Three foreign ships in Manila face regulatory violations

The Philippine Coast Guard has identified three foreign vessels at the Manila Anchorage Area that have breached maritime regulations. This news was announced on Monday following inspections on March 20. One of the ships, MV Huagan 98, was found to have unaccounted Chinese crew members. The Coast Guard reported that while there were no Chinese nationals on board at the time of the inspection, the ship's records indicated that seven Chinese crew members were present as of March 19. The master of the vessel contradicted this, denying their presence. The ship also lacks necessary certification for domestic operation and does not have a functional CCTV system. MV An Da Kang 3689 was cited for illegal crew management. Nine Chinese crew members were improperly assigned roles contrary to regulations that only permit them in limited capacities. The vessel was also reported for contract violations, as these crew members worked in Manila instead of Zambales, where they were authorized. MV Shingping 007 faced scrutiny for irregular crew designations. It had twelve Chinese nationals on board, labeled as "technicians," which did not correspond with their work permits. The Department of Labor and Employment has warned that this could lead to the cancellation of these permits. The Coast Guard emphasized the importance of compliance with maritime laws to ensure safety and security at sea. Several agencies, including the Bureau of Immigration and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, participated in the inspections. Legal actions will be taken against the companies and operators found to be in violation of labor and immigration laws.