The Philippines’ Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has generated P1.14 billion in revenue in 2016, higher by 15.8% than the P983.728 million achieved in 2015 and beating the target for the year.
Revenue from Marina’s operations and services was 43% higher than the P794.876 million target for 2016, data from Marina’s latest accomplishment report showed.
Tonnage fees collected last year reached P60.882 million, up 2.9% from P59.151 million recorded in 2015 and 1.47% higher than the P60 million target.
In terms of operations, Marina said 2016 challenged the agency “to be more vigilant, double its effort to cope with the demands of its functions,” but the year also showed improvement over last year’s accomplishments.
The number of ships registered in 2016 reached 14,757, or 256% higher than the target of 4,140 vessel registrations. This figure is also 47.9% higher than the 9,981 registrations logged in 2015.
Issued certificates, permits, and licenses also rose 35.1% to 59,351 from 43,868 in 2015. The 2016 figure was also 44.7% higher than the 41,025 target.
Marina audited 743 companies and ships last year, 12.6% lower than the 850 target but higher by 38.9% than the 535 audit inspections held in 2015.
The agency last year continued to undertake mobile registration and licensing to achieve zero percent illegal/colorum operation of motor bancas and fishing boats that are 35 gross tonnage (GT) and below, and to issue the necessary documents to crews manning these vessels.
To devolve the registration of fishing vessels 3GT and below to municipal and city governments pursuant to Executive Order No. 305 (Devolving to Municipal and City Governments the Registration of Fishing Vessels Three Gross Tonnage and Below), a training was conducted by the Marina Regional Office XI last year.
As part of the government’s aim to modernize, improve, and upgrade the domestic merchant fleet for safer and more efficient sea transport and improved service, Marina’s Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Sector undertook some activities last year to achieve this goal.
One of these activities was collaborating with the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, Inc. to develop a standard design, featuring an upgraded level of safety, for passenger roll-on/roll-off ships that will be constructed in the Philippines.
Trainings and meetings and installation of the Geographic Information System software organized by the Domestic Shipping Service were conducted in different Marina Regional Offices (MROs) last year, pursuant to Marina Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2015-03 (rules on categorization of navigational areas/waters in the Philippines).
MROs were requested to submit the list of affected routes and ships based on parameters provided under MC 2015-03. Based on the final results of the categorization study, these recommendations were submitted: conduct public consultation on the findings of the study; coordinate with government agencies such as Philippine Ports Authority and Cebu Ports Authority on providing appropriate port facilities to accommodate bigger ships; adopt a program for a rationalized operation of small ships; identify other routes for safer operation; plot alternative voyage plans to avoid unsafe zones; retire existing ships identified as affected; and form a cooperative and offer members a financial scheme for the retirement of existing wood-hulled ships.
Last year, more satellite offices were opened to assist clients and meet the needs and requirements of ship owners, seafarers, and other stakeholders that are far from the regional offices.
Maritime roadmap
For this year, Marina administrator Marcial Quirico Amaro III said it will present to stakeholders in April the 10-year Philippine maritime roadmap it is crafting as a key measure to advance and develop the industry.
The roadmap, he said, will include “practicable and coordinated government efforts (for the) early replacement of obsolete and uneconomical vessels, modernization and expansion of the maritime fleet.”
The maritime authority also plans to benchmark best practices of maritime administrations in the Southeast Asian region, as well as in China, Japan, and South Korea. Shipbuilding, maritime training, and marine certification can be benchmarked with those of Indonesia’s, while ship registration, inspection and audit, admiralty laws, and gender development can be patterned after those of Singapore’s.
Marina will likewise lobby for the passage of proposed legislative measures to expand the Philippine Ship Registry and prepare the industry for international audits. – Roumina Pablo
