ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Philippine Coastguard (PCG) is currently conducting Vessel Safety Enforcement Inspection (VSEI) to ensure prompt and safe travel in this part of the country.
Lt. Commander Noriel Ramos, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station commander, on Monday said the VSEI is one of the mandated tasks of the PCG to ensure the vessel worthiness at sea.
Ramos said they will not allow commercial and privately-owned vessels to travel without complying the basic requirements “to avoid any distress while at the high seas.”
He said the VSEI also includes campaign against undocumented vessels plying the Southwestern Mindanao routes, especially wooden-hulled vessels that make port call here.
Wooden-hulled vessels commonly ferry passengers and cargos from and to the different areas of Southwestern Mindanao such as Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga Peninsula areas.
“There are a lot of inter-island vessels, wooden and streel-hulled doing business either for fishing or passenger and cargo purposes here. We must ensure that these vessels are in good condition before leaving their point of origin to prevent any untoward incident at sea,” Ramos said.
He said the VSEI applies to all Philippine-registered vessels engaged in domestic trade to include fishing vessels of three gross tonnage and above calling at domestic ports except for ships not propelled by mechanical means wooden ships of primitive build, ships of war and troopships, Government vessels and pleasure yachts not engaged in trade. (/PNA)
