Forthcoming STCW Diplomatic Conference in June, Manila

MARCH
2 0 1 030

Louie U. delos Santos, MLP 2008

The Philippines will host the International Diplomatic Conference ofParties to Adopt the Amendments to the 1978 STCW Convention
for seafarers, as amended and the STCW Code at the Philippine
International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila from June
21-25, 2010.
To prepare for this international event, the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) recently dispatched a team composed of Ms.
Olga E. O’Neil, Director, Conference Division and Mr. Vincent Job
Olabisi, Deputy Director and Head Information Technology
Division, to undertake a visual inspection of the conference and hotel
facilities in Manila from 19-21 January 2010.
Ms. Sonia B. Malaluan (SM, 1998) and Mr. Louie U. delos Santos(MLP 2008), both Sasakawa Fellows, are actively involved in the
preparations and are spearheading major committees of thePhilippine Organizing Committee.
Information regarding the 2010 STCW Diplomatic Conference
can be accessed through:http://www.marina.gov.ph/stcw/stcw2010.html.

A Note from the Secretariat

Anniversary

From Left to Right: Mr. Neil Frank Ferrer, Chair, IMO Maritime Safety Committee; Ms. Olga O’Neil, IMO Director, Conference Division; Ms. Sonia Malaluan(SM 1998); Mr. Louie U. delos Santos (MLP 2008); Ms. Myrna E. Calag,
MARINA, OIC Deputy Administrator for Planning, and Mr. Vincent Job Olabisi,
IMO Deputy Director and Head Information Technology

As of October 26, 2009 Mr. Eisuke Kudo, who was in charge of the
WMU program, retired from his post as OPRF Executive Director. His
successor is Mr. Shuhei Okazaki, who has thorough knowledge of all
OPRF programs, including WMU. Mr. Kudo now serves as Special
Advisor. We express our profound gratitude to Mr. Kudo for his
contribution to Friends of WMU over many years and ask him tocontinue to be passionately involved and give it the benefit of his guidance.
It would be appreciated if you could refer to our website to take a lookat his Keynote Speech “My Commitment in WMU” from the WMU
25th Anniversary International Conference in April, 2008.
http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp/contact_download.html

A Current Student’s Outstanding Work on the Website

Jesús A. MENACHO Piérola, one of the current Sasakawa Fellowship students in the class of 2010, would like to share his paper on the“Maritime Labour Convention, 2006” (MLC-2006) which is expected to come into force in December 2011. The paper includes the following
topics: 1) An overview of MLC-2006, 2) A comparison with the previous ILO instruments, 3) Impact on Seafarers and ship owners, 4)Practices in implementation of MLC-2006; Flag State Inspection/ Port State Control
The full text can be found on the “Friends of WMU, Japan” Website at: http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp

passed. During that time the Newsletter also
My association with WMU dates back to myfirst visit in 1993, and I had the honor of serving carried the sad announcement of the death of Dr.
it as a Visiting Professor from 1996 to 1998. Zade who was my immediate boss andThen beginning in 1999 up to 2002 I had the vice-president as well, reminding me of the
happy opportunity of enjoying life with students passage of time.
Last month, I attended WMU’s STW41 at
at Malmö as MET’s Associate Professor. In
April 2002 I returned to my old place of work, which I recognized many of my own students,
Marine Technical College (Ashiya, Japan), shining in maturity and confidence. Once more I
thinking that my association with WMU would felt the passage of time.
Having noted that, one can also say that thelessen when I was invited by the Ship & Ocean
Foundation, (OPRF) to be responsible for Newsletter is only in its 30th issue and its
publishing the Newsletter for Sasakawa Fellows. contents can be even better and richer. That of
I recall the first editorial committee meeting course depends heavily on the articles Fellows
that took place in September 2002 as if it was just send in.
I therefore ask for your greater cooperation
yesterday. I never dreamt that Newsletter No. 1
would carry the obituary of Dr. Nomoto, the because I am convinced the Newsletter serves ashonorary professor of WMU who had been an important network linking the Sasakawa
closely associated with WMU from its inception. Fellows, as well as a good source of information.
The Newsletter is now marking its 30th issue
Toshio Hikima
and I note with amazement that eight years have
Marine Technical College

A Night to Remember
Rodolfo Remigio Diawa (Philippines, 2006)

On November 26, 2009, the officers and members of the
Association of WMU Sasakawa Fellows (Philippine Chapter),Inc. gathered at the Sofitel Hotel, Manila, Philippines towelcome the officials and staff of the Ocean Policy Research
Foundation (OPRF), WMU officials and staff and Japanese
resident officers for a meeting and reception. Commodore Luis
Tuason Jr. PCG, President, led the Philippine Sasakawa Fellows
and delivered his welcome address. Mr. Hiroshi Terashima,
Executive Director of OPRF, warmly acknowledged thepresence of WMU Philippine Sasakawa fellows in his speech.
Likewise, Mr. Eisuke Kudo, Special Advisor of OPRF warmly
imparted his delight to the members who attended that night
and gave importance to the occassion.
It was also befitting that the newly appointed President of theWorld Maritime University (WMU), Dr. Björn Kjerfve, whopariticipated in the East Asia Seas Congress of 2009, hosted by
the Philippines, also attended the meeting and reception. It gave
the Fellows an opportunity to update the guests on theiraccomplishments and future activities. It is likewise a testament
to the strength of the Philippine Sasakawa Fellows network andunity towards the goals and objectives of The Nippon
Foundation and OPRF.
The Fellows likewise shared their individual appreciation andgratitude for the unceasing kindness of Mr. Yohei Sasakawa. The
feelings during the occasion were unequivocal. Every facereflected principles of our benefactor that “We are One Big
Family”. When the WMU song was boldly sung by the Fellows,
it seemed that everyone was remembering their happy
experiences at WMU and Malmö.

Morever, the presence and messages of Ms. Maria Elena H.
Bautista,
Maritime
Industry
Authority(MARINA)
Administrator; Admiral Wilfredo D. Tamayo, Commandant of
the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); and Commodore Richard
U. Ritual, Vice-President of the Philippine Merchant Marine
Academy (PMMA) on behalf of PMMA President Admiral
Fidel E. Dinoso, inspired the Fellows during thereception/cocktails that followed. The “Kampai” that abounded
during the reception contributed a lot to make the night “a night
to remember”.
With “one solid voice” we are very thankful to Mr. Sasakawa,the officers, staff of The Nippon Foundation, and OPRF fortheir untiring support, concern, and generosity to the Sasakawa
Fellows and to others. A special thanks also to Mr. Kudo, whoalways extends himself to attend to our needs and to the officers
and staff of OPRF, Mabuhay.

thHappy “Coming and Going”

Greetings in their Work Places
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
Rommel Supangan (Philippines, 2008)

The Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, Admiral Wilfredo D.
Tamayo, welcomed the delegates from Japan, headed by Vice Admiral
Eisuke Kudo JCG (Ret), Special Advisor of the Ocean Policy Research
Foundation (OPRF), at the headquarters of the Philippine Coast Guard on
November 25, 2009. Also joining the delegates were the JICA experts,
headed by Admiral Toshitaka Ishima JCG, Chief Advisor, JICA-PCG
Human Resource Management Systems Development.

The Nippon Foundation, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Yohei
Sasakawa, has continuously supported the Philippine Coast Guard throughscholarship programs for post-graduate maritime education in maritime
affairs at WMU and specialized post-graduate education in internationallaw at the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Msida, Malta.
To date there are 26 PCG officers / Sasakawa Fellows, with Vice
Commandant for Operations, Vice Admiral Ramon C. Liwag PCG, as
one of the most senior Fellows. The visit was highlighted by the PCG
Sasakawa Fellows joining the Commandant in welcoming the delegatesfrom Japan.
Admiral Tamayo expressed his sincerest gratitude to The Nippon
Foundation for their continuing support of the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Commandant further stressed that aside from the career andprofessional growth of PCG officers who received fellowship grants fromThe Nippon Foundation, PCG has gained so much from the educationand training towards facilitating the highest practicable standards inmaritime safety and the preservation and protection of the marine
environment. In response, Vice Admiral Kudo reiterated his support to
the Philippine Coast Guard and acknowledged the warm welcome
accorded to Japanese delegates.

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)

Hlaing Thiri (Myanmar, 2008)

Near the end of last year, a very auspicious event graced the Myanmar
Sasakawa Fellow members. That was the second visit of Mr. Yohei
Sasakawa in 2009. All of us were keen to see him and sent messages toeach other immediately. Currently, 35 have graduated from WMUwith 26 Sasakawa Fellowships, including two students who are still
studying there.
However, some are working abroad, and some are working far from
Yangon, so, altogether 11 members from different departments under
the Ministry of Transport had a chance to meet Mr. Sasakawa.
When we arrived at the lobby of the Traders Hotel, Mr. Sasakawa
was wearing our traditional silk Myanmar jacket (TIKE PONE) andDreams Can Come True!

Mr. Shantanu Paul (India, 2009)

7-11, 2009. MARINA’s position paper on the proposed amendments to
the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended and the STCW Code wasprepared by a Special Group composed of WMU graduates. It was also
reported during the meeting that the MARINA Administrator has
created/organized an IMO Division under the Overseas Shipping Officeof MARINA, composed of WMU graduates and led by Atty. Rowena
Hubilla (WMU 2009). Ronald Bandalaria, Zaldy Maquera and Bong
Diawa were transferred to this Division. Its primary function is to make
implementation plans on recent IMO conventions, resolutions andcirculars, as well as to prepare position papers or comments on proposed
agenda items or issues in various IMO meetings.
In addition, Mr. Lunecito delos Santos and I are in charge of the
Administrative arrangements for the Philippines’ hosting of the
Sasakawa Fellows in MARINA were excited to meet Mr. Eisuke Kudo of International Diplomatic Conference to Adopt the Amendments to thethe Ocean Policy Research Foundation on the afternoon of November 24, 1978 STCW, as amended and the STCW Code in June 2010, in close
2009. To some, the meeting with Mr. Kudo after so many years proved that coordination with the Conference Division of IMO. Furthermore, we are
he had not changed a bit since the last time they saw him.... the same jolly together with Ms. Ninfa Martinez, actively participated in the Voluntary
man who is very supportive of WMU graduates, particularly Sasakawa IMO Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS), which was completed
Fellows.
November 3, 2009.
Eight out of the twelve Fellows at MARINA attended the brief
Prior to Mr. Kudo’s meeting with the WMU Sasakawa Fellows, along
meeting, and each one reported on current activities or assignments. The with JICA Consultant, Mr. Masahiro Useono, he also met with Director
group was proud and happy to report that with the recognition being Arhleen A. Romero of the Domestic Shipping Office of MARINA,
given by the current MARINA Administrator, Undersecretary Maria relative to the ongoing projects at MARINA. JICA is providing technical
Elena H. Bautista, WMU gradutes were being given special tasks and assistance in conducting route capacity measurement studies in theassignments relating to the developments at the International Maritime Philippine domestic trade.
Organization (IMO). Some of the highlights of the report are as follows:
After the short meeting, Mr. Kudo was introduced to Col. Primo V.
Atty. Jean Ver Pia, together with Ronald Bandalaria, attended the Rivera, MARINA’s Deputy Administrator for Operations, and Atty.
Intersessional Meeting of the STW working group held at IMO on Sept. Rowena Hubilla also joined the group.
Sonia Malaluan (Philippines, 1998)

Friends of WMU, JAPAN

longyi (PASOE). Even though this was the second time to see him in
our traditional suit, I was still delighted.
We are grateful to him for his kind consideration towards the
Myanmar Sasakawa Fellows.
The meeting started at 6:30p.m. and ended at about 9:00p.m.
Although it was a short time, it seemed like we were all family members.
During the dinner, Mr. Sasakawa asked how we, coming from a tropicalcountry, could survive in Sweden. He told us humorous stories about his
family, experiences in Myanmar, and we laughed a lot. We enjoyed themeeting and all look forward to meeting with Mr. Sasakawa again soon.
Nowadays, the Myanmar Sasakawa Fellows can contribute ourworkforce to any maritime sector by applying knowledge gained at
WMU.
All of us would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Sasakawa
not just from us but also on behalf of the people of Myanmar.

A Surprising Appearance in Traditional Suit

2

I am delighted to write about the noble efforts of Mr. Yohei Sasakawa
to restore the dignity and rights of people affected by leprosy. On
January 25, 2010, Mr. Sasakawa was in Mumbai for the launch of
Global Appeal 2010. Being a WMU Sasakawa Fellow, his door was
open to me although he was extremely busy with various high officials
from India and abroad. It was a unique experience to meet him,
knowing of his noble work in my country to end the stigma anddiscrimination against people affected by leprosy. In the 21st century,
not withstanding India’s remarkable progress in many fields, there ishardly any improvement in eradicating the old superstitions about thedisease. However, now I strongly believe that the Sasakawa India
Leprosy Foundation (SILF), which was established with thegenerous support of Mr. Sasakawa in Oct. 2007, will makenoteworthy progress. Today, modern drugs can control the disease
but the fact remains that many Asian countries including India are
still on the WHO list with more than 1000 new cases reported
annually from 1993 to 2007. The tragedy is that people affected with
leprosy tend to hide the disease due to fear of discrimination, whichmakes the situation very complex. In 2006, Mr. Sasakawa led a groupof world leaders and Nobel Peace Prize laureates in announcing thefirst appeal from Delhi (India) followed by Global Appeal 2007 from
Manila (Philippines). In 2008 and 2009 Mr. Sasakawa took theappeal to London, where he was supported by various internationalorganizations that work for human rights together with leaders ofmany different religious faiths. Finally, Global Appeal 2010 has beensigned by leaders of the corporate world, in recognition of the factthat those affected by leprosy deserve all the rights, including the
Friends of WMU, JAPANright to work, enjoyed by all people. Among many global signatories
are the well-known Mr. Keshub Mahindra (Chairman of Mahindra
Group), Mr. Mukesh D. Ambani (CMD of Reliance Industries
Ltd.), Mr. Ratan N. Tata (Chairman of Tata Group), which has
added a different dimension to this noble effort in India. Today we allmust be aware of the fact that leprosy is not contagious. It iscompletely curable. A person with leprosy becomes non-infective
within 24 hours of starting treatment. It is not hereditary, and there
should be no place for the stigma against leprosy that still persists. It
is my desire and hope that shipping industry leaders will also joinhands with Mr. Sasakawa very soon.
Possibly the famous poem which Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Former
President of India) quoted at the end of his tenure is true:"When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you"3Happy “Coming and Going”

Greetings in their Work Places
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
Rommel Supangan (Philippines, 2008)

The Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, Admiral Wilfredo D.
Tamayo, welcomed the delegates from Japan, headed by Vice Admiral
Eisuke Kudo JCG (Ret), Special Advisor of the Ocean Policy Research
Foundation (OPRF), at the headquarters of the Philippine Coast Guard on
November 25, 2009. Also joining the delegates were the JICA experts,
headed by Admiral Toshitaka Ishima JCG, Chief Advisor, JICA-PCG
Human Resource Management Systems Development.

The Nippon Foundation, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Yohei
Sasakawa, has continuously supported the Philippine Coast Guard throughscholarship programs for post-graduate maritime education in maritime
affairs at WMU and specialized post-graduate education in internationallaw at the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Msida, Malta.
To date there are 26 PCG officers / Sasakawa Fellows, with Vice
Commandant for Operations, Vice Admiral Ramon C. Liwag PCG, as
one of the most senior Fellows. The visit was highlighted by the PCG
Sasakawa Fellows joining the Commandant in welcoming the delegatesfrom Japan.
Admiral Tamayo expressed his sincerest gratitude to The Nippon
Foundation for their continuing support of the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Commandant further stressed that aside from the career andprofessional growth of PCG officers who received fellowship grants fromThe Nippon Foundation, PCG has gained so much from the educationand training towards facilitating the highest practicable standards inmaritime safety and the preservation and protection of the marine
environment. In response, Vice Admiral Kudo reiterated his support to
the Philippine Coast Guard and acknowledged the warm welcome
accorded to Japanese delegates.

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)

Hlaing Thiri (Myanmar, 2008)

Near the end of last year, a very auspicious event graced the Myanmar
Sasakawa Fellow members. That was the second visit of Mr. Yohei
Sasakawa in 2009. All of us were keen to see him and sent messages toeach other immediately. Currently, 35 have graduated from WMUwith 26 Sasakawa Fellowships, including two students who are still
studying there.
However, some are working abroad, and some are working far from
Yangon, so, altogether 11 members from different departments under
the Ministry of Transport had a chance to meet Mr. Sasakawa.
When we arrived at the lobby of the Traders Hotel, Mr. Sasakawa
was wearing our traditional silk Myanmar jacket (TIKE PONE) andDreams Can Come True!

Mr. Shantanu Paul (India, 2009)

7-11, 2009. MARINA’s position paper on the proposed amendments to
the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended and the STCW Code wasprepared by a Special Group composed of WMU graduates. It was also
reported during the meeting that the MARINA Administrator has
created/organized an IMO Division under the Overseas Shipping Officeof MARINA, composed of WMU graduates and led by Atty. Rowena
Hubilla (WMU 2009). Ronald Bandalaria, Zaldy Maquera and Bong
Diawa were transferred to this Division. Its primary function is to make
implementation plans on recent IMO conventions, resolutions andcirculars, as well as to prepare position papers or comments on proposed
agenda items or issues in various IMO meetings.
In addition, Mr. Lunecito delos Santos and I are in charge of the
Administrative arrangements for the Philippines’ hosting of the
Sasakawa Fellows in MARINA were excited to meet Mr. Eisuke Kudo of International Diplomatic Conference to Adopt the Amendments to thethe Ocean Policy Research Foundation on the afternoon of November 24, 1978 STCW, as amended and the STCW Code in June 2010, in close
2009. To some, the meeting with Mr. Kudo after so many years proved that coordination with the Conference Division of IMO. Furthermore, we are
he had not changed a bit since the last time they saw him.... the same jolly together with Ms. Ninfa Martinez, actively participated in the Voluntary
man who is very supportive of WMU graduates, particularly Sasakawa IMO Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS), which was completed
Fellows.
November 3, 2009.
Eight out of the twelve Fellows at MARINA attended the brief
Prior to Mr. Kudo’s meeting with the WMU Sasakawa Fellows, along
meeting, and each one reported on current activities or assignments. The with JICA Consultant, Mr. Masahiro Useono, he also met with Director
group was proud and happy to report that with the recognition being Arhleen A. Romero of the Domestic Shipping Office of MARINA,
given by the current MARINA Administrator, Undersecretary Maria relative to the ongoing projects at MARINA. JICA is providing technical
Elena H. Bautista, WMU gradutes were being given special tasks and assistance in conducting route capacity measurement studies in theassignments relating to the developments at the International Maritime Philippine domestic trade.
Organization (IMO). Some of the highlights of the report are as follows:
After the short meeting, Mr. Kudo was introduced to Col. Primo V.
Atty. Jean Ver Pia, together with Ronald Bandalaria, attended the Rivera, MARINA’s Deputy Administrator for Operations, and Atty.
Intersessional Meeting of the STW working group held at IMO on Sept. Rowena Hubilla also joined the group.
Sonia Malaluan (Philippines, 1998)

Friends of WMU, JAPAN

longyi (PASOE). Even though this was the second time to see him in
our traditional suit, I was still delighted.
We are grateful to him for his kind consideration towards the
Myanmar Sasakawa Fellows.
The meeting started at 6:30p.m. and ended at about 9:00p.m.
Although it was a short time, it seemed like we were all family members.
During the dinner, Mr. Sasakawa asked how we, coming from a tropicalcountry, could survive in Sweden. He told us humorous stories about his
family, experiences in Myanmar, and we laughed a lot. We enjoyed themeeting and all look forward to meeting with Mr. Sasakawa again soon.
Nowadays, the Myanmar Sasakawa Fellows can contribute ourworkforce to any maritime sector by applying knowledge gained at
WMU.
All of us would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Sasakawa
not just from us but also on behalf of the people of Myanmar.

A Surprising Appearance in Traditional Suit

2

I am delighted to write about the noble efforts of Mr. Yohei Sasakawa
to restore the dignity and rights of people affected by leprosy. On
January 25, 2010, Mr. Sasakawa was in Mumbai for the launch of
Global Appeal 2010. Being a WMU Sasakawa Fellow, his door was
open to me although he was extremely busy with various high officials
from India and abroad. It was a unique experience to meet him,
knowing of his noble work in my country to end the stigma anddiscrimination against people affected by leprosy. In the 21st century,
not withstanding India’s remarkable progress in many fields, there ishardly any improvement in eradicating the old superstitions about thedisease. However, now I strongly believe that the Sasakawa India
Leprosy Foundation (SILF), which was established with thegenerous support of Mr. Sasakawa in Oct. 2007, will makenoteworthy progress. Today, modern drugs can control the disease
but the fact remains that many Asian countries including India are
still on the WHO list with more than 1000 new cases reported
annually from 1993 to 2007. The tragedy is that people affected with
leprosy tend to hide the disease due to fear of discrimination, whichmakes the situation very complex. In 2006, Mr. Sasakawa led a groupof world leaders and Nobel Peace Prize laureates in announcing thefirst appeal from Delhi (India) followed by Global Appeal 2007 from
Manila (Philippines). In 2008 and 2009 Mr. Sasakawa took theappeal to London, where he was supported by various internationalorganizations that work for human rights together with leaders ofmany different religious faiths. Finally, Global Appeal 2010 has beensigned by leaders of the corporate world, in recognition of the factthat those affected by leprosy deserve all the rights, including the
Friends of WMU, JAPANright to work, enjoyed by all people. Among many global signatories
are the well-known Mr. Keshub Mahindra (Chairman of Mahindra
Group), Mr. Mukesh D. Ambani (CMD of Reliance Industries
Ltd.), Mr. Ratan N. Tata (Chairman of Tata Group), which has
added a different dimension to this noble effort in India. Today we allmust be aware of the fact that leprosy is not contagious. It iscompletely curable. A person with leprosy becomes non-infective
within 24 hours of starting treatment. It is not hereditary, and there
should be no place for the stigma against leprosy that still persists. It
is my desire and hope that shipping industry leaders will also joinhands with Mr. Sasakawa very soon.
Possibly the famous poem which Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Former
President of India) quoted at the end of his tenure is true:"When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you"3

Recent Maritime and Ocean Issues
The 3rd Asian Shipbuilding Experts’ Forum forInternational Technical Maritime Initiative (ASEF) in Shanghai
Yasushi Kajitsuka
Japan Ship Technology Research Association(Secretary of ASEF)

ASEF has been organized to facilitate an exchange of information andviews among Asian countries in the field of shipbuilding, and to give
Asia a voice at international discussion tables such as IMO. Its firstannual meeting was held in Japan in 2007, followed by a second
meeting in Korea in 2008.
In 2009, the 3rd ASEF Meeting was successfully convened in
Shanghai, China on Dec. 3-4. The meeting was organized by “China
Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI)” and“Chinese Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering(CSNAME),” and advocated by “Korea Shipbuilders’ Association(KOSHIPA)” and “Shipbuilders' Association of Japan (SAJ).” “Japan
Ship Technology Research Association (JSTRA)” served as thesecretariat of ASEF.
More than 300 experts attended the meeting from nine Asian
countries including China, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Singapore,
Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. Nineteen experts from China,
Japan, Korea and India gave presentations.
During the forum, attendees had active discussions on seven “hot”
topics which have been on the table of IMO, i.e. "prevention of air
pollution," "ballast water management," "performance standards ofprotective coating", "ship recycling," “goal-based standards,” “maritime
regulations” and “actions from industry”.
In the session on “ship recycling,” some problems occurred during

Policy Proposal from OPRF
procedures for developing an inventory of hazardous materials, andtrials were introduced. Some experts emphasized the importance ofstandardizing the inventory of hazardous materials and proposed
further discussions on this item among Asian experts.
During the topic of “performance standards of protective coating(PSPC),” some issues were pointed out by presenters on theimplementation of PSPC for seawater ballast tanks, and newtechnologies were introduced.
In addition to IMO matters, the Indian expert made acomprehensive presentation on the current situation and future
prospects of the Indian shipbuilding industry and ship recycling
industry.
The next forum (4th ASEF) will be held in Japan in the beginning of
winter, 2010.
I have strengthened my belief as Secretary of ASEF through threeforums that successive results can be achieved by cooperation among all
shipbuilding industries, and that the results can contribute to maritime
safety and marine environment protection. We should do our utmost
not only for ASEF but also for the whole maritime world.

The 14th Intergovernmental Meeting of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP)Xu Cuiming (China, 1996)

Sue Jackson (Associate Registrar, WMU)

Mr. Akira Ishihara and Mr. Kenjiro Miki from the Ocean Policy
Research Foundation came to WMU on November 2 to give a special
presentation to staff and students on maritime society in the era ofglobal warming.
Mr. Ishihara and Mr. Miki presented a scenario of global sea-borne
trade in 2050, and discussed the impact that the projected enormous
increase in traffic – especially container traffic – would have on
pollution, specifically CO2 emissions and global warming, but also
the release of toxic substances and bio-invasive organisms. The OPRF
team have been considering the future, while bearing in mind two
essential principles: that the maritime industry must continue tocontribute to world economic growth, and that it should not pose athreat to the world’s safety, security and environment.
OPRF has made two proposals to deal with the threats of the 2050
scenario. The first is to set a series of target dates over the next 40
years for the development of ultra-low emission and very low
emission vessels, with the aim of a drastic 88% reduction in per unit
CO2 emissions compared with 2005 levels. The Foundation has also
proposed other associated measures to facilitate international
technology transfers, to secure the supply and availability ofzero-emission fuels, and to provide the special training that would beneeded by seafarers.

The second proposal is for an international research institute tosupport the industry as it moves towards 2050. The institute would
deal with research and data collection to assist the regulatory system,
as well as supporting voluntary initiatives by the industry. Mr.
Ishihara stressed that the institute would complement and support
IMO in its work, providing neutral and science-based research,
information and data to inform the Organization’s deliberations.
Roger Jones, WMU’s Vice-President (Business Development),
noted that the OPRF ’s proposals were particularly important given
the UN climate change conference that would take place thefollowing month (Dec. 2009) in Copenhagen. “Decisions are likely to
be made on how the shipping industry will be regulated, and whether
this will be on a mandatory or a voluntary basis. Co-operation andcollaboration are even more essential against this backdrop.”
As Professor Jens-Uwe Schröder observed, in his concluding
speech of thanks, “These proposals may include some toughdeadlines – but without this pressure, effective technologicalsolutions will not appear. They will also encourage the active
international co-operation essential to the vision of this global
institute.”
Please refer to http://www.sof.or.jp/en/topics/09_02.php

Looking back at the East Asian Seas Congress (EAS-Congress) 2009
Takashi ICHIOKA
General Manager, Policy Research Department
Ocean Policy Research Foundation

I would like to take this opportunity to briefly introduce to you the14th Intergovernmental Meeting of NOWPAP, which was held on
December 8-10, 2009 in Toyama and hosted by the Government ofJapan, and chaired by the Head of Delegation of Japan, Mr. Eiji
Yamamoto, Deputy Director-General for Global Issues, Ministry ofForeign Affairs.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the NOWPAP
member states, namely the People’s Republic of China, Japan, theRepublic of Korea and the Russian Federation. The Coordinators of
NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU) and the Directorsof each of the four NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres (RACs)
also attended. The representatives from UNEP Division of Global
Environment Facility; Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia
(COBSEA); the UNDP/GEF Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem(YSLME) Project; and North Pacific Marine Science Organization
Friends of WMU, JAPAN(PICES) attended as observers.
The meeting reviewed the progress and achievements made andthe activities carried out by NOWPAP RCU and RACs during the
2008-2009 biennium, and discussed NOWPAP’s work plan for the
2010-2011 biennium and many issues in relation to theimplementation of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan on marine
environmental protection in this region. Six resolutions on the
program for the 2010-2011 biennium were adopted: enhancement of
the NOWPAP RCU performance, NOWPAP medium-term
strategy, sustainable contributions to the NOWPAP Trust Fund,new project on biodiversity, and regional action plan on marine litterin the region. The results of the meeting were very effective andhelpful for NOWPAP member states in this region in order to better
implement the Northwest Pacific Action Plan.

4

The Manila Declaration, which encouraged East Asian countries tofurther strengthen the implementation of integrated coastalmanagement, was adopted at the Ministerial Forum. Moresignificantly, eight East Asian nations signed the Agreement
Recognizing the Legal Personality of PEMSEA, which enabled
PEMSEA to transform into a self-sustained regional mechanism forthe implementation of SDS-SEA (Sustainable Development
Strategy for the Seas of East Asia).
28 workshops were organized under the 6 thematic sessions. OPRF,
together with OPINEAR (Ocean Policy Institute Network in the
East Asian Region), co-convened a workshop titled “Coastal/Ocean
Policy and Legislation”, which included “Legislators’ Dialogue”. The
venue of this workshop was fully occupied by about 150 audience
members. The workshop was chaired by Mr. Terashima, Executive
Director, OPRF and Dr. Chua, Council Chair, EAS partnershipCouncil, and discussed a large variety of ocean policy initiatives in theregion. The crucial importance of political will was emphasized.
Another workshop titled “Impacts of Climate Change at the
Coastal and Ocean Areas of the East Asian Seas Region” wasco-convened by the WMU and other agencies. Dr. Kitagawa, Special
Research Fellow of OPRF, made a presentation titled “Shipping andClimate Change in East Asia: The impacts of the opening of theNortheast Passage” in this workshop.
It is generally acknowledged that the EAS-Congress has evolved
into a region-wide platform of cooperation for the sustainable
development of East Asian Seas. The Congress is expected to unite
like-minded people who have a strong interest in oceans and coasts
and moreover, expand the “circle of ocean policy”.

The East Asian Seas Congress 2009 was held in Manila on November
23-27, 2009. It was the third of a series of triennial meetings,
succeeding the EAS-Congress 2003 in Putrajaya, Malaysia and the
EAS-Congress 2006 in Haikou, China. It was hosted by theGovernment of the Philippines and co-organized by PEMSEA(Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East
Asia) and the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR). No less than 1,400 participants from 43
countries, including as many as a hundred participants from Japan,
joined the Congress.
Friends of WMU, JAPAN5

Recent Maritime and Ocean Issues
The 3rd Asian Shipbuilding Experts’ Forum forInternational Technical Maritime Initiative (ASEF) in Shanghai
Yasushi Kajitsuka
Japan Ship Technology Research Association(Secretary of ASEF)

ASEF has been organized to facilitate an exchange of information andviews among Asian countries in the field of shipbuilding, and to give
Asia a voice at international discussion tables such as IMO. Its firstannual meeting was held in Japan in 2007, followed by a second
meeting in Korea in 2008.
In 2009, the 3rd ASEF Meeting was successfully convened in
Shanghai, China on Dec. 3-4. The meeting was organized by “China
Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI)” and“Chinese Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering(CSNAME),” and advocated by “Korea Shipbuilders’ Association(KOSHIPA)” and “Shipbuilders' Association of Japan (SAJ).” “Japan
Ship Technology Research Association (JSTRA)” served as thesecretariat of ASEF.
More than 300 experts attended the meeting from nine Asian
countries including China, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Singapore,
Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. Nineteen experts from China,
Japan, Korea and India gave presentations.
During the forum, attendees had active discussions on seven “hot”
topics which have been on the table of IMO, i.e. "prevention of air
pollution," "ballast water management," "performance standards ofprotective coating", "ship recycling," “goal-based standards,” “maritime
regulations” and “actions from industry”.
In the session on “ship recycling,” some problems occurred during

Policy Proposal from OPRF
procedures for developing an inventory of hazardous materials, andtrials were introduced. Some experts emphasized the importance ofstandardizing the inventory of hazardous materials and proposed
further discussions on this item among Asian experts.
During the topic of “performance standards of protective coating(PSPC),” some issues were pointed out by presenters on theimplementation of PSPC for seawater ballast tanks, and newtechnologies were introduced.
In addition to IMO matters, the Indian expert made acomprehensive presentation on the current situation and future
prospects of the Indian shipbuilding industry and ship recycling
industry.
The next forum (4th ASEF) will be held in Japan in the beginning of
winter, 2010.
I have strengthened my belief as Secretary of ASEF through threeforums that successive results can be achieved by cooperation among all
shipbuilding industries, and that the results can contribute to maritime
safety and marine environment protection. We should do our utmost
not only for ASEF but also for the whole maritime world.

The 14th Intergovernmental Meeting of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP)Xu Cuiming (China, 1996)

Sue Jackson (Associate Registrar, WMU)

Mr. Akira Ishihara and Mr. Kenjiro Miki from the Ocean Policy
Research Foundation came to WMU on November 2 to give a special
presentation to staff and students on maritime society in the era ofglobal warming.
Mr. Ishihara and Mr. Miki presented a scenario of global sea-borne
trade in 2050, and discussed the impact that the projected enormous
increase in traffic – especially container traffic – would have on
pollution, specifically CO2 emissions and global warming, but also
the release of toxic substances and bio-invasive organisms. The OPRF
team have been considering the future, while bearing in mind two
essential principles: that the maritime industry must continue tocontribute to world economic growth, and that it should not pose athreat to the world’s safety, security and environment.
OPRF has made two proposals to deal with the threats of the 2050
scenario. The first is to set a series of target dates over the next 40
years for the development of ultra-low emission and very low
emission vessels, with the aim of a drastic 88% reduction in per unit
CO2 emissions compared with 2005 levels. The Foundation has also
proposed other associated measures to facilitate international
technology transfers, to secure the supply and availability ofzero-emission fuels, and to provide the special training that would beneeded by seafarers.

The second proposal is for an international research institute tosupport the industry as it moves towards 2050. The institute would
deal with research and data collection to assist the regulatory system,
as well as supporting voluntary initiatives by the industry. Mr.
Ishihara stressed that the institute would complement and support
IMO in its work, providing neutral and science-based research,
information and data to inform the Organization’s deliberations.
Roger Jones, WMU’s Vice-President (Business Development),
noted that the OPRF ’s proposals were particularly important given
the UN climate change conference that would take place thefollowing month (Dec. 2009) in Copenhagen. “Decisions are likely to
be made on how the shipping industry will be regulated, and whether
this will be on a mandatory or a voluntary basis. Co-operation andcollaboration are even more essential against this backdrop.”
As Professor Jens-Uwe Schröder observed, in his concluding
speech of thanks, “These proposals may include some toughdeadlines – but without this pressure, effective technologicalsolutions will not appear. They will also encourage the active
international co-operation essential to the vision of this global
institute.”
Please refer to http://www.sof.or.jp/en/topics/09_02.php

Looking back at the East Asian Seas Congress (EAS-Congress) 2009
Takashi ICHIOKA
General Manager, Policy Research Department
Ocean Policy Research Foundation

I would like to take this opportunity to briefly introduce to you the14th Intergovernmental Meeting of NOWPAP, which was held on
December 8-10, 2009 in Toyama and hosted by the Government ofJapan, and chaired by the Head of Delegation of Japan, Mr. Eiji
Yamamoto, Deputy Director-General for Global Issues, Ministry ofForeign Affairs.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the NOWPAP
member states, namely the People’s Republic of China, Japan, theRepublic of Korea and the Russian Federation. The Coordinators of
NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU) and the Directorsof each of the four NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres (RACs)
also attended. The representatives from UNEP Division of Global
Environment Facility; Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia
(COBSEA); the UNDP/GEF Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem(YSLME) Project; and North Pacific Marine Science Organization
Friends of WMU, JAPAN(PICES) attended as observers.
The meeting reviewed the progress and achievements made andthe activities carried out by NOWPAP RCU and RACs during the
2008-2009 biennium, and discussed NOWPAP’s work plan for the
2010-2011 biennium and many issues in relation to theimplementation of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan on marine
environmental protection in this region. Six resolutions on the
program for the 2010-2011 biennium were adopted: enhancement of
the NOWPAP RCU performance, NOWPAP medium-term
strategy, sustainable contributions to the NOWPAP Trust Fund,new project on biodiversity, and regional action plan on marine litterin the region. The results of the meeting were very effective andhelpful for NOWPAP member states in this region in order to better
implement the Northwest Pacific Action Plan.

4

The Manila Declaration, which encouraged East Asian countries tofurther strengthen the implementation of integrated coastalmanagement, was adopted at the Ministerial Forum. Moresignificantly, eight East Asian nations signed the Agreement
Recognizing the Legal Personality of PEMSEA, which enabled
PEMSEA to transform into a self-sustained regional mechanism forthe implementation of SDS-SEA (Sustainable Development
Strategy for the Seas of East Asia).
28 workshops were organized under the 6 thematic sessions. OPRF,
together with OPINEAR (Ocean Policy Institute Network in the
East Asian Region), co-convened a workshop titled “Coastal/Ocean
Policy and Legislation”, which included “Legislators’ Dialogue”. The
venue of this workshop was fully occupied by about 150 audience
members. The workshop was chaired by Mr. Terashima, Executive
Director, OPRF and Dr. Chua, Council Chair, EAS partnershipCouncil, and discussed a large variety of ocean policy initiatives in theregion. The crucial importance of political will was emphasized.
Another workshop titled “Impacts of Climate Change at the
Coastal and Ocean Areas of the East Asian Seas Region” wasco-convened by the WMU and other agencies. Dr. Kitagawa, Special
Research Fellow of OPRF, made a presentation titled “Shipping andClimate Change in East Asia: The impacts of the opening of theNortheast Passage” in this workshop.
It is generally acknowledged that the EAS-Congress has evolved
into a region-wide platform of cooperation for the sustainable
development of East Asian Seas. The Congress is expected to unite
like-minded people who have a strong interest in oceans and coasts
and moreover, expand the “circle of ocean policy”.

The East Asian Seas Congress 2009 was held in Manila on November
23-27, 2009. It was the third of a series of triennial meetings,
succeeding the EAS-Congress 2003 in Putrajaya, Malaysia and the
EAS-Congress 2006 in Haikou, China. It was hosted by theGovernment of the Philippines and co-organized by PEMSEA(Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East
Asia) and the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR). No less than 1,400 participants from 43
countries, including as many as a hundred participants from Japan,
joined the Congress.
Friends of WMU, JAPAN5

The World is a Family, and All Humankind are Brothers and Sisters
Neill Nolit (Estonia, 2008)

When applying to WMU in 2007, I never thought that by the time I
graduated I would not only get my MSc degree but also friends forlifetime.
After graduation and before going back home, I thought to reward
myself for all my hard work at WMU and go for a holiday in Ghana.
Luckily, one Sasakawa Fellow, Nana Esi Quansah (Ghana 2008) letme stay at her place and showed me all the nicest places in the Southof Ghana. After three weeks there, I had to return home to continue
work at the Estonian Maritime Academy as well as to continue mystudies at Tallinn University of Technology for another masters’degree. After one more year of hard work, I decided to go traveling inSouth East Asia.
I started my holiday with a visit to Malmö. The night before theWMU graduation ceremony, I attended the Sasakawa Fellows’
reception. There I had a very happy reunion with Mr. Kudo and Mr.
Ichikawa, my former professors, WMU staff members, students fromthe class of 2009, and my biggest surprise, my classmate Rommel A.
Supangan from the Philippines, whom I had not seen since our own
graduation in 2008. After spending a few days there, I continued mytrip.
I spend three weeks traveling in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam andSingapore. When visiting these beautiful countries, it was anadditional bonus seeing my friends whom I had come close to while
studying at WMU. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to meetother Sasakawa Fellows in Malaysia because of their tight working
schedule, but I did have a joyful phone conversation with Ahmad
Faizal (Malaysia, 2008). In Thailand, I met with 3 Fellows,
Theerapong Bhothirungsi (Thai, 2008), Sarinee Tongbai and Poppy
Sartika (Indonesia, 2009). We had a wonderful day in Bangkok
visiting temples, museums and other sightseeing places. Then in
Vietnam, I met two of my classmates, Nguyen Quy Doanh andPhung Trong Hieu. They took me around Ho Chi Minh City, on a
Mekong Delta boat trip, and we also visited Vung Tao.
I have already planned my next holiday in December for a really
happy event in Ghana: The wedding of two WMU graduates, Nana
Esi Quansah and Martin Söderberg.
I am so happy to be able to visit my friends’ countries and to learn
more about their culture and customs and participate in special
moments of their lives.
The Nippon Foundation has given me more than just my MSc
certificate; it has given me a new family: "The world is a family, and all
humankind are brothers and sisters."– Our Second Hometown –Swedish hosts for WMU students
in Malmö
The Jeræus family: Lars, Cecilia, Katarina, Helena and Johan

Our family has been a host family for students from WMU for anumber of years.
We think the host family-system is a very good idea, giving thestudents the chance to get to know more about Sweden, where they
spend so much time while studying at WMU. Living in the hostel
together with other international students doesn’t help them get toknow many Swedish people, and of course, we want them to feel
more at home in Sweden!
Our family is probably an ordinary Swedish family, living in avillage 30 kilometres from Malmö. We have three children, who are
now adults. Our family life is very typical: we live in an ordinary
Swedish house, work and follow the Swedish traditions, eat ordinary
Swedish food and so on. The students who visit our home learn about
our way of life. We hope this is interesting for them.
In return, being a host family for these students has given us somany pleasant times. We have met students from many countries andwe have learned a lot. Our many interesting discussions with WMU
students have taught us much about their home countries and about

their cultures. We have also become familiar with WMU and its
supporting organizations. Many of the students we have met havebeen sponsored by The Nippon Foundation and we know how muchthey appreciate this support, and how much they look forward to theirtrip to Japan each September.
We have noticed that the students appreciate sharing our family
life. Most of the students miss their families, and it’s so different forthem to stay in the hostel. Hopefully, we can give them some of thefamily atmosphere they miss. We also know that they are very busy
with their studies.
We always enjoy joining them at the graduation ceremony andother events at WMU such as the welcome dinner and International
Day. During their time in Sweden, we get to know “our students”
quite well. Most of all, we’ve noticed that we can laugh at the samethings, wherever in the world we come from - and that’s fascinating!

A WMU Student Hosted
by a Swedish Family

WMU Early Christmas

Pervez Iqbal Mughal (Pakistan, 2010)

Giang Thi Huong Dang (Vietnam, 2010)

It was difficult for me to select a dish from a variety of Swedish foods
at the dinner hosted by the Malmö city government to welcome theclass of 2010. Mrs. Jeræus helped me by telling about these typical
Swedish dishes. I met her at the same gathering where Mrs. Lundahl
introduced her as my host family. Even as a first impression, I could
tell she was a very caring and outgoing lady. Her daughters were also
there to accompany us and to share Swedish culture.
Lars and Cecilia Jeræus are one of the host families in Malmö,
Sweden, who take care of WMU students and provide a chance toshare with them. There are numerous host families who are very
enthusiastic about their WMU students, wholeheartedly
familiarizing them with Swedish customs and traditions. They invite
students in their homes and share just like one family. In this way
students not only get a chance to understand a different culture but
also feel less homesickness and loneliness. At the same time, it
provides a golden opportunity for students to introduce their diverseand colourful costumes and traditions to their hosts. It gives themencouragement, a way for open communication and to contributesignificantly to global peace and harmony.

As a WMU tradition, every year Mrs. Lundahl holds an early
Christmas party before our holiday back home. It is a great
opportunity for us to celebrate the Christmas season as Swedes do. It
goes without saying that we all eagerly await our last party of the year.
It was Friday evening and all the corners of the basement of theHenrik Smith resident were brightened with lovely candles and atwinkling Christmas tree that made a warm and friendly environment
to welcome all students and their families. At the start of the party welearnt to say “God Jul” ( “Merry Christmas” ) and gave best wishes toeach other in Swedish. We really enjoyed the Swedish specialties“pepparkakor” - a crisp, thin ginger biscuit, flavoured with cardamom,
cinnamon and cloves, and “glögg” – spiced red wine served withalmonds, hazelnuts or raisins.
Surprisingly, the gifts from Santa Claus were a big hit: typical
Swedish seaman’s puzzles made from wood by our dear host family Father Christmas Jonny Ekdahl. We had great fun, like children,
trying on Santa Claus’ red clothes and long white beard to become“Father”, “Mother”, “Daughter” or “Son” Christmas.
It was the most fantastic and memorable celebration of all!!!

Maritime Law Enforcement Course 2009 in Japan
Ronaldo P. Bandalaria (Philippines, 2005)

With all the participants at the course

Dinner with WMU graduates and OPRF friends

Konnichiwa! Last autumn while the weather was at its best, I participatedin an Area Focused Training Course in Maritime Law Enforcement inJapan. Sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
along with the Japan Coast Guard and other government agencies, thecourse is very relevant and informative as it is designed to provide
knowledge and skills related to coastal security and maritime crime
investigation. The participants were trained in international law,countermeasures to trans-national maritime crimes and maritime law
enforcement activities, among others.
Similar to my WMU studies, I found the training very “international”.
To further enhance collaboration and networking, particularly with thecurrent problems of piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the Maritime Law
Enforcement course was well represented by participants from China,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Yemen, Oman, Tanzania, Kenya and thePhilippines.
What makes Japan training more memorable is meeting “old” and new
FRIENDS. Given the chance to meet WMU-OPRF family, we had afabulous dinner and drinks in Tokyo. As mostly expected, the night was
too short for chatting and reminiscing about the delightful times at
Malmö. Nonetheless, such a gathering was a heartfelt and wonderfulexperience of a lifetime.

Friends of WMU, JAPAN6

Friends of WMU, JAPAN7

The World is a Family, and All Humankind are Brothers and Sisters
Neill Nolit (Estonia, 2008)

When applying to WMU in 2007, I never thought that by the time I
graduated I would not only get my MSc degree but also friends forlifetime.
After graduation and before going back home, I thought to reward
myself for all my hard work at WMU and go for a holiday in Ghana.
Luckily, one Sasakawa Fellow, Nana Esi Quansah (Ghana 2008) letme stay at her place and showed me all the nicest places in the Southof Ghana. After three weeks there, I had to return home to continue
work at the Estonian Maritime Academy as well as to continue mystudies at Tallinn University of Technology for another masters’degree. After one more year of hard work, I decided to go traveling inSouth East Asia.
I started my holiday with a visit to Malmö. The night before theWMU graduation ceremony, I attended the Sasakawa Fellows’
reception. There I had a very happy reunion with Mr. Kudo and Mr.
Ichikawa, my former professors, WMU staff members, students fromthe class of 2009, and my biggest surprise, my classmate Rommel A.
Supangan from the Philippines, whom I had not seen since our own
graduation in 2008. After spending a few days there, I continued mytrip.
I spend three weeks traveling in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam andSingapore. When visiting these beautiful countries, it was anadditional bonus seeing my friends whom I had come close to while
studying at WMU. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to meetother Sasakawa Fellows in Malaysia because of their tight working
schedule, but I did have a joyful phone conversation with Ahmad
Faizal (Malaysia, 2008). In Thailand, I met with 3 Fellows,
Theerapong Bhothirungsi (Thai, 2008), Sarinee Tongbai and Poppy
Sartika (Indonesia, 2009). We had a wonderful day in Bangkok
visiting temples, museums and other sightseeing places. Then in
Vietnam, I met two of my classmates, Nguyen Quy Doanh andPhung Trong Hieu. They took me around Ho Chi Minh City, on a
Mekong Delta boat trip, and we also visited Vung Tao.
I have already planned my next holiday in December for a really
happy event in Ghana: The wedding of two WMU graduates, Nana
Esi Quansah and Martin Söderberg.
I am so happy to be able to visit my friends’ countries and to learn
more about their culture and customs and participate in special
moments of their lives.
The Nippon Foundation has given me more than just my MSc
certificate; it has given me a new family: "The world is a family, and all
humankind are brothers and sisters."– Our Second Hometown –Swedish hosts for WMU students
in Malmö
The Jeræus family: Lars, Cecilia, Katarina, Helena and Johan

Our family has been a host family for students from WMU for anumber of years.
We think the host family-system is a very good idea, giving thestudents the chance to get to know more about Sweden, where they
spend so much time while studying at WMU. Living in the hostel
together with other international students doesn’t help them get toknow many Swedish people, and of course, we want them to feel
more at home in Sweden!
Our family is probably an ordinary Swedish family, living in avillage 30 kilometres from Malmö. We have three children, who are
now adults. Our family life is very typical: we live in an ordinary
Swedish house, work and follow the Swedish traditions, eat ordinary
Swedish food and so on. The students who visit our home learn about
our way of life. We hope this is interesting for them.
In return, being a host family for these students has given us somany pleasant times. We have met students from many countries andwe have learned a lot. Our many interesting discussions with WMU
students have taught us much about their home countries and about

their cultures. We have also become familiar with WMU and its
supporting organizations. Many of the students we have met havebeen sponsored by The Nippon Foundation and we know how muchthey appreciate this support, and how much they look forward to theirtrip to Japan each September.
We have noticed that the students appreciate sharing our family
life. Most of the students miss their families, and it’s so different forthem to stay in the hostel. Hopefully, we can give them some of thefamily atmosphere they miss. We also know that they are very busy
with their studies.
We always enjoy joining them at the graduation ceremony andother events at WMU such as the welcome dinner and International
Day. During their time in Sweden, we get to know “our students”
quite well. Most of all, we’ve noticed that we can laugh at the samethings, wherever in the world we come from - and that’s fascinating!

A WMU Student Hosted
by a Swedish Family

WMU Early Christmas

Pervez Iqbal Mughal (Pakistan, 2010)

Giang Thi Huong Dang (Vietnam, 2010)

It was difficult for me to select a dish from a variety of Swedish foods
at the dinner hosted by the Malmö city government to welcome theclass of 2010. Mrs. Jeræus helped me by telling about these typical
Swedish dishes. I met her at the same gathering where Mrs. Lundahl
introduced her as my host family. Even as a first impression, I could
tell she was a very caring and outgoing lady. Her daughters were also
there to accompany us and to share Swedish culture.
Lars and Cecilia Jeræus are one of the host families in Malmö,
Sweden, who take care of WMU students and provide a chance toshare with them. There are numerous host families who are very
enthusiastic about their WMU students, wholeheartedly
familiarizing them with Swedish customs and traditions. They invite
students in their homes and share just like one family. In this way
students not only get a chance to understand a different culture but
also feel less homesickness and loneliness. At the same time, it
provides a golden opportunity for students to introduce their diverseand colourful costumes and traditions to their hosts. It gives themencouragement, a way for open communication and to contributesignificantly to global peace and harmony.

As a WMU tradition, every year Mrs. Lundahl holds an early
Christmas party before our holiday back home. It is a great
opportunity for us to celebrate the Christmas season as Swedes do. It
goes without saying that we all eagerly await our last party of the year.
It was Friday evening and all the corners of the basement of theHenrik Smith resident were brightened with lovely candles and atwinkling Christmas tree that made a warm and friendly environment
to welcome all students and their families. At the start of the party welearnt to say “God Jul” ( “Merry Christmas” ) and gave best wishes toeach other in Swedish. We really enjoyed the Swedish specialties“pepparkakor” - a crisp, thin ginger biscuit, flavoured with cardamom,
cinnamon and cloves, and “glögg” – spiced red wine served withalmonds, hazelnuts or raisins.
Surprisingly, the gifts from Santa Claus were a big hit: typical
Swedish seaman’s puzzles made from wood by our dear host family Father Christmas Jonny Ekdahl. We had great fun, like children,
trying on Santa Claus’ red clothes and long white beard to become“Father”, “Mother”, “Daughter” or “Son” Christmas.
It was the most fantastic and memorable celebration of all!!!

Maritime Law Enforcement Course 2009 in Japan
Ronaldo P. Bandalaria (Philippines, 2005)

With all the participants at the course

Dinner with WMU graduates and OPRF friends

Konnichiwa! Last autumn while the weather was at its best, I participatedin an Area Focused Training Course in Maritime Law Enforcement inJapan. Sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
along with the Japan Coast Guard and other government agencies, thecourse is very relevant and informative as it is designed to provide
knowledge and skills related to coastal security and maritime crime
investigation. The participants were trained in international law,countermeasures to trans-national maritime crimes and maritime law
enforcement activities, among others.
Similar to my WMU studies, I found the training very “international”.
To further enhance collaboration and networking, particularly with thecurrent problems of piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the Maritime Law
Enforcement course was well represented by participants from China,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Yemen, Oman, Tanzania, Kenya and thePhilippines.
What makes Japan training more memorable is meeting “old” and new
FRIENDS. Given the chance to meet WMU-OPRF family, we had afabulous dinner and drinks in Tokyo. As mostly expected, the night was
too short for chatting and reminiscing about the delightful times at
Malmö. Nonetheless, such a gathering was a heartfelt and wonderfulexperience of a lifetime.

Friends of WMU, JAPAN6

Friends of WMU, JAPAN7

Forthcoming STCW Diplomatic Conference in June, Manila

MARCH
2 0 1 030

Louie U. delos Santos, MLP 2008

The Philippines will host the International Diplomatic Conference ofParties to Adopt the Amendments to the 1978 STCW Convention
for seafarers, as amended and the STCW Code at the Philippine
International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila from June
21-25, 2010.
To prepare for this international event, the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) recently dispatched a team composed of Ms.
Olga E. O’Neil, Director, Conference Division and Mr. Vincent Job
Olabisi, Deputy Director and Head Information Technology
Division, to undertake a visual inspection of the conference and hotel
facilities in Manila from 19-21 January 2010.
Ms. Sonia B. Malaluan (SM, 1998) and Mr. Louie U. delos Santos(MLP 2008), both Sasakawa Fellows, are actively involved in the
preparations and are spearheading major committees of thePhilippine Organizing Committee.
Information regarding the 2010 STCW Diplomatic Conference
can be accessed through:http://www.marina.gov.ph/stcw/stcw2010.html.

A Note from the Secretariat

Anniversary

From Left to Right: Mr. Neil Frank Ferrer, Chair, IMO Maritime Safety Committee; Ms. Olga O’Neil, IMO Director, Conference Division; Ms. Sonia Malaluan(SM 1998); Mr. Louie U. delos Santos (MLP 2008); Ms. Myrna E. Calag,
MARINA, OIC Deputy Administrator for Planning, and Mr. Vincent Job Olabisi,
IMO Deputy Director and Head Information Technology

As of October 26, 2009 Mr. Eisuke Kudo, who was in charge of the
WMU program, retired from his post as OPRF Executive Director. His
successor is Mr. Shuhei Okazaki, who has thorough knowledge of all
OPRF programs, including WMU. Mr. Kudo now serves as Special
Advisor. We express our profound gratitude to Mr. Kudo for his
contribution to Friends of WMU over many years and ask him tocontinue to be passionately involved and give it the benefit of his guidance.
It would be appreciated if you could refer to our website to take a lookat his Keynote Speech “My Commitment in WMU” from the WMU
25th Anniversary International Conference in April, 2008.
http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp/contact_download.html

A Current Student’s Outstanding Work on the Website

Jesús A. MENACHO Piérola, one of the current Sasakawa Fellowship students in the class of 2010, would like to share his paper on the“Maritime Labour Convention, 2006” (MLC-2006) which is expected to come into force in December 2011. The paper includes the following
topics: 1) An overview of MLC-2006, 2) A comparison with the previous ILO instruments, 3) Impact on Seafarers and ship owners, 4)Practices in implementation of MLC-2006; Flag State Inspection/ Port State Control
The full text can be found on the “Friends of WMU, Japan” Website at: http://www.wmu.sof.or.jp

passed. During that time the Newsletter also
My association with WMU dates back to myfirst visit in 1993, and I had the honor of serving carried the sad announcement of the death of Dr.
it as a Visiting Professor from 1996 to 1998. Zade who was my immediate boss andThen beginning in 1999 up to 2002 I had the vice-president as well, reminding me of the
happy opportunity of enjoying life with students passage of time.
Last month, I attended WMU’s STW41 at
at Malmö as MET’s Associate Professor. In
April 2002 I returned to my old place of work, which I recognized many of my own students,
Marine Technical College (Ashiya, Japan), shining in maturity and confidence. Once more I
thinking that my association with WMU would felt the passage of time.
Having noted that, one can also say that thelessen when I was invited by the Ship & Ocean
Foundation, (OPRF) to be responsible for Newsletter is only in its 30th issue and its
publishing the Newsletter for Sasakawa Fellows. contents can be even better and richer. That of
I recall the first editorial committee meeting course depends heavily on the articles Fellows
that took place in September 2002 as if it was just send in.
I therefore ask for your greater cooperation
yesterday. I never dreamt that Newsletter No. 1
would carry the obituary of Dr. Nomoto, the because I am convinced the Newsletter serves ashonorary professor of WMU who had been an important network linking the Sasakawa
closely associated with WMU from its inception. Fellows, as well as a good source of information.
The Newsletter is now marking its 30th issue
Toshio Hikima
and I note with amazement that eight years have
Marine Technical College

A Night to Remember
Rodolfo Remigio Diawa (Philippines, 2006)

On November 26, 2009, the officers and members of the
Association of WMU Sasakawa Fellows (Philippine Chapter),Inc. gathered at the Sofitel Hotel, Manila, Philippines towelcome the officials and staff of the Ocean Policy Research
Foundation (OPRF), WMU officials and staff and Japanese
resident officers for a meeting and reception. Commodore Luis
Tuason Jr. PCG, President, led the Philippine Sasakawa Fellows
and delivered his welcome address. Mr. Hiroshi Terashima,
Executive Director of OPRF, warmly acknowledged thepresence of WMU Philippine Sasakawa fellows in his speech.
Likewise, Mr. Eisuke Kudo, Special Advisor of OPRF warmly
imparted his delight to the members who attended that night
and gave importance to the occassion.
It was also befitting that the newly appointed President of theWorld Maritime University (WMU), Dr. Björn Kjerfve, whopariticipated in the East Asia Seas Congress of 2009, hosted by
the Philippines, also attended the meeting and reception. It gave
the Fellows an opportunity to update the guests on theiraccomplishments and future activities. It is likewise a testament
to the strength of the Philippine Sasakawa Fellows network andunity towards the goals and objectives of The Nippon
Foundation and OPRF.
The Fellows likewise shared their individual appreciation andgratitude for the unceasing kindness of Mr. Yohei Sasakawa. The
feelings during the occasion were unequivocal. Every facereflected principles of our benefactor that “We are One Big
Family”. When the WMU song was boldly sung by the Fellows,
it seemed that everyone was remembering their happy
experiences at WMU and Malmö.

Morever, the presence and messages of Ms. Maria Elena H.
Bautista,
Maritime
Industry
Authority(MARINA)
Administrator; Admiral Wilfredo D. Tamayo, Commandant of
the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); and Commodore Richard
U. Ritual, Vice-President of the Philippine Merchant Marine
Academy (PMMA) on behalf of PMMA President Admiral
Fidel E. Dinoso, inspired the Fellows during thereception/cocktails that followed. The “Kampai” that abounded
during the reception contributed a lot to make the night “a night
to remember”.
With “one solid voice” we are very thankful to Mr. Sasakawa,the officers, staff of The Nippon Foundation, and OPRF fortheir untiring support, concern, and generosity to the Sasakawa
Fellows and to others. A special thanks also to Mr. Kudo, whoalways extends himself to attend to our needs and to the officers
and staff of OPRF, Mabuhay.

th