On July 4, the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA), a merchant marine academy jointly operated by NYK and the Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) near Manila, Philippines, held a commencement ceremony for 80 students, the academy’s 14th batch of graduates.
The ceremony was attended by many distinguished guests, including Kazuya Endo, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Japan to the Philippines, and Atty. Jerome T. Pampolina, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Assistant Secretary for Sea-based OFW Concerns. NYK President Takaya Soga, Director, Managing Executive Officer Yasunobu Suzuki, and TDG Chairman and Founder J. Roberto C. Delgado also joined the event, offering their congratulations to the graduates.
In his congratulatory speech, NYK President Soga remarked, “Your journey here began in 2020, during one of the most uncertain times in recent history — the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with all this chaos, the shipping industry remains as essential as ever. Your job as seafarers is about more than just moving goods. I hope you all will be embodying our mission of ‘Bringing value to life’ every day, with every voyage.”
NTMA was established to train seafarers according to NYK’s high standards. Last year marked a milestone with the appointment of NTMA’s first female president, and this year celebrates the academy’s 18th anniversary. With the enrollment of its first cohort of female students last year, NTMA is committed to contributing to the development of the Philippines’ maritime industry through diversity-focused education and contributions to society. Additionally, NTMA is dedicated to cultivating transformative leaders who will pursue continual self-improvement and contribute to society at a time when innovations such as decarbonization technologies and autonomous vessels are rapidly advancing.
From left, Takaya Soga, President, NYK Line; Kelby Russell J. Fernandez, Recipient of Class 2024 NYK-TDG Award of Excellence
TDG Chairman and Founder J. Roberto C. Delgado
