Marina aims for ‘ambitious’ zero-incident goal by 2025

Marina aims for ‘ambitious’ zero-incident goal by 2025
Lorenz S. Marasigan - September 26, 2018 https://businessmirror.com.ph/marina-aims-for-ambitious-zero-incident-go...

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) aims to reduce the number of maritime incidents to zero by 2025, as it crafts a comprehensive safety action plan that will address issues pertaining to maritime safety in the Philippines.

Marina Administrator Leonardo B. Guerrero said the agency has started drafting the safety blueprint for the Philippine maritime industry that could lead to the elimination of incidents on local seas.

“We have a Maritime Safety Action Plan. We have already started crafting a plan. We intend to have these [incidents] reduced by half by 2021. And by 2025, zero, which is very ambitious because we need this,” he said.

For the year, the regulator has noted “twice the number” of incidents versus the figures reported two and three years prior.

“We’ve seen an increase in incidents. This year, we have noted twice the number because we have started to really monitor these incidents. We’ve become more efficient in monitoring and reporting, so we capture everything in near real time,” Guerrero said.

He noted that these incidents are “simple incidents” that do not involve threat to human life.

Guerrero said the government is firm on its target to reduce the number of incidents, as this could help elevate the status of the Philippines in the global maritime industry. It will, likewise, help assure the safety of both passengers and seafarers.

“It is not only for the safety of our passengers, this also ensures our shipping industry grows—that we provide secure and safe shipping services,” he said. “It will elevate our status as far as safety is concerned.”

Carlos C. Salinas, the Philippine ambassador to the International Maritime Organization, noted that the Philippines must adhere to safety standards set by the specialized regulatory agency of the United Nations.

Today, out of 59 conventions, only 25 has been ratified by the Philippines.

“We can ensure safety at sea by developing and enforcing appropriate and applicable regulations,” he said. “We must adopt and comply in our responsibilities as a council member.”

In Congress, Angkla Party-list group is pushing for passage of several laws pertaining to sea safety. For one, Ronald S. Enrile, vice chairman Angkla, said the group is pushing for the passage of House Bill 456, which aims to provide a Maritime Code for the full implementation of international instruments.

The legislation listed the following conventions: The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 and its Protocol of 1988; the International Convention for the Prevention and Pollution from Ships, 1973, and its Protocols of 1987 and 1997; the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972; the International Convention on Load Lines 1966 and its Protocol of 1988, as amended in 2003; and the International Convention on the Tonnage Measurement of Ships 1969.

“Maritime safety is on top of Angkla’s legislative agenda,” he said.