Ship with 100,000 bags of Vietnam rice grounded in La Union

DAGUPAN CITY—More than 100,000 bags of rice imported from Vietnam by the government remained in a cargo ship that ran aground near the port of San Fernando City in La Union province last month.

Carlito Co, director of the National Food Authority (NFA) in the Ilocos region, said huge waves had prevented workers from unloading some of the rice to lighten the ship’s load and make it float.

“As of now, the ship cannot dock because of the heavy load. The waves are strong. We are hoping that sea condition will get better so we can unload some of the rice,” Co said on the phone on Friday.

The ship, MV Vinh Hoa, was loaded with 140,000 bags of rice when it ran aground about a kilometer from the   port of San Fernando on Dec. 28.

Co said that immediately after the ship stalled, the ship’s crew hired a barge where they unloaded about 23,000 bags.

“But that was not enough to make the ship float. The ship’s crew is doing its best. When the sea becomes calm, they will unload again until such time that the ship can be towed to the pier,” Co said.

Nestor Domenden, Ilocos regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said it was his first time to hear about the ship’s grounding.

“I have not received an official report about it so I cannot tell you yet if it damaged

any corals on the seabed,” Domenden said.

Co said the rice shipment was intended as NFA’s buffer stock for the lean months of July, August and September.

Aside from the four provinces in the Ilocos region, the NFA Ilocos regional office also covers Benguet and Abra provinces.

Co said that even if the rice shipment remained in the ship, it did not affect the rice supply in the region and nearby provinces.

“The ship arrived with another ship, MV Lan Ha, that was loaded with 250,000 bags of rice, which we are still unloading,” Co said. Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon