MANILA: MARINA suspends revised safe manning ship policy

The new administration of the Maritime Industry Authority, or MARINA, has suspended the revised policy for the safe manning of domestic ships.

MARINA Advisory 2022-43 was signed by Administrator Hernani Fabia, suspending the implementation of the MARINA Circular MS-2020-03 entitled “Revised Rules and Regulations on Safe Manning Ships Operating in Philippine Waters”, particularly the tables of manning complement.

It says this is in response to the various issues and concerns relating to the circular and that its implementation will be held in abeyance until such time that the issuance of a more rationalize table of manning complement, while meeting the peak workload manning requirement of a ship, has been developed by the Authority.

Observers see the Advisory as having flaws because it says, “Accordingly, the issuance/renewal of Safe Manning Certificate/Minimum Safe Manning Certificate shall be in accordance with the tables of manning complement as prescribed under Section VI of MARINA Memorandum Circular No. 148 of 1999 entitled “Amendments to Chapter XVIII of the Philippine Merchant Marine Rules and Regulations (PMMRR) 1997 on Minimum Safe Manning for Ships in the Domestic Trade.”

They argue that the MARINA Memorandum Circular No. 148 of 1999 was already repealed by MARINA Circular No. 2012-06 entitled Revised Minimum Safe Manning for Ships Operating in Philippine Domestic Waters.

Furthermore, critics say, the move to suspend the latest MARINA Circular MS-2020-03 is detrimental to the safe operations of domestic ships because the revisions made aim to ensure that all Philippine-registered ships are manned by a sufficient number of qualified, competent, and certificated officers and ratings who can safely operate the ship at all times.

Courtesy: MARINO WORLD