MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Transportation and Communication Thursday said that two ships of Sulpicio Lines Inc. that were allowed to sail again would carry cargo but not passengers.

Interviewed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Wednesday, Col. Primo Rivera, Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) deputy administrator for operations, said he signed on Saturday an order allowing the Cotabato Princess and the Princess of the Earth to sail again.

He said the order allowing the two vessels to sail had no limitation, which means that both ships can carry passengers.

Also on Wednesday, Sulpicio Lines said the company received from MARINA on Tuesday an order that lifted the order grounding the two ships.

But Thursday, the DOTC issued statements to the contrary.

“They can’t carry passengers, only cargo,” said a text message from the Task Force Princess of the Stars head, Elena Bautista, transportation undersecretary for maritime affairs.

Bautista said Rivera had denied saying the two ships may carry passengers. She said Rivera was misquoted.

Rivera could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Nelson Morales, safety and quality assurance manager, said he had not personally seen the written notice that the two vessels may be allowed to sail again.

MARINA Administrator Vicente Suazo, in a phone interview, supported Bautista’s declaration, saying that the order lifting the suspension of Sulpicio Lines’ MV Princess of the Earth and MV Cotabato Princess was limited to cargo.

“The two vessels were only allowed to carry cargo to keep the movement of goods going. Remember, we have talked to other shipping companies which have assured us they have new ships coming to serve any increase in cargo demand,” Suazo said.

While awaiting the new ships and pending the results of hearings involving Sulpicio Lines, MARINA has allowed two of the company’s passenger ships to carry only cargo, so that cargo deliveries will not be hampered, the MARINA administrator said.

Suazo said the fate of the shipping company’s passenger business was yet to be decided by the MARINA board.

All passenger vessels of Sulpicio Lines were grounded after the MV Princess of the Stars, the company’s flagship, capsized off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province on June 21 when it sailed into the eye of Typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen).

Only 56 of the ferry’s 864 passengers and crew survived. Some 200 bodies have so far been recovered. The rest have been declared missing or presumed dead.

6 other ships

Sulpicio Lines lawyer Ma. Victoria Lim-Florido said that the fate of the company’s six other passenger ships was not known yet.

Morales said Sulpicio Line’s nine passenger vessels had been re-audited.

Down payment

Up next for re-inspection are four others which are dry-docked. Seven Sulpicio Lines cargo vessels, which were not covered by the grounding, are still in operation. One is dry-docked.

Almost two months after MV Princess of the Stars capsized, a US firm hired by Sulpicio has yet to start recovering the vessel’s toxic cargo.

Titan Salvage is expected to start mobilizing its staff and equipment on Aug. 9.

The firm has received its down payment through a local partner.

“At 5:30 p.m. today, Harbour Star, the local partner of Titan Salvage, confirmed receipt of SLI payment,” Bautista said in another text message.

She said the payment consisted of an initial $3.5 million in cash and a letter of credit for $4.5 million.

The payment will be transmitted to Titan’s account Friday morning. After confirming its receipt of the payment, Titan will start bringing equipment and people to the Philippines.

“Day 1 of 21 days’ mobilization (of Titan) starts Aug. 9,” Bautista said.

Apart from recovering toxic cargo, Titan has pledged to retrieve human remains that its crew may encounter during retrieval operations.