CEBU CITY -- The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has lifted the order suspending the operation of one of the seven roll-on/roll-off (roro) passenger vessels of Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI) after complying with all the requirements of the Marina Board, said Administrator Maria Elena Bautista.

SLI Port Captain Nestor Ponteres said Marina issued the order last October 29 yet, but M/V Princess of the South was only able to set sail for Cebu Tuesday because of the holidays.

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M/V Princess of the South, with a passenger capacity of 1,334, will arrive in Cebu at 1 p.m. Wednesday and will depart for a regular trip to Manila at 8 p.m.

M/V Princess of the South was among the eight suspended SLI passenger vessels, following the sinking of M/V Princess of the Stars in June 2008, which resulted in more than 800 deaths.

The Marina Board composed of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Office of the President, Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Coast Guard (CG), among others, ordered the suspension of operation of SLI roro passenger vessels to make sure that its vessels are seaworthy.

Bautista told Sun.Star Cebu that for M/V Princess of the South, the SLI complied with the requirement for protection and indemnity cover in the amount of $1.5 million for wreck removal (in case of sinking).

Bautista said M/V Princess of the South also passed the international safety manual (ISM) audit of Marina where 200 Marina and CG personnel set sail from Manila to Cebu on the vessel to make sure the crew understood the safety procedures.

SLI, Bautista said, engaged Magsaysay Ship Management Company to review, implement and sustain the ISM.

Based on Marina records, SLI has 16 vessels, nine of these freighters (cargo vessels) and seven roro passenger vessels.

The cargo operation of the cargo vessels was allowed to resume operation last year. Of the seven roro passenger vessels, including M/V Princess of the South, five are on dry-dock, while the other one is undergoing audit by Marina and the CG.

With M/V Princess of the South resuming operations, Ponteres said utility workers that include stewards and sanitary aides have been recalled to report for duty.

Earlier, in a press conference, Representative Raymond Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress Party-list urged Marina to lift the suspension of operation of the SLI roro passenger vessels after 2,000 workers lost their jobs. (EOB/Sun.Star Cebu)