Japan Offers Technical Assistance to the Philippines for Construction of Oil Tankers / Fiber Glass Boats and Training of Maritime Instructors
07 May 2015, Tokyo – The Philippines and Japan have entered into a cooperation arrangement to enhance the skills and capabilities of Filipino shipyards and shipowners to construct oil tankers and fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) boats for domestic use that are compliant with international safety and environmental standards.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) of the Philippines, through Administrator – Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr., and the Maritime Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan, through Director-General Morishige Toshiya, signed on 23 March 2015 in Tokyo the Record of Discussions (RoD) on “Enhancement of Constructing Oil Tanker Vessels in the Philippines” and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Maritime Instructors’ Training Scheme in Japan (Advanced Course) 2015. (photo at right)
Administrator Mejia visited Tokyo last March for bilateral talks with Director-General Morishige that culminated with the signing of the technical cooperation arrangements. Under the RoD, Japan offers to provide the Philippines with technical cooperation as well as design drawing of oil tanker on the condition that the oil tankers will be built in the Philippines and classed by a Japanese ship classification society, the copyright holder of the design drawing. In turn, MARINA accepted the proposal provided all relevant rules and regulations and other formalities of the Philippines are complied with in the process of building oil tankers for domestic use.
In signing the RoD., the MARINA and the Maritime Bureau-MLIT recognized the importance of replacing oil tankers in the Philippines to ensure safe and environmentally sound shipping. They also underlined the effectiveness of constructing oil tankers in Philippine shipyards to promote and enhance the skills and capabilities of the Philippine shipbuilding industry.
The Maritime Bureau-MLIT also offered technical assistance for the construction in the Philippines with fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) boats to replace the wooden bancas of Filipino fishermen. Mr. Morishige underscored the advantage of FRP boats that are sturdier, environment-friendly and have longer service life as against wooden bancas that rely on trees and rot easily and thus have a short service life. Mr. Morishige informed Administrator Mejia that MLIT is ready to provide technical support to MARINA to disseminate information on Japanese assistance and technology for the fabrication in the Philippines of FRP boats. Mr. Morishige also informed Administrator Mejia that Japan is conducting research for advance technology to build durable and recyclable FRP boats, which could be shared with the Philippines. Dr. Mejia stressed that the cost issue for FRP boats will have to be addressed comprehensively by MARINA and potential Filipino boat fabricators. But over time, Administrator Mejia said FRP boats will make more financial sense in terms of service life and maintenance.
In order to disseminate the Japan technical assistance, MARINA held a forum with the Filipino shipyard owners and ship builders from all over the country on 22 April 2015 at the MARINA office for a detailed discussion on the proposal for the construction of oil tankers and FRP boats. The forum was attended by officials from the Maritime Bureau-MLIT, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office-DFA and the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, who all joined in the effort to enhance the Philippine shipbuilding industry.
The Filipino shipyard executives have expressed particular interest in the offer for technical assistance by Japan.
Under the MOA, Japan will finance the training program for qualified Filipino maritime instructors to enhance the training and teaching skills of the faculty of Philippine maritime colleges and training centers thereby ensure compliance with the obligations under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. MLIT will also assign an MLIT expert in MARINA as adviser on maritime safety.
Dr. Mejia was accompanied during his meeting with the MLIT officials by Deputy Chief of Mission Gilberto Asuque and Engr. Ramon C. Hernandez, Director II, Shipyards Regulation Service of MARINA. During his visit to Japan, Dr. Mejia also met with officials of the Japan Shipowners Association and Japanese shipbuilders to further strengthen the partnership of the Philippines and Japan in the seafaring profession and shipbuilding. In course of his meetings, Dr. Mejia launched his campaign for the post of Secretary General of the IMO at elections to be held during the 114th Session of the IMO Council from 29 June-03 July 2015 in London.
