Ph maritime transportation declines in 2020

Riding out coronavirus pandemic
Raymond Carl Dela Cruz December 30, 2020 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1125983

(excerpts)

MANILA – Early this year, the Philippines -- along with 191 countries and regions around the world -- was struck by coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), causing widespread interruption in services such as mass transportation.

On March 16, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to restrict the movement of the population and control the spread of Covid-19 through policies such as physical distancing in public transportation.

As the disease continued to spread, public transport through air, sea, and land was eventually suspended in most parts of the country.

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Maritime transportation in the country continues to decline based on data from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as of Dec. 17.

From a weekly average of 869 passenger ships and 372 cargo ships operational from May 29 to June 4, MARINA has recorded a decline to 484 passenger ships and 324 cargo ships from Dec. 4 to Dec. 10; and 466 passengers ships and 331 cargo ships from Dec. 11 to Dec. 17.

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To safeguard the country’s position as one of the top providers of manpower in the shipping industry and help support the country’s economy, the DOTr, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and their attached agencies established six crew change hubs in the country.

These crew change hubs, which house OSS for arriving and disembarking seafarers, are located in Batangas, Subic, Bataan, Port of Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

As of Dec. 11, these crew change hubs and their OSS have served a total of 1,409 ships and 23,609 seafarers, both foreign and domestic.

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