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.

Source: PNA

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