CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines: Several sea trips in Mimaropa and other parts of the country were canceled Saturday (Aug 8) due to the enhanced south-west monsoon or “habagat,” according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
As of 8 a.m., the cancellations affected passenger vessels operating from ports in Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Bohol and Western Leyte/Biliran.
In Batangas, canceled trips included fastcraft and Montenegro Shipping Line services between Batangas and Puerto Galera, Montenegro trips from Batangas to Odiongan, and Starlite services to Sibuyan and Caticlan.
At the Port of Calapan, all fastcraft vessel trips were canceled.
In San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, the cancelled service involved MV Saint Augustine de Ubon, which operates the San Jose-Semirara-Caluya-Libertad route.
Trips from Lubang, Occidental Mindoro, were also halted following a “no-sail” policy issued by the local government.
In Palawan, all trips of vessels with a gross tonnage of 35 GT and below at the Port of Cuyo were canceled. Also canceled was the MV D’Asean Journey service between Puerto Princesa and Cuyo.
In Bohol, the Sunriser II trip from Getafe to Cordova, Cebu, was canceled.
In Western Leyte/Biliran, the canceled service involved MV Oceanjet 88 of Ocean Fast Ferries Inc., which operates the Cebu-Maasin-Surigao route.
The PPA clarified that it does not itself cancel vessel trips. Cancellations are automatically implemented when the Philippine Coast Guard issues a “no-sail” policy, which prevents vessels from sailing due to unsafe sea conditions.
Shipping lines may also cancel trips, subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of their Certificate of Public Convenience issued by the Maritime Industry Authority.
Passengers were advised to coordinate with shipping lines and port authorities for updates before proceeding to ports. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
