Monday, November 27, 2006 Council raises safety issue
THE Cebu City Council asked the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to carefully study the proposal to allow sea vessels to depart without clearance.
The proposal reportedly gives discretionary powers to ship captains to leave the ports without clearance from Marina and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), provided they submit a master’s oath of safe departure.
The plan is seen as a solution to the late departure of sea-going vessels and cargo ships, which sometimes have to wait for their turn for PCG personnel to conduct pre-departure inspections.
Reckless
“Said proposed departure policy...(is) a bit reckless for comfort considering that the maritime transportation business is historically a disaster-prone industry,” read the resolution by Councilor Edgardo Labella.
The Council approved the proposed measure two weeks ago.
Labella survived the Sept. 8, 1998 sinking of Sulpicio Lines’ mv Princess of the Orient and has since fought for greater maritime safety in the country.
Accident
At least 150 passengers perished in that accident, which the PCG Board of Marine Inquiry blamed on erroneous maneuvers of the ship captain.
Labella and his wife Joycelyn were at sea for about 34 hours and 12 hours, respectively, before they were rescued.
In proposing the resolution, he said he read that Marina intends to get the opinion of ship owners and captains on the proposal, and it appears that stakeholders are favoring it.
Standards
But the ship-riding public, he added, is concerned because the industry needs the supervision of concerned government agencies like Marina and PCG for compliance of safety standards.
Inspections
“The same appears to be akin to toying with caution since the premier imperatives of public safety on maritime travel might be tossed into the water by some unscrupulous domestic shipping entities gripped by overwhelming quest for profit,” read the resolution.
In an interview, Marina 7 legal officer Jose Cabatingan said he has yet to see the proposal, and said it is the PCG that conducts inspections.
Marina, he added, ensures that safety guidelines are being followed.
Labella said that “it cannot be glossed over that overcrowding...and overloading, among others, seem to be the alleged push factors relative to tragic maritime disasters in this country.” (RHM)
