The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Region 6 has issued a temporary suspension order on Weesam Express 6 after it encountered troubled at high seas.
The vessel bound for Iloilo City was carrying 172 passengers when it encountered a mechanical trouble.
Marina-6 legal officer Nicole Marie Amuan is prevented temporarily from plying its Bacolod-Iloilo route.
Amuan said the vessel should secure a passenger safety certificate before it is allowed to sail again.
“We conduct regular inspections and require shipping companies to have dry docking of their vessels to ensure that their vessels are seaworthy,” she said.
"In cases like what happened to Weesam Express 6, it is usually mechanical error and not human error," Amuan said.
As to the delay of some fastcrafts to comply with the one hour travel time between Bacolod and Iloilo, Amuan advised passengers to file formal complaints with their office on the service of the sea vessels.*