THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) suspended the safety certificates of two domestic vessels following separate Oct. 31 incidents in Cagayan and Bohol.
The Passenger Ship Safety Certificates of the motorized banca MBca Rose Marie 1 and the fast craft MV Ocean Jet 788 were suspended following directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon. The action bars both vessels from commercial operations pending technical evaluations.
The suspensions follow distinct operational failures. At 8:15 a.m., MBca Rose Marie 1 capsized between Dalupiri and Fuga islands due to rough seas and unsecured livestock shifting aboard. All seven crew members survived, while six of the eleven animals died. At 10:57 a.m., MV Ocean Jet 788 suffered an electrical failure affecting its bridge engine remote control and throttle system while docking at the Port of Tagbilaran, temporarily losing maneuverability. No human casualties were reported.
The groundings trigger enforcement protocols under Republic Act 9295 and Marina’s Revised Rules on Ship Survey and Certification. Marina Deputy Administrator for Operations Rear Admiral Loumer Bernabe PN (Ret.) instructed regional offices to scale up shipboard inspections nationwide, stating that no vessel will sail without verified seaworthiness.
The response reflects stricter preventive enforcement during peak holiday travel periods. The incidents highlight core technical vulnerabilities in the domestic fleet: poor cargo restraint systems that impair small-craft stability in rough seas and single-point failure risks in fast ferry electro-hydraulic bridge controls. Both operators must submit casualty reports and pass structural and machinery reinspections before Marina restores their certificates.
