MARINA seeks passage of shipbuilding bill in 20th Congress

MARINA seeks passage of shipbuilding bill in 20th Congress
Roumina Pablo May 13, 2025 https://portcalls.com/marina-seeks-passage-of-shipbuilding-bill-in-20th-...

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is seeking passage of the proposed bill for the development of the country’s shipbuilding and ship repair (SBSR) industry in the 20th Congress.

During the recent Shipbuilding Initiative Virtual Seminar hosted by the Anti-Red Tape Authority, Department of Transportation, and Embassy of Denmark in the Philippines, MARINA Shipyards Regulation Service director Ramon Hernandez said MARINA is spearheading congressional lobby efforts for the measure.

MARINA administrator Sonia Malaluan earlier said the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office is helping the agency draft the bill as instructed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. MARINA has asked the President to certify the bill as a priority measure in the 20th Congress, set to start in July this year.

Prior to drafting of the proposed bill, there were measures filed in the current Congress in line with MARINA’s legislative agenda, including House Bill Nos. 4335 and HB 8374 proposing the Shipbuilding Development Act. Malaluan acknowledged they don’t expect the bills—still pending at the committee level at the time of this writing—to clear the current Congress where sessions end in June.

Hernandez said among the objectives of MARINA’s proposed bill is to encourage the development of a viable SBSR, boatbuilding, and ship recycling industries to support the Philippine ship registry and its strict adherence to safety standards to ensure sea worthiness of all Philippine ships.

It also aims to attract capital and increase investment in the SBSR, boatbuilding, and ship recycling industries by creating a healthy, competitive, and sustainable business environment for operations.

Moreover, the proposed bill aims to provide adequate capital incentives for the continued growth of the Philippine SBSR and ship recycling industries, and to improve and enhance Filipino shipyard human resource skills and competencies to adopt new emerging technologies and latest trends in the SBSR, boatbuilding, and ship recycling sector.

Lastly, it aims to promote green shipyards, green ships and green jobs.

Hernandez said the main features of the proposed bill includes protection of investments and provision of incentives and financing for the following:

purchase of ship materials, equipment, machineries, and spare parts
rehabilitation and upgrading of SBSR facilities
building green ships, and establishing green shipyards as part of the decarbonization program for the maritime industry
building naval ships and other government vessels
establishing SBSR ancillary industries like the steel industry

MARINA also aims to establish a shipyard development fund that will help shipyards improve their facilities and for the training of their workers.

Another provision of the proposed bill is the setting of an SBSR skills development program, which also includes gender and development, to respond to the current trends and latest developments in the SBSR field.

Other features include SBSR research and development initiatives, provision of institutional support and arrangements as part of the obligations of relevant government agencies, and conduct of progressive assessment of the SBSR capability and capacity.

The bill also supports the establishment of a maritime industrial park (MIP), which is aimed at transforming the Philippines as a go-to location and one-stop-shop for international SBSR and other maritime-related services.

Hernandez said the establishment of the MIP “will not only support the modernization of shipbuilding and ship repair facilities in the country, but also the re-integration of Filipino seafarers to work as maritime or marine surveyors, technical superintendents, and workforce, as well as managers of shipyards or ancillary industries.”

The establishment of the MIP, as well as the development of the SBSR industry and the proposal of the bill, are guided and part of MARINA’s Maritime Industry Development Plan, which aims to achieve a nationally-integrated and globally competitive Philippine maritime industry by 2028.