MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has directed additional (4) shipping companies to serve the Iloilo – Guimaras route pending the investigation on the capsizing of three (3) motorbancas at said route Saturday, effective immediately.
Through a letter directive pursuant to Section 12 of Presidential Decree No. 474 issued yesterday, 05 August 2019, Montenegro Shipping Lines Incorporated and Tri-Star Megalink Corporation shall deploy one (1) Roll-on / Roll-off vessel each, while Ocean Fast Ferries Incorporated and 2GO Group Incorporated shall deploy one (1) fastcraft each to address the current passenger traffic at the Iloilo – Guimaras route.
This is in addition to the directive given to FF Cruz Shipping Corporation to increase their schedule of voyage frequency from one to two round trips per hour in the said route by deploying two (2) RoRo vessels.
Yesterday, 05 August 2019, the MARINA has suspended operations of all passenger motorbancas operating the Iloilo – Guimaras route, while the agency conducts a thorough safety standards assessment and evaluation in relation to the full implementation of MARINA Circular 2016-02 or the “Revised Rules on the Phase Out of Wooden-Hulled Ships Carrying Passengers in Domestic Shipping”.
The temporary suspension will remain until such time the MARINA has ensured that all safety concerns of motorbancas are properly addressed. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shall enforce the advisory on the temporary suspension, until further notice.
The MARINA continues to remind operators to ensure maritime safety at all times by observing the latest weather forecast, conducting proper risk assessment, and applying control measures, as needed.