Marina lifts suspension on 5 Aboitiz vessels

MANILA, Philippines - The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) allowed yesterday five of the 10 suspended passenger-cargo vessels of Aboitiz Transport Services Corp. to resume operations.

Administator Ma. Elena Bautista said the Marina board lifted the 10-day suspension after the five vessels rectified their deficiencies and submitted the documentary requirements imposed by the Marina engineers.

The decision was also complemented by the favorable findings of the International Ship Management (ISM) audits conducted on the ships, she added.

The five vessels are M/V SuperFerry 2, M/V SuperFerry 12, M/V SuperFerry 19; M/V Cebu Ferry 1 and M/V Cebu Ferry 2, Bautista said.

Three other ships of Aboitiz Transport – M/V SupeFerry 1, M/V SuperFerry 5 and M/V Our Lady of Mt. Carmel – are reportedly in dry-dock.

Bautista said they no longer saw the need to investigate the fire incident that broke out on board SuperFerry 1 last Sept. 15.

The vessel will be checked after undergoing dry dock, she added.

Bautista said two remaining vessels – M/V Our Lady of the Rule and M/V Our Lady of Good Voyage – are still undergoing re-inspection in Cebu. 

The inspection would be completed today, she added.

During a special meeting last Thursday, the Marina board agreed to issue a special permit to two alternative vessels to ply the routes of Aboitiz Transport.

Bautista said Marina will recommend the installation of a weighbridge in ports nationwide.

At present, shipping lines rely on how shippers honestly declare the weight of their cargo, she added.

Bautista said there is a proposal to create a Marine Transport Safety Board (MTSB), with a separate entity to investigate maritime accidents.

Once operational, the MTSB would be under the Office of the President and would be given prosecutorial powers, she added.

Meanwhile, one of the survivors of the M/V SuperFerry 9 wondered why Marina allowed some of the Aboitiz ships to resume operations although the investigation has not yet been concluded.

Roger Sitcharon said he and other survivors would seek guidance from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).

“They should first know the problem. Why did they lift the suspension immediately? One of their vessels even caught fire.”

Bautista said the lifting of the suspension on Aboitiz Transport ships came ahead of that of Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI) because Sulpicio was slow in complying with Marina’s requirements.

“On the status of SLI on the inspection and International Safety Management (ISM) audit of its freight operations, it has been completed. Marina has issued the corresponding Documents for Compliance,” she said.

“The inspection and audit of its passenger ships is scheduled from mid- to end September.”

As of now, they are still waiting for Sulpicio to comply with the two other requirements and submit the Protection and Immunity Coverage and the engagement of a ship management company for review,

institutionalization, sustained implementation and maintenance of its Safety Management System, Bautista said.

In reponse, Jordan Go, SLI vice president for marketing, said: “That’s up to them. For us, they have a request and we will just comply.”