Twelve side events will be organized during the Sail Bunaken 2009 which will take place in Manado, North Sulawesi, August 12-20, 2009.
The side events would include a sailing pass, a fly pass, a city parade, and a diving record breaking to be participated in by more than 1,500 divers, Marietha Kuntag of the Manado administration, said here on Sunday.
Other events would be a seminar, an admiral dinner, water sports, traditional sports, a crew party, tourism and recreation, a cultural performance, and a food gathering of ship crew members, she said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will officially open the foreign ship parade which will be held in Manado and Bitung, North Sulawesi.
Some 42 countries have confirmed their participation in the Sail Bunaken 2009, according to her.
The Sail Bunaken 2009 is aimed at strengthening seamen brotherhood and international relations, as well as promoting North Sulawesi as a gate of East Asia.
Foreign participants are also expected to be able to see the beautiful scenery of North Sulawesi`s sea, especially Bunaken National Marine Park.
The Bunaken National Marine Park, one of the world`s best of its kind, covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water.
Around 150 yachts have been registered to take part in a Darwin (Australia)-Bitung-Manado Yacht Rally which is to be organized as part of Sail Bunaken activities.
Around 8,000 sailors from all over the world are expected to participate in the Sail Bunaken 2009.
The Sail Bunaken will be the largest maritime event ever organized in Asia as it will involve 24 warships, 150 sail boats, and cruise ships from 26 countries.
The warship parade will be participated in by among other things USS George Washington, one of the world`s largest aircraft carriers, with around 5,000 crew members on board.
The US warship will be guarded by three frigates each having 500 crew members on board. The warships will arrive in Bitung starting August 12, 2009. (*)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sail Bunaken 2009 to have 12 side events
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Action, not words
The grim warning of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that South-East Asia’s biologically diverse coral reefs would disappear by the end of this century if no measures were taken now comes at a time when the whole world is focused more on climate changes than anything else. What is equally important in the ecological and biodiversity chain is oceans that occupy two-thirds of the Earth’s surface. Their importance in the weather cycle that produces monsoons needs no emphasis. It is the benign face of oceans. But they pack destructive power during hurricanes, tsunamis and storms. Understanding the nature of ocean currents and their behaviour is as quirky as predicting the weather. What lies below the ocean surface and on its bed is a world that defies our imagination. The Coral Triangle, a reef network that spans Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and East Timor, has more than 76 per cent of the world’s reef-building coral species and 35 per cent of its coral reef fish species. This coral treasure will be doomed unless the world cuts its carbon emissions by an average 25 per cent in another 10 years. We have been hearing about the doomsday scenarios for years. But what makes the latest WWF warning pertinent is it comes when over 80 countries were debating climate changes and oceans in Manado, Indonesia. It appears that policy makers and the scientific community have at last realised the need – or importance – for including oceans in the climate talks scheduled to be held in Copenhagen in December.
Participants at the World Ocean Conference have adopted a declaration promising to address some of the issues raised at the meet. These include reducing pollution of oceans; sustainable management of fisheries, protection of mangroves, wetlands and coral reefs. But the declaration is non-binding on participating countries. If previous declarations and agreements are any indication, they are being observed more in letter than in spirit. Oceans’ role in climate changes goes beyond the vagaries of weather. They are an important source of food and provide livelihood for millions of people in coastal areas. An equal number of people are dependent on ocean riches directly or indirectly. Seas and oceans also contain millions of tonnes of oil and minerals. They are home to thousands of marine species. The oceans’ existence, particularly their water level, is intrinsically linked to our life on the earth. If their level goes up due to melting of glaciers and Polar caps, which scientists have warned happening because of climatic changes, most of the coastal cities and low-lying islands will go down under the sea. Once we understand how climate changes affect oceans, and by inference our survival, we see the imperative need to include them in any future environmental talks or protocols.
Before reaching agreements, what is more important is, maritime countries should strive to lessen ocean pollution. That is not difficult given the kind of technology available and every country possesses. It is common that many countries release industrial effluents without treating them into the sea. Similarly, coastal towns and cities let the highly polluted sewage and toxic waste into the ocean. The contaminated sea water kills fish and all marine life in the surrounding area and the people who consume tainted sea food fall sick. Over-fishing is another problem that causes depletion of stocks and endangers species. That is already happening. The issues discussed at the ocean conference should not be left there itself. The countries that have attended it should follow them up to the next round of climate talks for action. Otherwise, the lofty statements made in Indonesia remain empty promises.
Participants at the World Ocean Conference have adopted a declaration promising to address some of the issues raised at the meet. These include reducing pollution of oceans; sustainable management of fisheries, protection of mangroves, wetlands and coral reefs. But the declaration is non-binding on participating countries. If previous declarations and agreements are any indication, they are being observed more in letter than in spirit. Oceans’ role in climate changes goes beyond the vagaries of weather. They are an important source of food and provide livelihood for millions of people in coastal areas. An equal number of people are dependent on ocean riches directly or indirectly. Seas and oceans also contain millions of tonnes of oil and minerals. They are home to thousands of marine species. The oceans’ existence, particularly their water level, is intrinsically linked to our life on the earth. If their level goes up due to melting of glaciers and Polar caps, which scientists have warned happening because of climatic changes, most of the coastal cities and low-lying islands will go down under the sea. Once we understand how climate changes affect oceans, and by inference our survival, we see the imperative need to include them in any future environmental talks or protocols.
Before reaching agreements, what is more important is, maritime countries should strive to lessen ocean pollution. That is not difficult given the kind of technology available and every country possesses. It is common that many countries release industrial effluents without treating them into the sea. Similarly, coastal towns and cities let the highly polluted sewage and toxic waste into the ocean. The contaminated sea water kills fish and all marine life in the surrounding area and the people who consume tainted sea food fall sick. Over-fishing is another problem that causes depletion of stocks and endangers species. That is already happening. The issues discussed at the ocean conference should not be left there itself. The countries that have attended it should follow them up to the next round of climate talks for action. Otherwise, the lofty statements made in Indonesia remain empty promises.
UNESCO supports planned world ocean conference in Manado
UNESCO has pledged its support for the World Ocean Conference (WOC) to be held in Manado from May 11 to 15, 2009 as part of efforts to deal with global warming.
"Several member states of UNESCO have expressed their readiness to participate in WOC in Manado, as their response to the threat of environmental and marine degradation," North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Sarundajang told the press here on Friday.
Sarundajang attended the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Forum, the 41st Session of the UNESCO Executive Council, in Paris from June 24 to July 1, 2008.
Some 50 countries attending the UNESCO forum expressed their support for the Indonesian government initiative to organize WOC because marine environmental preservation is crucial for the whole world, he said.
The governor and Indonesian Ambassador to UNESCO Aman Wirakartakusumah was asked to present the plans for WOC at the UNESCO meeting.
They also held a meeting with UNESCO World Heritage Center deputy director Kishore Rao to report on what North Sulawesi had done to prepare its Bunaken Marine Park as a world marine biodiversity site.
"Several member states of UNESCO have expressed their readiness to participate in WOC in Manado, as their response to the threat of environmental and marine degradation," North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Sarundajang told the press here on Friday.
Sarundajang attended the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Forum, the 41st Session of the UNESCO Executive Council, in Paris from June 24 to July 1, 2008.
Some 50 countries attending the UNESCO forum expressed their support for the Indonesian government initiative to organize WOC because marine environmental preservation is crucial for the whole world, he said.
The governor and Indonesian Ambassador to UNESCO Aman Wirakartakusumah was asked to present the plans for WOC at the UNESCO meeting.
They also held a meeting with UNESCO World Heritage Center deputy director Kishore Rao to report on what North Sulawesi had done to prepare its Bunaken Marine Park as a world marine biodiversity site.
First Official UN Day For Ocean Awareness
It’s official, today is the first UN designated World Oceans Day. The concept for World Oceans Day was proposed at the 1992 Earth Summit and has been unofficially celebrated every year since then. 17 years later official designation by the U.N. was finally given and is considerate by ocean conservationists as a significant step in conserving and protecting our world’s ocean.
Each year the event organizers designate an official theme and this year they picked “one ocean, one climate, one future”. The offical website, TheOceanProject.com, explains;
The concept of a “World Ocean Day” was first proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The Ocean Project has been working closely with the World Ocean Network for the last six years to promote and coordinate World Ocean Day events and activities with aquariums, zoos, museums, conservation organizations and agencies, universities, schools, and businesses. Each year an increasing number of countries and organizations have been marking June 8th as opportunity to celebrate our world ocean and our personal connection to the sea.
With the World Ocean Network, The Ocean Project also developed and widely circulated a petition to the United Nations urging them to officially recognize World Ocean Day. With help from our Partner organizations, tens of thousands of people from all parts of the world signed online or paper copies of the petition. Your participation in all of this made a real difference!
While official U.N. designation is not going to change things overnight it is an important step in improving the health of our world’s ocean. Now we need to capitalize on this fresh momentum! We hope you will be involved in planning or participating in a World Oceans Day celebration near you in June.
For those not able to get off work to attend, google has created a few great visualizations to celebrate the wonders of the underwater world. Here is the link: World Oceans Day Visulizations by Google
And for Maritime History buffs it is also the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage on the sailing ship OnrustMonday, February 2, 2009
Indonesia First World Ocean Conference
With the World Ocean Conference 2009 happening next year in May on the northeastern Indonesian island of Sulawesi, direct flights to Manado from Davao, Philippines are expected to balloon many times over.
Considered the world's biggest event to take place next year in Indonesia, the World Ocean Conference is expected to draw some 10,000 international delegates from all over the world, accompanied by over 2,000 journalists, according to city councilor Peter Lavina, chairman of the committee on trade, commerce and industry of the city council in this bustling southern Philippine city.
Lavina revealed that presidents of the world's most powerful nations like US, China, Russia, Japan, Great Britain, Australia, heads of states, kings, queens, as well as top scientists and environmentalists will tackle wide-ranging topics on saving the world's oceans, protecting coral reefs, climate change, pollution, disappearing forests and global warming.
world ocean conferenceLavina, one of the most active advocates of the direct Davao-Manado flight urged the government and various industry groups here to prepare for the World Ocean Conference in Manado which is only an hour's flying time from this southern city.
"Let's take full advantage of this rare global event ---- it's going to attract thousands of international delegates and many of them will use this shorter, direct route from Davao to Manado instead of the longer route from Jakarta," Lavina said.
Direct flights from Davao to Manado was revived three months ago after the Indonesian airline, Sriwijaya Air, which used to ply the route gave up its operations late last year due to lack of air passengers.
A new Indonesian airline, Wings Air, took over the suspended route and revived the air traffic between the two neighboring cities which was established some years ago by the economic grouping of BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines- East Asean Growth Area)
Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz said this is exactly what the BIMP-EAGA group anticipated when the four countries agreed to establish direct air and sea linkages with each other to promote trade, tourism and investments in this part of the world.
"With these direct air and sea links, we're now seeing the growth of more trade deals, more tour packages, more investments and more venture partnerships between the four Asean countries," says Cruz who also chairs the BIMP-EAGA Senior Ministers Meetings in the region.
Daniel Jacobs, Wings Air district engineer for Manado said more and more passengers from Davao are filling up the seats of their 52-seater jetprop aircraft which flies weekly to Manado.
"Our flights are mostly fully booked--if we can't fill up the seats, we can always take in more cargo," Jacobs told mediamen here.
Most of the passengers today who use the direct Davao-Manado flights are local traders who buy cheap goods from Sulawesi and ship them back to Davao.
Others include overseas Filipino workers who work in Indonesia or Malaysia, businessmen who run joint-venture firms, fishermen and crew of Indonesian fishing vessels and foreign tourists looking for adventure in the exotic islands of Indonesia, according to Jacobs.
For the coming World Ocean Conference, Lavina said Indonesian airlines might be forced to come up with several bigger aircraft like the Airbus 330 to handle special chartered flights from Davao to accommodate the thousands of delegates and journalists on their way to Manado for the weeklong
Considered the world's biggest event to take place next year in Indonesia, the World Ocean Conference is expected to draw some 10,000 international delegates from all over the world, accompanied by over 2,000 journalists, according to city councilor Peter Lavina, chairman of the committee on trade, commerce and industry of the city council in this bustling southern Philippine city.
Lavina revealed that presidents of the world's most powerful nations like US, China, Russia, Japan, Great Britain, Australia, heads of states, kings, queens, as well as top scientists and environmentalists will tackle wide-ranging topics on saving the world's oceans, protecting coral reefs, climate change, pollution, disappearing forests and global warming.
world ocean conferenceLavina, one of the most active advocates of the direct Davao-Manado flight urged the government and various industry groups here to prepare for the World Ocean Conference in Manado which is only an hour's flying time from this southern city.
"Let's take full advantage of this rare global event ---- it's going to attract thousands of international delegates and many of them will use this shorter, direct route from Davao to Manado instead of the longer route from Jakarta," Lavina said.
Direct flights from Davao to Manado was revived three months ago after the Indonesian airline, Sriwijaya Air, which used to ply the route gave up its operations late last year due to lack of air passengers.
A new Indonesian airline, Wings Air, took over the suspended route and revived the air traffic between the two neighboring cities which was established some years ago by the economic grouping of BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines- East Asean Growth Area)
Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz said this is exactly what the BIMP-EAGA group anticipated when the four countries agreed to establish direct air and sea linkages with each other to promote trade, tourism and investments in this part of the world.
"With these direct air and sea links, we're now seeing the growth of more trade deals, more tour packages, more investments and more venture partnerships between the four Asean countries," says Cruz who also chairs the BIMP-EAGA Senior Ministers Meetings in the region.
Daniel Jacobs, Wings Air district engineer for Manado said more and more passengers from Davao are filling up the seats of their 52-seater jetprop aircraft which flies weekly to Manado.
"Our flights are mostly fully booked--if we can't fill up the seats, we can always take in more cargo," Jacobs told mediamen here.
Most of the passengers today who use the direct Davao-Manado flights are local traders who buy cheap goods from Sulawesi and ship them back to Davao.
Others include overseas Filipino workers who work in Indonesia or Malaysia, businessmen who run joint-venture firms, fishermen and crew of Indonesian fishing vessels and foreign tourists looking for adventure in the exotic islands of Indonesia, according to Jacobs.
For the coming World Ocean Conference, Lavina said Indonesian airlines might be forced to come up with several bigger aircraft like the Airbus 330 to handle special chartered flights from Davao to accommodate the thousands of delegates and journalists on their way to Manado for the weeklong
Overseas Shipping in the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is a massive body of water that separates the continents of Europe and Africa from North and South America. It stretches from the Arctic Circle all the way down to the South Pole and is subject to every type of weather and climate known to man. Overseas shipping on the Atlantic Ocean has a long and storied history that needs to be reviewed to understand the nature of overseas shipping today.
Overseas shipping on the Atlantic Ocean before the 15th Century was limited to the countries of Europe and Africa. The two continents on the far western end of the Atlantic had not yet been discovered and sailors believed that the world was flat so if you went too far you fell off the edge. Ships generally kept close to the coast and only traversed open water in the inland Mediterranean and Red Seas.
In 1492, an adventurer named Columbus, who believed that the world was round, used his knowledge of currents and winds and crossed the Atlantic for the first time. He discovered the Americas and showed others a new sailing route. Overseas shipping of people and supplies followed shortly after. The routes that Columbus took both to America and back to Europe are still used by overseas shipping companies today.
The current that carried Columbus to the Caribbean over five hundred years ago runs south from the coast of Spain, through the Canary and Madeira Islands and across the Atlantic Ocean to the West Indies, where he landed. The current that goes back across the Atlantic goes up the East Coast of the United States and north to just above the 45th parallel. Ironically, it flows almost directly into the island of Great Britain.
Currents were very important for sailing ships in the centuries after Columbus and leading up to the development of modern ships that are powered by oil or steam. They make a voyage faster and less likely to end tragically from a lack of movement. Winds tend to blow simultaneously with the current so sailing ships stuck to the same route. Overseas shipping became a matter of staying in shipping lanes and getting there faster than your competitor.
Today, ships can move easily against the current or with no current at all, but the shipping lanes have been established by over five hundred years of overseas shipping between Europe and America. Currents also save on water resistance, or drag, that can slow a ship down and cause it to burn extra fuel. Overseas shipping rates are expensive as it is and time is an important factor in the shipping industry. Those overseas shipping companies that have the fastest delivery times tend to be the most successful.
The shipping practices and the bravery of men like Columbus and others who sailed into uncharted waters have plotted a course for the merchants of today. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean now is as common as crossing Main Street in your home town. Overseas shipping is a multi-billion dollar industry that brings the world closer together and helps us all live just a little more comfortably.
Overseas shipping on the Atlantic Ocean before the 15th Century was limited to the countries of Europe and Africa. The two continents on the far western end of the Atlantic had not yet been discovered and sailors believed that the world was flat so if you went too far you fell off the edge. Ships generally kept close to the coast and only traversed open water in the inland Mediterranean and Red Seas.
In 1492, an adventurer named Columbus, who believed that the world was round, used his knowledge of currents and winds and crossed the Atlantic for the first time. He discovered the Americas and showed others a new sailing route. Overseas shipping of people and supplies followed shortly after. The routes that Columbus took both to America and back to Europe are still used by overseas shipping companies today.
The current that carried Columbus to the Caribbean over five hundred years ago runs south from the coast of Spain, through the Canary and Madeira Islands and across the Atlantic Ocean to the West Indies, where he landed. The current that goes back across the Atlantic goes up the East Coast of the United States and north to just above the 45th parallel. Ironically, it flows almost directly into the island of Great Britain.
Currents were very important for sailing ships in the centuries after Columbus and leading up to the development of modern ships that are powered by oil or steam. They make a voyage faster and less likely to end tragically from a lack of movement. Winds tend to blow simultaneously with the current so sailing ships stuck to the same route. Overseas shipping became a matter of staying in shipping lanes and getting there faster than your competitor.
Today, ships can move easily against the current or with no current at all, but the shipping lanes have been established by over five hundred years of overseas shipping between Europe and America. Currents also save on water resistance, or drag, that can slow a ship down and cause it to burn extra fuel. Overseas shipping rates are expensive as it is and time is an important factor in the shipping industry. Those overseas shipping companies that have the fastest delivery times tend to be the most successful.
The shipping practices and the bravery of men like Columbus and others who sailed into uncharted waters have plotted a course for the merchants of today. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean now is as common as crossing Main Street in your home town. Overseas shipping is a multi-billion dollar industry that brings the world closer together and helps us all live just a little more comfortably.
Call for Papers on WOC 2009
Call for Papers on WOC 2009
Submitted by markus.lasut on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 09:33
CALL FOR PAPERS
Marine Pollution Session,
International Ocean Science, Technology and Policy Symposium,
World Ocean Conference, May 11-15, 2009,
Manado, North Sulawesi, INDONESIA
Dear Madam/Sir,
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I take great pleasure to invite you to submit an abstract of paper to the Conference Secretariat of Marine Pollution Session in International Symposium of Ocean Science, Technology, and Policy; World Ocean Conference 2009 (Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia; May 11-15, 2009). Registration form and further information are posted on the conference website at http://www.woc2009.org and for the Marine Pollution Session at http://www.woc2009.org/symp_ses.php#27. Please note that the deadline for submission of abstract is on or before October 30th, 2008, and for full paper is on or before January 30th, 2009.
Should you have any queries concerning the symposium and conference, please do not hesitate to contact the Conference Secretary or alternatively you may contact me.
Look forward to your active participation.
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. Markus T. Lasut
Organizing Committee
International Ocean Science, Technology and Policy Symposium,
World Ocean Conference 2009,
E-mail: markuslasut@woc2009.org, markus_lasut@yahoo.com
#WOC 2009 Secretariat in Manado:
BAPPEDA Office 2nd floor,
Jl. 17 Agustus, No. 73, Manado 95119,
Manado, North Sulawesi, INDONESIA
Tel.: +62 431 861152
Fax.: +62 431 861394
Website: http://www.woc2009.org
E-mail: info@woc2009.org
Submitted by markus.lasut on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 09:33
CALL FOR PAPERS
Marine Pollution Session,
International Ocean Science, Technology and Policy Symposium,
World Ocean Conference, May 11-15, 2009,
Manado, North Sulawesi, INDONESIA
Dear Madam/Sir,
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I take great pleasure to invite you to submit an abstract of paper to the Conference Secretariat of Marine Pollution Session in International Symposium of Ocean Science, Technology, and Policy; World Ocean Conference 2009 (Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia; May 11-15, 2009). Registration form and further information are posted on the conference website at http://www.woc2009.org and for the Marine Pollution Session at http://www.woc2009.org/symp_ses.php#27. Please note that the deadline for submission of abstract is on or before October 30th, 2008, and for full paper is on or before January 30th, 2009.
Should you have any queries concerning the symposium and conference, please do not hesitate to contact the Conference Secretary or alternatively you may contact me.
Look forward to your active participation.
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. Markus T. Lasut
Organizing Committee
International Ocean Science, Technology and Policy Symposium,
World Ocean Conference 2009,
E-mail: markuslasut@woc2009.org, markus_lasut@yahoo.com
#WOC 2009 Secretariat in Manado:
BAPPEDA Office 2nd floor,
Jl. 17 Agustus, No. 73, Manado 95119,
Manado, North Sulawesi, INDONESIA
Tel.: +62 431 861152
Fax.: +62 431 861394
Website: http://www.woc2009.org
E-mail: info@woc2009.org
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