IMO has contributed to the next steps to enhance safety and energy efficiency of domestic passenger ships in the Philippines. A team of experts undertook a field visit to Manila, Iloilo and Cebu, the Philippines (3-9 July) to see up close how the safety system in the Philippines operates.
The team were able to observe and understand actual operations of domestic passenger ships and their interface with port operations and the regulatory authorities. They were also able to scrutinize the different types of passenger ships which operate in the Philippines, particularly the traditional wooden bancas and redesigned and modernized Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boats.
Meetings were held with officials from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA); the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA); the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); and faculty members the University of Cebu and the University of the Philippines to see how to build local expertise.
The field visit identified the need:
The field visit was the next step ina year-long US$354,250 projectfunded by the World Bank Group (WBG), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP).
