THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on Monday suspended the operations of M/V Filipinas Cagayan de Oro, hours after the Cebu-bound interisland passenger ferry returned to port here at nearly midnight Sunday after listing dangerously on its port side when it encountered strong winds off the coast of Laguindingan in Misamis Oriental.
The vessel, operated by the Cokaliong Shipping Lines safely made it back to the port here at around 11:21 pm where it was met by ships of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said all 448 passengers including 23 children and seven infants, were safe and were assisted by Coast Guard personnel when they disembarked.
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Marina regional director Annabel Lagas said the suspension of the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (PSSC) of MV Filipinas Cagayan de Oro will remain in effect until there is a “satisfactory result of Marina survey inspection and/or evaluation of all available data surrounding the incident.”
Cokaliong Shipping Lines regularly plies the seas between Visayas and Mindanao. Sunday night’s listing was the third incident recorded this year involving ships owned by the company.
“The PSSC of MV Filipinas Cagayan de Oro is hereby suspended under the provisions of Republic Act no. 9295 and its implementing rules and regulations, Marina Memorandum Circular MS 2023-01 and 203, Administrative Order no. 13-16 and the Ship Survey System relative to the suspension of the safety certificate,” the letter to Cokaliong Shipping Lines said.
Balilo said they are investigating reports that the listing was caused by rolling cargoes aboard the RoRo vessel that were not properly latched, making the ship tilt dangerously.
Shaken passengers posted on Facebook that they heard loud thumping from the cargo hold below the ship before it tilted.
Balilo said they have instructed the Maritime Safety Services Command to investigate the incident and check on the ship’s safety procedures and protocols.
Apart from the passengers, the vessel was also carrying four cars and seven motorcycles.
