Improve port conditions, ship groups urge
The Philippine Liners Shipping Association (PLSA) and the Philippine Petroleum Sea Transport Association (Philpesta) are urging the Aquino administration to undertake measures to decongest and improve activities in the country’s major ports.
The groups, in a position paper, said such conditions are not conducive to business.
They are also urging Department of Transportation and Communication Secretary Jose De Jesus to use modern technology to increase productivity and also put in at least two cargo handlers in each port.
These measures will ensure not only efficiency but also to spur competition and prevent monopoly of port services that led to greater operational expenses, they added.
Most of the PLSA and Philpesta members are based in Manila’s North Harbor, a port facility presently experiencing congestion and low levels of productivity.
The shipping organization is also pushing for the strengthening of the present Cabotage Law, or the act that allows a country to reserve coastwise trade to national flag carriers and regulate the entry of foreign vessels.
Both PLSA and Philpesta claimed that several foreign shipping lines are operating on local waters through special permits issued by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).
The groups said the Marina should not have given the foreign-flag carriers special permit, as there is a surplus of Philippine-flag vessels in the country.
On safety, PLSA and Philpesta proposed that Marina and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) should conduct an assessment on local crew competency, as well as audit the different maritime schools if they comply with the requirements set by law.
They added that students from the different maritime schools continue to increase but could not graduate owing to the inability of the different schools to provide the one-year apprenticeship program.
Marina and PCG were also asked to come out with the standards of inspection as well as train their pool of inspectors.
Both agencies are also expected to come out with a complete checklist of certificates that will be used to countercheck the documents that should be presented by a vessel during inspection. PNA
