A TOTAL of 365 steel-hulled vessels that serve routes from Cebu to the different parts of the country will be phased out in five years if the order of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will be implemented.
This was revealed by Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 Director Nanette Villamor Dinopol during the Kapihan sa Pantalan yesterday at the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) social hall.
Dinopol said that DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, as reported by the media, wants to phase out all steel-hulled vessels that are 35 years and older.
The DOTr secretary these vessels pose a danger to the riding public.
Dinopol said that of the 365 steel-hulled said vessels registered with Marina 7, 35 are Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) vessels that are 35 years old and older.
She said 138 vessels out of the 365 vessels are passenger vessels plying various routes and are now serving as the backbone of the shipping industry.
Cebu-based
Most of the vessels, including those plying between Cebu and Manila are home-based in Cebu and are registered with Marina 7.
The new order is now a challenge to Marina, which is under Administrator Marcial Q.C. Amaro III.
Dinopol said Marina is crafting a policy on this matter. But she said there is no time frame to come up with the final draft.
The Marina director said this is not an easy task considering that travelers will be affected.
“Even the economy will be affected,” Dinopol said.
She added that maybe part of the policy is to talk with financial institutions to provide shipping owners and operators the affordable financial package for them to buy new ships.
“Every brand new ship will cost P100 million and above. So, affordable financing must be introduced to shipowners and operators,” Dinopol said.
Opposition
Alexander Cohon, the president of the Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators (VAFSCO), told the media in the same conference that they will oppose the order.
Cohon said they are not against the government’s move to maintain safety at sea.
“Ship safety is not in the age of the vessels because even Titanic, which was brand new sank. In our case, drydocking our vessels is during any defect,” Cohon said.
Records show that in 2003, Marina started to phase out wooden-hulled vessels to prevent mishaps that cost thousands of lives in the past.
In 2006, the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wanted to phase out steel-hulled vesels, which were 20 years old and above.
But until now, Marina failed to implement it because of its effect not only on business, but ordinary people.