Maritime News and Discussions

[renell]

Originally Posted by bustero

Anyway it's a good trip. I've taken in before , quite fast, it just really stinks sometimes and when it rains the passengers really disappear.

therefore it should be those closed things with airconditioning. I know the ones in Amsterdam are closed... the London ones too..

[bustero]

I think the new ones are closed. If I remember correctly even the old ones are closed, the problem with the old ones was that the terminals were just open air platforms, I think withs the Sydney guys this will be a better system. Great news for us all!

[rajiris]

can't post more yet as of now, im currently doing my thesis book.
Will post more infos and further project development asap. Thanks for all comments.

[rajiris]

As i was sitting and wondering about things, while browsing thru architectural magazines and stuffs..something dawned upon me which i think can be a start of coming up with a real design philosophy and a design concept.

here's what i thought of. this is not final, as it will be changing as i get more grip of what i want.


Overall Philosophy: Life is merely a circulation in which God is the Architect. We as subjects, are bound to follow life's design. But also by having creative minds, we have the capacity to customize life, to innovate, and to interact with the structure.

Design Philosophy: Beauty + Strength + Function = 75% ARCHITECTURE
+ PEOPLE
= 100 % Architecture
A structure for me can only be identified as architecture if there are people using it. And sticking with my overall philosophy, people defines the structure. People can customize and innovate upon a given space, and thus giving life to the structure and defining it as an Architecture.

Design Concept:

" ARCHIPELAGIC WAVES " : Promoting unity in the Islands of the Philippine Archipelago through water architecture.

** my design will evoke the rolling waves of the sea. i will post some sketches soon. at the same time, the Archipelagic state of the philippines will be emphasized in my project, and a way of connecting these separated islands through the most viable means, water transportation.
In a smaller scale though, in my site development plan, i will try to emphasize this idea of being separated but connected by a means of transportation. As the Passenger terminal will only be located in one pier (pier2), people will have to be shuttled to the other piers in loading and unloading. A proper circulation will be the solution.

[pau_p1]

isn't it that there is a Cruise Line port that was built in South Harbor?....

anyways.. if the North Harbor be re-developed with a good ferry terminal.. it would be good I guess..

[rajiris]

Originally Posted by pau_p1

isn't it that there is a Cruise Line port that was built in South Harbor?....

anyways.. if the North Harbor be re-developed with a good ferry terminal.. it would be good I guess..

No it isn;t a cruise line port in south harbor. It is to be recalled that south harbor is utilized only for International CARGO ships and that North Harbor is for domestic (both cargo and passenger ferry).

But due to inefficiency of the current North harbor, the SuperFerry lines transferred their passenger terminal at the south harbor's pier 15. It is the "Eva-Macapagal Super Terminal". It is for ferry passengers and not for cruise lines.

My project proposal of a passenger terminal isn' that of a normal passenger terminal like that of the Eva-Macapagal.

North Harbor will be re-evaluated, the current positions of the shipping lines in their respective piers will have to be changed. All shipping lines with passengers will be arranged nearer to the passenger terminal building which will be placed in Pier 2 reclamation, while the other shipping lines that are purely cargo ni nature will have to move towards the uppermost piers. This will organize the circulation minimizing traffic and keeping pedestrians safer.

[richard fischer]

does anyone have updates on the ongoing subic port modernization project ? possibly some pics or aerials on construction ?

[systematica]

Crucial to the rehabilitation of the North Harbor would be the extension of the MRT2 line into the pier area and integrating a station into the ferry terminals. There should be an easy link between ferry terminals, airports and train stations. Travellers should be able to fly into Manila from anywhere in the world and then easily transfer to other modes of transportation via public transit.

I hope you intergrate an MRT station into your design.

[Lili]

Wow interesting thesis and great inputs!

[rajiris]

Originally Posted by sandrin

Shipbuilding: Sailing back to the glory days
Joan Orendain

THE GLORY days of Philippine shipbuilding were in the 16th and 17th centuries, when the country led the rest of the Orient in the seafaring trade.
Three-masted Spanish galleons loaded with treasure, which swashbuckling English pirates plundered, were constructed in Cavite, Iloilo, Pangasinan, Sorsogon, Masbate, Albay, Mindoro and Cebu.
Made of Philippine mahogany, the cannonballs of marauding buccaneers merely bounced off the galleons' hardwood decks.
In modern times, by virtue of geography, we are dependent on ships for domestic and overseas transport, fishing, defense, offshore patrol, customs interdiction, and search and rescue activities.
The demand for ships is great, but most, if not all, of the steel-hulled ships plying our waters are imported, largely as second-hand reconditioned ships.
The boatbuilding industry remains strong, as in the days of yore. Shipwrights still build wooden-hulled boats that provide short-distance transportation services for passengers, and outriggers for fishermen.
There are several local shipyards capable of building steel-hulled vessels, but the domestic demand is limited to small steel-hulled vessels such as barges, tugboats and fishing vessels.
Two companies based in Cebu-Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Inc, and FBMA Babcock Marine Inc.-are successful shipbuilders catering to the export market.
Tsuneishi builds bulk carriers, while the FBMA builds high-speed catamarans. Both are joint venture companies, where the foreign partners provide the technology, experience and access to the global market, while the local partners provide the land, skilled labor and local market access.
Most of the shipbuilding firms in the country are engaged in ship repair, servicing the second hand fleet where they make good returns.
These include firms such as: Keppel Philippines Inc., with shipyards in Batangas and Cebu; Subic Shipyard & Engineering Inc. located in Zambales; and Philippine Iron Construction & Marine Works Inc. in Northern Mindanao.
Largest in the world
South Korea, which has the largest shipbuilding industry in the world, has captured 56.2 percent of the world's new orders for ships.
Their order books over the next two years are full. Japan trails Korea by half at 26.6 percent, and Europe is a poor third at 11.3 percent.
The Philippine picture could change, though, as a few good men work quietly in their government offices to try to make the shipbuilding dream happen.
The lone Philippine delegate to the shipbuilding conferences organized by the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation Special Negotiating Group (OECD-SNG), was Agustin Bengzon, an undersecretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication.
Bengzon attended the conferences to learn how other countries developed their shipbuilding industry.
Special niche
The Philippines, Bengzon learned, could carve out its own market niche in the shipbuilding industry. Also, he found out that European shipyards enjoyed generous grants, government support measures and subsidies.
Our special niche, focusing on building small ships of 5,000 deadweight tons or less, could fly, with government setting policy directions and providing a favorable investment climate.
Bengzon announced the good news at the BIMP-EAGA (or the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area) Philippine Exhibition and Conference.
He also discussed shipbuilding opportunities for the region.
In a memo to his boss, Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Bengzon noted that the Philippines needed to craft a policy and an action program to upgrade the country's shipbuilding industry.
Policy paper
Mendoza then directed Bengzon to prioritize the development of the local shipbuilding industry and tasked him to oversee the formulation of a policy paper and action program.
Mendoza's decision was recognized by President Macapagal-Arroyo in her 10-point agenda. The President encouraged the "growth of the national shipbuilding's industry" as a specific project for job and wealth creation.
Bengzon and Vicente T. Suazo Jr., Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator, have started conducting dialogues with shipbuilding companies in the NCR, Iloilo, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.
The dialogues provided a forum for the comprehensive exchange of ideas-to produce a viable action program.
Bengzon said that recent events have contributed to the development of Philippine shipbuilding.
The existing domestic demand for ships, the availability of local funds, and our shipbuilding capability are determining the shape of the shipbuilding industry, he said.
Huge demand
There is a demand for the following type of vessels:
Roll-On/Roll-Off vessels. Ninety-six are needed for the 48 identified routes along the Ro-Ro Terminal System. The Roll-On/Roll-Off Terminal System is a component of the Development Bank of the Philippines' Sustainable Logistics Development Program (RRTS-SLDP). The SLDP is a collaboration between government and the private sector to bring about cost-effective ways of moving goods and people.
Vessels of various types. At least 120 are needed. The vessels are part of the Philippine Navy's 15-year acquisition program.
Multi-role response vessels. Around 311, ranging in size from 15 to 125 meters and other types of vessels. The vessels will be acquired by the Philippine Coast Guard over a 15-year period.
Allocation
Also, there is a demand for aging domestic merchant and deep sea fishing fleets, where 57 vessels may be over 30 years old and 128 vessels may be up to 26 years old.
To pay for all this, Bengzon cited the DBP allocation of P12 billion for the procurement of Ro-Ro vessels under the RRTS-SLDP.
The DBP, in collaboration with the National Development Corp. has also established the NDC-Maritime Equity Corp., a ship financing facility.
"I commend DBP chair Vitaliano Nañagas II and former Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cesar Purisima for recognizing the need to establish a ship financing and leasing facility jointly with the NDC to address the financing requirements needed to support the shipbuilding program," Bengzon said.
Given the number of ships to be built and the magnitude of the funding required, more than one financing and leasing firm may be needed to cater to both the public and the private sectors' requirements, he said.
Investors for this new ship financing and leasing company could also come from financial institutions, insurance and fund-management groups, and venture capitalists.
(To be continued)

may katuloy na po b ito?

[rajiris]

Originally Posted by systematica

Crucial to the rehabilitation of the North Harbor would be the extension of the MRT2 line into the pier area and integrating a station into the ferry terminals. There should be an easy link between ferry terminals, airports and train stations. Travellers should be able to fly into Manila from anywhere in the world and then easily transfer to other modes of transportation via public transit.

I hope you intergrate an MRT station into your design.

this is probably where the terminal for the lrt extension from recto station will be placed.



i will be locating the passenger terminal building in Pier 2 which is the closest to the access road for pedestrians. the passengers will be shuttled to their respective piers after all cargoes are loaded. so while they are in the terminal, they will have a proper waiting area or they can also be with their well-wishers in a secured view deck. this terminal will also have commercial areas that will add to the terminal's revenues.

i have talked to an official in the Phil. Port Authority and she discussed that the lrt line extension isn't that possible to be implemented any few years from now. but at least, we can prepare for it in the design provisions of the terminal just in case.

[rajiris]

any new suggestions for the passenger terminals here in the Philippines that will make it more comfortable for passengers?

[pau_p1]

would the proposed design have an overhead LRT?... I guess an on ground level train station is better there... and maybe a bus hub or PUV area should be considered..

[rajiris]

well i was really planning on a multi-modal hub for my thesis in the start but my professor had to ditch the idea it being too difficult with the given deadline.

but a future access to the lrt terminal will be considered but it will be part of an "Future Expansion" of the terminal cause the lrt extension might not come in the next 10 years or so.

i was also thinking about the lot size of north harbor excluding the piers. It really isn't wide enough so i would really have to resort to reclamation for most of the terminal area.

[Lili]

^ How do you ensure that your professor will not steal your brilliant thesis ideas and concepts later on and package those as his when bidding for the project? Or perhaps contractors tapping onto your blog and this forum?

[rajiris]

Originally Posted by Lili

^ How do you ensure that your professor will not steal your brilliant thesis ideas and concepts later on and package those as his when bidding for the project? Or perhaps contractors tapping onto your blog and this forum?

my classmates and i were also thinking about that before...you know, when we were on our lower years, some of our projects were taken from real projects that our professors had at that time. well we can never really be sure of what will happen to our ideas (which aren't that brilliant at all ^_^' ) ..there's really nothing much that we can do about it as students.


actually...i am a bit having second thoughts on what to post on my blogs etc..hehe as those are informations coming from my ideas..well..maybe i will have to limit what i post.

well let's just say that my idea won't be anything close to being buildable in this time hehe...i will make it a bit futuristic.

well thanks so much for the thought lili. ^_^

[Lili]

^I see a very promising career for you in the future. Keep up the good work and the vision!

[systematica]

Who cares if the ideas are "stolen"? Personally as a creative person, I would rather that my good ideas are taken for free and used, rather than if a bad idea was implemented when it comes to situations like this. What would drive me is to see that the enviroment is improved, not the egotistical claim to an idea. There is only one North Harbor, and I hope the best of all ideas get considered when the time comes to really develop it.

[rajiris]

Originally Posted by systematica

Who cares if the ideas are "stolen"? Personally as a creative person, I would rather that my good ideas are taken for free and used, rather than if a bad idea was implemented when it comes to situations like this. What would drive me is to see that the enviroment is improved, not the egotistical claim to an idea. There is only one North Harbor, and I hope the best of all ideas get considered when the time comes to really develop it.

right now, it is more of an achievement for students like me if ever ideas coming from us are used whether we get credit or not. just the mere fact that it might be considered is already an achievement for us, it means that we might just have what it takes to be in this profession.

about the development of the philippines, every bit of good idea is needed nomatter who it came from. personally, i really don't actually care much about who gets credit for what. that's why i hate MOST of the POLITICIANS who paints their UGLY NAMES and FACES in every little bit of public properties that they think they gave to us out of their own good will.

i will start a thread about the craziest credit claiming frenzies of stupid politicians there is. ^_^ for example, waiting sheds. ^_^

[rajiris]

one of my concerns is this: why would people prefer sea travel if it is much slower than air travel?

it is always mentioned that air travel saves a lot of precious time. not to mention comfort. with this, how can sea travel compete air travel? i mean, one of the few edges there is to watertravel is its cost. it really is a lot cheaper to ride a ferry rather than take a plane. with this, most of the people riding the ferry are those who are budget constrained. if given the availability of money, these people would undoubtly take the plane instead more or less.

what if North Harbor is really developed complete with facilities and amenities that matches or even surpasses those of airports? of course sea travel not only refers to the terminals but also the ships of shipping companies. it will be great if they will also contribute to the overall development by maintaining their vessels more properly.

air and sea are like apples and oranges. the common thing they have is the travellers. but in terms of sceneries, its a lot different. that's why there are CRUISE SHIPS where people take their time out..relaxing and rewinding. there is something amazingly relaxing with the sound of the rolling sea that one cannot experience in air. being in an airplane is just like being in an enclosed space with comfortable seats etc. except that you are in air. one cannot actually experience the air, it doesnt even touch your skin. next thing you know, your back in land. whereas in water travel, you go out to the deck, smell the freash sea, if lucky you might even see dolphins, schools of fish, etc. waves splashes high, wind breezes to your skin with droplets of salt water..it is indeed a more relaxing experience than just staying on your seat looking out the window and seeing patches of clouds you can see from land.

my point is this. not most people are into this except if they go on a vacation. most people who travel are more appreciative of speed. they are so into their hectic schedules that they can't see the beauty of life you can only see in slow motion. with this, how can Sea Travel compete with Air travel?

can we promote sea travel as a relaxing mode of transpo, where speed is something overshadowed by serenity of travelling, something more of a cross between a cruise liner experience and a mode of transportation? with the development of the North Harbor Passenger Hub as a prelude to what sea travel is all about, might it just boost the water travel industry? in what other ways can we promote water travel, something that will make people prefer it even if they are capable of taking the airplane?