Marina suspends two ships of operator of sunken Masbate RORO

The Maritime Industry Authority has suspended two other ships of the firm that operates the MV Lady of Mount Carmel, which sank off Burias Island in Masbate last Friday, June 14.

 

In an interview with GMA News Online, Maritime Industry Authority’s (Marina) Legal Affairs Office head Atty. Jabeth Dacanay said Medallion Transport’s MV Lady of Angels and Lady of the Miraculous Medal were suspended for failure to pass safety checks.

 

“Dalawa sa ship ay may major deficiency, according sa assessment ng engineers namin. Immediately kahapon (Monday), sinuspend ‘yung Passenger Ship Safety Certificate [ng mga barko],” Dacanay said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

 

The ships’ suspension will only be lifted after the deficiencies have been rectified, Dacanay added.

The MV Lady of Mount Carmel, a 33-year-old vessel, sank off Burias Island early morning. Two passengers died while seven others are still missing.

 

Medallion Transport, which started its operation in 1997, has seven ships in its fleet. 

 

Still allowed to operate are the MV Lady of Sacred Heart and MV All Nations, which are passenger-cargo vessels. Also still active are two cargo ships–the MV St. Padre Pio and the MV Lady of Divine Grace.

 

The Marina legal officer said the issue of Medallion Transport’s possible fleet suspension will be decided after a hearing on June 26 during which the Burias mishap will be tackled.

 

“We cannot suspend them [Medallion Transport] without prima facie evidence… If they have not sufficiently explained their deficiency, Marina may suspend of revoke their company franchise,” Dacanay stressed.

 

The sinking last Friday is the shipping firm’s first involvement in a sea accident, she added.

 

Marina hopes to finish the incident investigation by the end of the month.

 

One theory on the June 14 mishap Marina is considering is the possibility of an unanchored bus aboard the RORO ship. Medallion Transport claims this is unlikely. Marina is also looking at the possibility of a broken gauge pump.

 

Both the Philippine Coast Guard and Marina ruled out overloading as a cause after noting that there were only 50 passengers aboard while the ship capacity was for more than 200.

 

About three other ships sank in the same area where MV Lady of Mount Carmel met its end, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquuatic Resources has said.

 

BFAR tagged the waters off Burias as dangerous because that its where strong currents from different seas converged.

 

Safety of RORO ships

 

Out of about 500 interisland ships in the country, 203 are passenger-cargo vessels or RORO ships, according to Marina legal officer Dacanay. 

 

“About 40 percent [of ships in the country] are RORO, which have been viable in the past three to four years.”

 

Capt. Walfredo Rivas, Jr, a former captain of a RORO ship overseas said passenger-cargo vessels are more prone to capsizing than other types of ships without compartments.

 

“Ang ating mga barko may compartment ‘yan. Kung magkaroon ng tubig at least magfloat ka pa rin kasi may mga compartment siya. ‘Yung RORO wala niyan (compartment)," he said.

 

"Yung RORO ‘pag pinasok [ng tubig] dahil sa absence ng bulkhead, eh mabilis ‘yang papasukin, at mabilis ‘yang mag-capsize,” he said as quoted in a television report aired at GMA’s “24 Oras” on Tuesday.

 

Rivas likewise noted the importance of cargo lashing. “Pag tumagilid ang barko at lahat pumunta [sa isang banda] ng cargo, tataob na ‘yan.”

 

Rivas also said the investigation panel may check for renovations done on the recently as they may have affected the boat’s stability.

 

“’Pag tinamper mo ang iyong design, maaaring mawalan siya sa stability [at] maaaring maging top-heavy siya,” he noted.

 

Marina's Dacanay said all renovations or structural changes on shipping vessels must get her agency's clearance. 

 

“Lahat ng configurations, kailangan may approval ng Marina,” Dacanay said.

 

Rivas noted that using RORO ships are still safe citing that many countries uses passenger-cargo vessels.

 

“Ang ginagawa po natin ngayon… [We are] developing measures saka mga systems para i-improve ang safety niya [RORO ship],” Marina administrator Maximo Mejia, Jr. was quoted as saying in the same television report.

 

Dacanay said Marina is eyeing the issuance of a special order that will enable them to conduct random, surprise “targeted and focused inspection.”

 

She added: “I think shipping is still the safest mode of transportation… Nakikita lang natin perhaps ang mga insidente [dahil sa laki nito].”  — ELR, GMA News