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Sunday, April 16, 2006
Ship operators ask Marina: Trim red tape
TWO groups of ship operators have jointly requested the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to further cut red tape for cargo and passenger ship owners.
One thing Marina can do is eliminate the need for an annual endorsement of the Minimum Safe Manning Certificate for passenger vessels and the Coastwise Loading Certificate for cargo ships.
These requirements are additional burdens for operators who have to deal with the high cost of fuel and spare parts, said a joint position paper of the Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators (VAFCSO) and the United Trampers Association of the Philippines (UTAP).
While recognizing Marina’s intention of rationalizing vessel documents, they pointed out that so many documents need to be endorsed annually, causing unnecessary expenses.
“We implore this authority to take into serious consideration the foregoing concerns and act on them favorably,” the VAFCSO and UTAP position paper said.
The Minimum Safe Manning Certificate is issued to vessels that have a sufficient number of qualified personnel for safe operations (or “safe manning”), including damage control and lifesaving.
Earlier, both groups also opposed the requirement of two rescue boats on every vessel, pointing out that each rescue boat costs P500,000 each and could affect the ship’s stability.
If Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo will not listen to them, the ship owners said they will elevate the matter to Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza.
The position paper’s signatories are: VAFCSO president Chester Cokaliong of Cokaliong Shipping Lines; Arthur Kenneth Sy of Trans-Asia Shipping Lines and Eduardo Gonzales of Marine Techniques Inc., VAFCSO vice presidents for passenger ships and cargo ships, respectively; and Benson Go of Primer Shipping Lines and John Ko of PKS Shipping Co., UTAP president and vice president, respectively.
It is supported by, among others, Jadestar Shipping Lines, Eastern Pacific Shipping Lines, Mandaue Shipping and Lighterage Corp., Jones Carrier Inc., FJP Lines, Lite Shipping Corp., Rose Shipping Lines, GP Shipping Lines, EMGO Lighterage Phils. Inc., Lapu-Lapu Shipping Lines, Aznar Shipping Lines, Maypalad Shipping Lines, Roble Shipping Lines, Island Shipping Corp.and William Michael Shipping Lines. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 16, 2006 issue)
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