MARINA to suspend operations on Friday, March 13 as measure against COVID-19

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on Thursday said it will temporarily suspend its operations on Friday for disinfection procedures against the coronavirus disease 2019.

"MARINA will temporarily suspend its operations on Friday, March 13, 2020, to disinfect its premises considering the volume of seafarers and other clients it catered to the past weeks," it said in an advisory.

According to the advisory, its regional offices, satellite offices (SM Manila, SM Mall of Asia, and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration), and the PITX One-Stop-Shop will also implement the same measures.

Though operations are temporarily suspended, MARINA said that all applications, both for seafarers and shipping, will still be accepted and evaluated online.

It also urged all shipping companies operating Philippine-flagged vessels in domestic and international voyages, manning agencies, and Filipino seafarers to report persons under investigation for monitoring. — BM, GMA News