PCG suspends 5 vessels of shipping firm in Sarangani collision

Published August 21, 2011 8:31pm

The Philippine Coast Guard over the weekend ordered the suspension of five cargo ships owned by a firm whose vessel collided with a Monrovian-registered vessel and sank off Sarangani last Aug. 9. Ordered suspended were five cargo ships owned and operated by Polsa Shipping Lines Inc., in the wake of the incident involving the M/V Bulk Carrier-I. M/V Bulk Carrier-I sank after colliding with HS Puccini off Tampuan Point in Maasim, Sarangani province. A news release posted Sunday on the Coast Guard website said the five suspended ships were:

M/V Bulk Carrier-II

M/V Bulk Carrier-III

M/V Bulk Carrier V

M/V Bulk Carrier VIII

M/V Hummer H2 PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said the suspension order came from Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Administrator Emerson Lorenzo. With the suspension, the Coast Guard Station Cebu directed all its detachments to refrain from receiving Masterâ€™s Oath of Safety Departure (MOSDs) of ships owned by Polsa. The Coast Guard said Polsa has to comply and satisfactorily pass the additional International Safety Management (ISM) audit inspection, Seafarers Identification Record Book (SIRB) and Qualification Document Certificate (QDC) of officers and crew before it can resume its operations. â€” KBK, GMA News

Tags: sarangani, coastguard