Source - 27 July 2008/Shiptalk News
The Philippine Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said a new regime of audits on the seaworthiness of vessels is continuous and will not be limited to Sulpicio Lines. Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo Jr. said that as directed by President Arroyo, the agency will outsource to private sector experts, either local or international, the job of auditing vessels. This will prevent camaraderie between shipping operators and Marina regional inspectors from compromising the process. The audit, based on NSM and ISM standards, will be focused on both hardware and software.
Hardware refers to all the facilities of the ship such as communications equipment, lashing gear and safety paraphernalia, among others. The software, on the other hand, refers to the procedures in how the ship is managed and whether it has a culture of safety consciousness,” Suazo said.
For the software audit alone, there are 13 to 16 elements. “The first element is to establish the company’s advocacy, especially of maritime safety and environmental protection,” Suazo said. Increased attention went to the safety of inter-island vessels after the MV Princess of the Stars sank in bad weather off Romblon last June 21.
Isn’t it just a little too late for them???
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