PH carriers seek more methodical Marina vessel inspections

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container-ship_istockThe Philippine Inter-Island Shipping Association (PISA) has called for a more organized conduct of ship inspections amid random checks by the Enforcement Service (ES) of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).

In a letter dated September 22, PISA executive director Atty Pedro Aguilar requested an urgent meeting with Marina administrator Marcial Amaro III, his chief of staff, and ES officer-in-charge Vera Joy Ban-eg to discuss the group’s concerns.

Since August, Marina’s ES has been conducting random ship inspections at several ports in the country, inviting seafarers to volunteer to do the inspections.

PISA said its concerns are over the holding of unscheduled inspections, especially close to the date of the vessels’ scheduled departure; lack of categories for the deficiencies noted to justify preventing the vessel from sailing; and lack of timeline for re-inspection.

PISA also noted the use of volunteers “without any deputization document from the Authority, whose qualification and competence cannot be validated by the vessel’s crew, and (who) cannot be held accountable under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in case of abuse.”

Aguilar said while they recognize the powers of Marina to inspect vessels to ensure safety of life and property at sea, and to protect the environment, “our members submit that such inspections should be properly coordinated with the ship owners to avoid any delay to the vessels.”

“After all, it is mandated in any maritime conventions where inspections are authorized that such inspection should be conducted in a manner that would not cause undue delay to the vessel,” Aguilar added.

Vessel detention questioned

PISA member Solid Shipping, Lines Corp., in a letter to Marina’s Amaro dated September 14, said, “Marina enforcers should facilitate the movement of goods and services and people across by acting as facilitator, to make business in the Philippines prosper and grow to higher place.

“We therefore submit to the good sense and judgement of the Administrator to ensure that any inspection of vessels should not cause undue delay to their scheduled departure, and that any stoppage or detention of ships in ports is done in judicious not whimsical and capricious manner,” Solid Shipping added.

The request came after Solid Shipping received two orders issued by ES OIC Ban-eg on September 8 that delayed the sailing of its vessel, MV Solid Gem, for 14 hours.

Solid Gem received an undated order on September 8 for show cause order and a separate order instructing the vessel “not to sail” on “the basis of the deficiencies observed by the Inspection Team” of ES.

Solid Shipping said the No Sail Order was received on the night of the planned departure of Solid Gem, causing the ship to be detained at North Harbor. This, moreover, left all the vessel crew and company’s representative “at a loss since the 10 day period granted under the undated Show Cause Order for compliance by the company had not yet begun, yet, the No Sail Order was issued with immediate effect.

The order, according to the company, unduly held MV Solid Gem from its usual departure.

Solid Shipping said Solid Gem is a brand-new vessel from Japan delivered to the company in February 2013 and has been awarded a pioneer status by Marina on the routes it is plying. It added that the vessel complies with International Maritime Organization safety conventions, as well as Marina’s rules and regulations.

Solid Shipping said, the “deficiencies raised are not major deficiencies as to pose great risk or danger to safety of life at sea or environment which would warrant the issuance of a No Sail Order.”

It added that such deficiencies “are correctible and the vessel should have been allowed to sail subject to the conditions of the show cause order.”

While noting that the no sail order “was issued for a good purpose,” Solid Shipping said “its good aim cannot be a cloak to conceal its infirmities.”

As of press time, Amaro has yet to issue a response to Solid Shipping’s letter.—Roumina Pablo