Marina says deadline for vessel conversion stays

March 13th, 2008 by Site Administrator

THE MARITIME Industry Authority (MARINA) will not extend the April 30 deadline for black oil tanker operators to convert or replace their vessels with double-hulled tankers, its administrator said.

“There were reports recently that the deadline was extended from early April to April 30,” MARINA Administrator Vic Suazo said in an interview. “Actually, the deadline has always been April 30, that was our country’s commitment to IMO [International Maritime Organization]. Companies have to inform MARINA of their vessel conversion on or before April 30.”

He said MARINA would cancel the licenses of oil tankers or remove them from the Philippine registry if they would not comply with the requirement.

“So far, only 10 [black oil] tankers have been registered as double hulled, out of the 214 tankers currently in our registry,” he said. “Perhaps companies are taking their time, thinking there will be an extension. I must inform them that it is not in my power to do that. They would have to take it up with MARINA’s board.”

The IMO International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution, which the Philippines committed to follow, mandated the phase-out of single-hull vessels by 2008 for fuel tankers and by 2010 for refined petroleum tankers.

Riza T. Olchondra/Inquirer.net