DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Board of Marine Inquiry of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has started its investigation into the recent collision of two ships in Sarangani Bay that sent one of them sinking.
The inquiry, held at the PCG office here, was attended by the legal counsels of the owners of the sunken M/V Bulk Carrier 1 and Monrovian-registered M/V HS Puccini.
PCG Southern Mindanao chief Roy Echeverria said the M/V HS Puccini was allowed to sail to Davao City from General Santos City pending the investigation.
This developed as authorities assured Sarangani officials that the estimated 3,000 liters of oil that leaked out of M/V Bulk Carrier 1 would just evaporate and would not adversely affect the marine environment, as feared.
The PCG made the assessment after discovering that M/V Bulk Carrier 1, owned by Polsa Shipping Lines, was using automotive diesel oil when it sank in Sarangani Bay last week after it collided with the bigger M/V HS Puccini.
Meanwhile, the PCG yesterday said it would not allow the other vessels of Polsa Shipping Lines to sail until all of them have passed the inspection of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).
In a statement, PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said they have received a suspension order from Marina administrator Emerson Lorenzo for Polsa’s M/V Bulk Carrier II, M/V Bulk Carrier V, M/V Hummer H2, M/V Bulk Carrier III, and M/V Bulk Carrier VIII. – With Evelyn Macairan