DOTC to phase out aging sea vessels

MANILA, Philippines - The sinking of M/V Baleno 9, which killed at least six passengers, has prompted an official of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to admit that all the estimated 200 roll-on and roll-off (roro) vessels plying the domestic waters are aging and have to be phased out.

“Aging of the ships is the problem. Within the three-year period we have to phase out the 34-year-old ships,” DOTC Undersecretary for Maritime Sector Thompson Lantion said yesterday.

A ship is considered aging if it is already 28 to 34 years old.

Many of the country’s shipping lines buy second-hand ships from neighboring countries such as Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Some firms even purchase Japan’s 10-year-old ships.

Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) deputy administrator for operations Primo Rivera said there are about 142 units of roro ships that are below 500 gross tons and an estimated 37 roro ships are above 500 gross tons. All of them, however, are already considered aging ships.

Rivera said the two vessels that were involved in the latest sea tragedies are aging ships. Baleno 9 is already 25 years old while the M/V Catalyn B is more than 20 years old.

Relatives of the passengers and crew of Catalyn B were brought to the site where it sank, near Limbones Island, yesterday.

The relatives, many of whom wore lifejackets, cried and threw white roses in the sea as a sign of remembrance.

Lantion said he tried to modernize the roros when he assumed the position of undersecretary for maritime transport early this year.

He has been meeting with Fil-Harbor Ferries owner Christopher Pastrano, who is also the president of the Roro Association of the Philippines.

Lantion was able to convince Pastrano to replace his old vessels and commission Hanjin Subic Shipyard to construct seven vessels. The first two vessels would be completed by April.

A ship would cost between $2 million to $5 million, depending on the size of the ship and its specifications. The designs of the ships would be patterned after Australian ships. 

By availing of the shipbuilding facilities in Subic, they would be helping in the job-generation program of the government.

es from Matnog port in Sorsogon toward Allen, Samar, where land travel continues to Liloan in Leyte.

From there, ferries again transport the vehicles to Lipata port in Surigao City.

Ferry services are also available from Batangas to Mindoro, Bohol to Cebu and other key coastal ports.

Suansing said passengers and drivers have to stay inside the passenger section of the ship where they can get lifejackets or board lifeboats in case of accidents.

The LTFRB is closely working with bus operators and the Coast Guard for the strict compliance of the directive.  – With Aurea Calica, Perseus Echeminada