Cargo vessel, boat collide in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — A cargo vessel and a foreign utility boat figured in a collision at the Manila South Harbor yesterday morning, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

The incident left M/V Palawan Pearl, which carried 3,000 liters of diesel in its storage tank, half-submerged, PCG spokesman Commodore Armand Balilo said.

The PCG said it had laid a spill boom in the area after seeing an oil sheen near the Baseco beach.

Balilo said initial investigation showed that M/V Palawan Pearl was on its way out of Pasig River when it was hit by the Cyprus-flagged utility boat BKM 104.

The PCG said the skipper of the cargo vessel maneuvered to avoid a collision but was still hit twice by the boat.

The utility boat was bound for Bulacan when the incident happened. It was contracted for dredging and land development activity for the construction of the New Manila Airport, according to the PCG.

Balilo said they deployed PCG personnel and equipment to prevent an oil spill as M/V Palawan Pearl was loaded with 3,000 liters of diesel oil, 60 liters of engine oil and five liters of bilge oil.

No one was reported injured during the collision, Balilo said.

The PCG told both M/V Palawan Pearl and BKM 104 to file a marine protest over the incident.