Roble wants burned ship towed to Cebu

ORMOC CITY, Philippines  — The management of Roble Shipping Lines, owner of the MV Wonderful Stars, the passenger ferry that caught fire and burned at the port here a few minutes after it docked from Cebu City at around 4:20 a.m. Saturday, has requested authorities to allow them to tow the ship back to Cebu City for fear that it would cause an oil spill if left to the elements.

However, the Bureau of Fire Protection here said they cannot yet give their approval to the proposal, as it was beyond their level of clearance.

Ormoc City Fire Marshall Romeo Jaca said that because the declared estimated damage is more than P 50 million, this was beyond his level of authority and that Roble has to address their concern to their national office.

Jaca said they have not yet finished their investigation into the incident, as they are still waiting for the ship’s crew to submit themselves to investigation. Aside from the physical inspection of the fire scene, he said they need to interview the crewmen who first saw the fire, to determine where it started and its cause. As of press time he said none of the crew members have come to their office.

Jaca added it would also be difficult for them to continue with the investigation if the ship is already in Cebu.

Theodore Franco Omega, representative of Roble Shipping, appealed to the fire department to be “less bureaucratic” because the ship still has 10,000 liters inside its bowels, which are “safe and secure” at the moment.

However, the news of two typhoons brewing in the Pacific, one of which is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility is a cause of concern, he pointed out, as this could spawn huge waves and cause further damage to the boat.

“This could create more problems”, he said, not only to the management but also to the environment.

Omega added that they have also been requested by the Philippine Ports Authority to move the ship because it is causing congestion at the port.

“In Cebu, the boat will be safe and the fire investigation can go on there,” he said. The tugboat that will tow the burnt ship back to Cebu is already on standby, just waiting for orders.

He said they have also filed a marine protest with the Philippine Coast Guard already, detailing the incident. They estimate their loss to be around P85 million to P88 million, correcting their previous estimate of P100 million, to include the boat and the declared value of the cargoes. He also assured the shippers that they will be paid based on the declared value of their shipments.

He also clarified that after thorough inventory, they had managed to unload 10 rolling cargoes out of the ship before the fire broke out, as only 13 charred vehicles of the 23 in the manifest remain at the ship’s cargo hold.

No passengers were hurt in the incident, while two crewmembers suffered minor burns. — /BRP  (FREEMAN)