CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), through its Shipyard Regulations Service (SRS), bared its 10-year shipbuilding, ship repair, and ship breaking programs at the 2nd National Shipyard Convention held in Cebu City on 15-16 November 2018.

The convention served as a communication node between shipyard stakeholders and the government in shaping the future of the shipyard industry.

MARINA SRS Director Engr. Ramon Hernandez expressed his appreciation to the Shipyard Association of the Philippines (ShAP) for its support to the MARINA’s shipbuilding, ship repair, and ship breaking industry initiatives under the ten-year Maritime Industry Development Program (MIDP).

“From 18 shipyard members in 2016, now the ShAP have 97 bonafide members out of the 118 total number of shipyards in the country. I feel a deep sense of awe, that in a span of three years, the association has come a long way in assisting shipyard owners achieve not only their business objectives, but also in striving to provide a conducive investment climate for all,” Engr. Hernandez said.

Meanwhile, ShAP Chairman Meneleo Carlos III recognized the MARINA’s efforts to collaborate with maritime stakeholders, especially in drafting policies and formulating programs to address existing challenges in the industry.

“The 10-year maritime industry development program is a great horizon. It allows us to forecast the implementing changes. The MARINA has been an immense help and guidance to us in terms of bringing our concerns together and making them present to the government. Certainly, we [ShAP] have to do our part as the association – meeting like this, grouping ourselves for the priority concerns and communicate those concerns to the MARINA. It’s time for us to offer back to them,” Carlos said.

In the convention, ShAP members presented their priority agenda and concerns on shipbuilding, ship repair, and ship breaking industry to cope up with the new memorandum circular of the MARINA regarding the registration and licensing of the shipyards, including the afloat ship repairs, in the Philippines.

The convention also aimed to clarify some of the issues on ISO certification including the identification of the MARINA-recognized organization that will do the ISO certification for the shipyards.

Finally, MARINA assured its full commitment to efficiently regulate the shipbuilding and ship repair sector relative to the production and the construction of quality ships, especially now that the regulations required the members to be ISO-certified, and guaranteed to be supportive of the ship retirement and replacement program of the MARINA’s Domestic Shipping Service (DSS).

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