INSPECTION. Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel safety enforcement inspectors (VSEI) check the vessel involved in dredging in Zambales on Thursday (March 21, 2024). The PCG on Friday said a total of 17 vessels out of 28 inspected vessels were detained due to a total of 344 deficiencies found by the VSEIs. (Photo courtesy of PCG)
MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday detained 17 of 28 inspected vessels involved in dredging activities in Zambales.
In a statement, PCG Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, said these 17 vessels are all bareboat charters registered in the Philippines.
They were all seized during separate operations due to “detainable deficiencies”, he said.
“[PCG] personnel conducted marine environmental protection inspection and vessel safety enforcement inspection on board these vessels – recording 344 deficiencies for adjudication of the Coast Guard Station (CGS) Manila,” Balilo said.
During the inspections, PCG personnel secured copies of these vessels’ special permits and bareboat charter issued by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) for comparison with the list of identified dredgers and suction cutters in Zambales.
The investigations began Tuesday when the Port State Control (PSC) Division Subic inspected three foreign vessels involved in dredging activities.
None of them were detained but all were found with deficiencies –a China-flagged cutter suction dredger with six deficiencies, a Sierra Leone–flagged anchor boat with seven deficiencies, and a Panama-flagged tugboat with 12 deficiencies.
On Wednesday, PCG personnel inspected a suction cutter, a tugboat, and an anchor boat and identified several deficiencies, with the PCG issuing an Enforcement Inspection Apprehension Report (EIAR) for adjudication of CGS Zambales.
In addition, 13 dredgers within the area of responsibility of CGS Manila were found to have deficiencies and issued EIARs for adjudication and nine of them were detained.
On Thursday, eight of 10 inspected vessels were seized due to 30 detainable deficiencies, with more than 150 deficiencies identified and listed with corresponding EIARs to be adjudicated by CGS Manila. (PNA)
