Marina revises enterprise accreditation policy

Marina revises enterprise accreditation policy
GENEVI FACTAO February 17, 2021 https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/02/17/business/maritime-business/marina...

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has amended the rules on the accreditation of maritime enterprise to promote the development of all industries related to maritime.

Marina Administrator Vice -Admiral Robert Empedrad recently signed Memorandum Circular (MC) Domestic Shipping (DS) 2020-02, aimed at regulating and supervising the maritime enterprises to spur growth and development.

“The maritime enterprises include a company or business undertaking which may include ship management, ship agency, multimodal transport operation and any other similar enterprise which activities consist of representing within the Philippines as an agent, the business interest of one or more shipping lines or companies.

It also includes ship husbanding, ship handling, manning, and companies engaged in importation and trading of accessory boats, recreational crafts and marine spare parts, and other similar enterprises.

The new circular covers all persons, corporations, and other entities engaged in maritime industry related business. The applicant must have a minimum paid-up capital of P500,000. The accreditation is valid for three years and may be renewed for the same number of years.

Marina has encouraged companies engaging in crew management to invest in ship management operations and to have a source of data information on domestic seafarers employed by local manning agencies.

Companies intending to operate in maritime-related enterprise for ships in the domestic trade must submit their applications for accreditation to the Domestic Shipping Service (DSS) while companies that wanted to operate in maritime-related enterprises for ships in the international trade must submit their applications at the Overseas Shipping Service (OSS).

The applicants must be a citizen and permanent resident of the country. In the case of a commercial partnership, it must be wholly-owned by a Philippine citizen, while for a corporation, at least 60 percent of the capital is owned by a Philippine citizen.

For manning and or shipping companies, they will be required to submit an annual report, every six months indicating the names, position, and the number of seafarers/ship personnel which they have processed for employment onboard domestic ships.