CEBU CITY—The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has suspended the passenger ship safety certificate of MV Trans-Asia 5 after it stalled for several hours at sea while traveling from Cagayan de Oro City to Cebu City.
MV Trans-Asia 5, of Trans Asia Shipping Lines Inc., experienced engine trouble at midnight on December 15 around seven to eight nautical miles east of Siquijor province.
It had to be towed by sister vessel MV Asia Pacific and a tugboat to the Cagayan de Oro City port, instead of to the Cebu City port, as it was drifting toward Mindanao, said Lt. (j.g.) Robinson Madriaga, operations officer of the Coast Guard District Central Visayas.
The vessel, which was carrying 677 passengers and 61 crewmen and officers, arrived safely at the Cagayan de Oro City port past 10 a.m. on Tuesday, more than 43 hours since it left Cagayan de Oro for Cebu City at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Lawyer Jose Cabatingan, Marina regional legal and information officer, said the Marina regional office based in Cagayan de Oro City, headed by regional director Emmanuel Carpio, issued the suspension order.
The suspension of the vessel’s safety certificate meant that MV Trans-Asia 5 would not be allowed to sail until given clearance by the Marina, Cabatingan said.
He said the shipping firm management had to fix the defects of the vessel or its engine before it could request Marina safety inspectors to check the ship.
Only if the vessel passed safety inspection would it be allowed to sail again, Cabatingan said.
The Trans Asia management was also required to provide transportation to passengers to their destination in Cebu City or refund them.
Madriaga said the captain of the ship, Roman Gencono, was required to submit a report to the Coast Guard detachment in Cagayan de Oro City.
Madriaga said the Coast Guard in Cagayan de Oro would also convene the Board of Marine Inquiry to start an investigation.
The board would take into account previous incidents involving the ship in its investigation, Madriaga said.
Madriaga said the MV Trans-Asia 5 had suffered engine trouble twice in the past.