Wednesday, July 02, 2008 DOTC urged to review policy on ship grounding
A CEBU City legislator wants the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) to review its policy of grounding a shipping lines’ fleet even if only one vessel figured in a mishap.
He echoed the sentiment of a Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) official, who expressed concern that grounding entire fleets might disrupt the flow of goods to and from Cebu.
Another problem
“I’m looking at the economic side of the situation. Because by trying to solve a problem, we might be creating another problem,” said City Councilor Arsenio Pacaña.
He heads the Cebu City Council committee on trade, commerce, cooperative, and entrepreneurship.
Goods
“Sulpicio Lines is a major player in cargo shipments and (the hold order) will affect the flow of goods,” MCC president Eric Ng Mendoza earlier said.
A shipping official, though, had said that only Sulpicio Line’s passenger ships were grounded, and not the cargo ships.
Pacaña also wanted that the decision to stop ships from leaving port on storm signal number one be carefully thought of because it might “wreck havoc on all players of our country’s shipping industry.”
He said there are times that the weather bureau raises storm signal number one when the weather is still sunny.
He will present a resolution next week and ask colleagues to support his call. (RHM)
