but also
new containers and transport methods may be born
through the development of new technologies.
From the perspective of ensuring the safety ofmaritime transport, I believe that regulations will
also continue to evolve in the future.

5

IMO’s Technical Cooperation:
My personal reflections based on 22 years

Mr. Juvenal J M Shiundu

Former Director,
Technical Cooperation Division, IMO,
Chairman, Kenya National Shipping Line Limited.

As many of you may be aware, I retired at the endof December 2019 from the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) after 22 years working in theTechnical Cooperation Division (TCD). Following myretirement, I was appointed by the President of Kenya
to the position of Chairman of the Kenya National
Shipping Line Limited. I am honoured to share withyou some of my reflections on international technicalcooperation and human resources development.
Over the years, IMO has adopted more than
50 international instruments covering all areas ofits mandate. The effective implementation of these
instruments has been a challenge to developing
countries who need support in building andstrengthening their institutional and humanresources capacities. For this reason, IMO was
the first organization within the United Nations
system to formally accept and establish a TechnicalCo-operation Committee.
When I joined IMO in 1997, the Integrated
Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP), a
framework of regional and global programmes, had
just been established and in that same year, IMO
Assembly adopted resolution A.873(20) reaffirmingthat “technical cooperation was an essential part of
the Organization’s work to achieve the ratificationand implementation of IMO’s global instruments”.
The delivery and implementation of technicalassistance is through five geographical regions:
1. Africa
2. Arab States and Mediterranean
3. Asia and Pacific Islands
4. Western Asia and Eastern Europe
5. Latin America and Caribbean
In addition to the above programmes, IMO’s
executes a number of donor-funded long-term
projects which focus on legal, policy and institutional
reforms in beneficiary countries.
Global Maritime Training Institutions
Shipping needs a global network of specialist
maritime education and training establishments
to ensure a continuous stream of a high-calibre
workforce. In this regard, IMO established two very
successful postgraduate global maritime training
institutions:- the World Maritime University(WMU) in Malmo, Sweden and the International
Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta in 1983
and 1988 respectively.

Photo 1: IMLI 30th Anniversary Celebrations group Photo, IMO Headquarters,
25 June 2019Seated R to L: Kitack Lim, The Hon. Dr. Joseph Muscat, Prime
Minister of Malta, Prof. David Attard, Director, IMLI and Mr Juvenal Shiundu,
Director, TCD

WMU focuses on postgraduate maritime andocean-related education and research. On 8 May
2018, a historic milestone in the development of the
University was achieved with the inauguration of the
WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (GOI) for
broader ocean research. Mr Kitack Lim, SecretaryGeneral of IMO and Chancellor of WMU in his
speech then stated “I offer my sincere thanks to Mr
Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation,
for his foresight and generosity, and for choosing
WMU as the institution of choice for hosting the
Global Ocean Institute”. By committing $100m
to the GOI over 10 years, the Nippon Foundation
demonstrated, once again, how international
technical cooperation can support research andexplore how best to use oceans and their resources
for sustainable development.
As at the end of December 2019, a total of 5,156
students from 171 countries had graduated from
WMU. I am a graduate of WMU (class of 1986)
and I know how important it has been to me to bepart of the WMU family, and over the years, I haveexperienced the considerable influence of WMUgraduates, first-hand, among Member States, in thewider maritime industry as well at IMO. WMU and
its graduates have and will continue to significantly
enrich the maritime community.
IMLI, located in Malta is a world-recognizededucational institution that specialises in the teachingof international maritime law with the objective ofproviding suitably qualified persons, particularly
from developing countries, with high-level training
in maritime law including drafting of legislation
implementing the IMO instruments. On 25 June
2019, IMLI celebrated its 30th anniversary at the
IMO Headquarters at a ceremony attended by Dr
Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta, amongst
other distinguished guests and alumni [see photo 1].
To date, 885 students from 146 countries have
graduated from IMLI and a number of them
are holding or have held distinguished positions
including:- Head of State and Government,
Ministers, Ambassadors, Judges, and Directors ofMaritime Administrations.
The Nippon Foundation has been supporting
WMU and IMLI with fellowships and professorship
positions since 1988 and 2003 respectively and has
representation at the Governing Boards of both
institutions.
6

Major Achievements of International TechnicalCooperation
As part of its technical cooperation, IMO has over
the years developed over 70 partnerships withgovernments, international organizations, regional
institutions and industry. These partnerships offer
valuable support for human resources development
to enhance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development. Some of the majorachievements of IMO of technical cooperation
include establishment of:- IMO regional presence offices in Africa, Asiaand Latin America;- seven Women in Maritime Associations(WIMAs) covering some 152 countries anddependent territories;- maritime security and counter- piracy regional
mechanisms;- Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres andassociated sub-centres; and- Port State control regimes.
In line with several UN General Assembly, IMO
has, since the mid-1990s, given priority to Africa in
the allocation of its technical assistance resources. In
this regard, IMO actively participates in the Tokyo
International Conferences on African Development(TICAD). I represented IMO at the TICAD 7 heldin Yokohama, in August 2019 and amongst the events
I participated in was the Official TICAD 7 side event“Sasakawa in Africa—building on the past, looking
to the future: Africa’s youth and entrepreneurshipin agriculture”. I met with Mr Yohei Sasakawa,
Chairman, The Nippon Foundation [see photo 2] andalso visited the Nippon Foundation Headquarters
in Tokyo and held discussions with Mr Mitsuyuki
Unno, the Executive Director.

Photo 2: R to L – Mr Juvenal Shiundu, Dr Yohei
Sasakawa, and Mr William Azuh, Head, Africa
Section, IMO. Photo taken during TICAD 7 in
Yokohama

Two Sasakawa Fellows Given Honorable Award
The Joy of Receiving the Outstanding Alumnus Awards
Xiaojie Zhang(1999, China)
Chair of IMO Council

It gives great honor to be one of the recipientsof the Outstanding Alumnus Awards this year.
22 years ago, when I arrived at the beautiful
city of Malmö and joined the World Maritime
University, it never occurred to me that mylife will be changed so significantly becauseof WMU. This week, upon arrival in London
and entered the building of IMO to join the
Secretariat, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of
joyfulness and gratitude.
The establishment of WMU is one of themost effective technical cooperation activities
of IMO. After 37 years of development, it is
now a well-known institution of excellence
for maritime education and a well-recognizedcradle for future Maritime leaders. It not only
provides exceptional maritime education tovarious academic degrees, but also provides aunique multicultural environment to students
coming from different country and regions
all over the world. While focusing on thecommitment to safe, secure, clean and efficientinternational shipping, The University inspires

greater wisdoms on how to utilize and protect
our oceans in a sustainable way. The inspirationsof the University have gone far beyond just ateaching programme.
Being one of the early graduates of the
University, I’m excited to see how fast the
WMU family grows: now our alumni haveexceeded 5,000, making a global network thatcovers 170 countries and territories. As many of
the students have completed their study throughthe funds provided by governments, voluntary
donors, non-governmental organizations suchas the Nippon Foundation, to which I owe greatdeal, I wish to take this opportunity to thankthose who have provided financial support to
WMU for their generous support that keep ouralumni family grow. We, the WMU alumni, will

repay their kindness by fulfilling the great visionsof the University and IMO.
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic
has greatly disrupted global economy andinternational supply chain. Our world has neverneeded maritime transportation more than it
does now. I would like to call for our alumni towork together to bring maritime operations backto normal. We need to take up our responsibilities
to protect seafarers as key workers, uphold thestability of maritime supply chain, and mitigate
the impacts cause by the pandemic. Because forall our occupational differences in the maritime
sector, we share the same proud title - WMU
Graduates. Together, we can leave the WMUmark on a sustainable maritime recovery.

A Nice Surpise During the Difficult Time of COVID19
Azfar Bin Mohamad Mustafar(2001, Malaysia)

I was recently informed that I have been
nominated for the Outstanding WMUAlumnus Award 2020. I am honoured to be
included in such a distinguished group of
WMU alumnus.
My academic journey at WMU would not
be possible without the scholarship from the
Nippon Foundation, and I would like to thankHis Excellency Dr Yohei Sasakawa for his
continued support to WMU.

The knowledge, skills, experience, andmore importantly the networking that wasestablished during my academic journey at
WMU has contributed immensely towards myprofessional and personal developments. WMU
has given me a solid foundation and prepared
me to contribute effectively to an increasingly
advanced and interconnected global society.
As WMU alumnus, I aspire to inspire future
global and maritime leaders, and together we7would ensure UN Sustainable Development
Goals 2030 are achieved.
I share this Award with all the people thathave helped shape my life: my parents; myfamily; my wife, sons and daughters; and mylecturers and classmates at WMU.
I am thankful for this honour and will
forever hold WMU in my heart.
Terima kasih.

In Memoriam: Former IMO Secretary-General William A. O’Neil
It is with utmost sadness that I must relay the news of Mr. William
O’Neil’s passing to our readers. He passed away on October 29th this year
in London, aged 93.
In compliance with coronavirus restrictions, his funeral on November
11th was a private affair attended by his wife, Olga, and close relatives.
During his term as IMO Secretary-General (1990-2003), Mr. O’Neilwas concurrently the Chancellor of WMU (1991-2003). This meansthat many of our Fellows had the fortunate opportunity to receive theirgraduation diploma from him in person. I’m sure there are also manyothers at this moment who are fondly looking back at the memory of
meeting Mr. O’Neil at conferences and events held not just in London,
but all over the world.
Mr. O’Neil was one of the most influential persons in helping us
deepen our understanding of the WMU. His efforts brought an era ofgrowth for the Sasakawa Fellowship Program, inspiring us to increase
the annual number of Sasakawa Fellowship students, launch the JapaneseField Study Trips program, and hold the Sasakawa Fellows Network
Conference in Tokyo.
When Mr. O’Neil and I first met in the 1980s, he was serving as a

Canadian delegate to the IMO in addition
to being the Chair of the IMO Council. I
distinctly remember looking up at him on
the podium during the serious discussions
on double-hull regulations for oil tankers
and regulations on exhaust gas from shipsthat took place in the 1990s. However,it was when I started working closelywith the WMU that our friendship truly
strengthened, continuing on for more than
Mr. William O’Neil
20 years until his passing. His invaluable
contribution to the September 2015 issueof our Newsletter (No. 52), “Shipping’s Pivotal Role in Sustaining theWorld Economy and Fostering International Cooperation”, is one that I
will forever cherish.
I would like to conclude by offering Mrs. O’Neil my deepest
condolences. From the bottom of my heart, I pray that Mr. O’Neil may
rest in peace.
Eisuke Kudo
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation

New Family Member
Greeting from my family to you all. I amvery glad to share my happy new with Sasakawa
Fellows. My second cute baby girl was born
August 24, 2020, weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces.
During my pregnancy, I was really worried about
my princess because it was the time in the second
wave of Covid-19. Fortunately, I could manage it
and everything was going well. My husband, I andthe whole family members are very happy to have a
new member in your family. My daughter’s name is“Chue Myat Kyal Sin” and her nick name is “Jewel”
that is very precious for our family. One of thebaby quotes says, “When you have a baby girl, yourealize that there is something far more precious
than the most precious jewels”.

How time flies; this unusual year 2020 is reaching to theend with some newly developed ideas, new life/work styles
and even new words, while we are still struggling with theserious impacts as well as the pandemic itself.
How time flies quickly; five years have passed since
I graduated from WMU. The autumn foliage that I
am enjoying now in Tokyo reminds me of the stunning
autumn in Malmo just before my graduation. Fortunately,
five years are not enough to make me feel apart from our
beloved second home, and such a privileged opportunity
to join the Newsletter’s editorial team since this April has
been allowing me to have better feeling that we WMU
Sasakawa Fellows are well connected even during theseNyein Ei Phyu (MYANMAR, 2011)

Now, I feel that I am about to enter into a very
important chapter of life because I and my husband
started to deeply think about how to educate andnurture both of my son and my daughter. My son
is now over 4 years and he is in his primary at oneof the international schools in Myanmar. We want
our children to learn the importance of respecting
other people, cooperating with them and havingsocial responsibility in their future life. I want them
to be professionals in their respective interests.
I would like to thank The Nippon Foundationand SPF for giving me the opportunity to share
our great news. Last but not the least, I am always
hoping all the best for my Sasakawa Fellows“Family”.

difficult days.
Working a little for the Newsletters also made me
realized how greatly and vigorously the Fellows andmaritime experts have addressed the severe situations
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and made theirseamless efforts to keep maritime community safe andactive. On behalf of the editorial team, I thank you verymuch for your contribution to the Newsletter and always
look forward to hearing from you.
As this will be the last issue in 2020, let me extend ourwishes of warmth, joy and tranquility this holiday season
and throughout a coming new year.

This newsletter is published under a grant from The Nippon Foundation

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

Maki Tominaga(Japan, 2015)
Japan Coast Guard