THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), in response to a recent cyberattack that paralyzed its Seafarers Identity Document (SID) and Seafarers Record Book (SRB) systems, has begun issuing certificates for Filipino seafarers in lieu of said documents.
Seafarers with immediate deployment requirements and are applying for expedited appointments were advised to visit any Marina SID/SRB Processing Centers.
“As of now, the restoration of the SID/SRB system is still ongoing. We will [give an] update once the system is up and running, for the meantime, seafarers applying for expedited [SID/SRB] will be given certifications,” Marina said.
The agency added that these certificates will serve as a temporary substitute for SID and SRB until the system is restored.
She furthered that these certificates are internationally recognized.
“It should be [internationally recognized] considering that it is issued by the Philippine maritime administration. It is verifiable through the contacts stated therein,” Marina added.
The issuance of a provisional certificate follows the Aug. 13 cyberattack on Marina systems which resulted in a nationwide suspension of regular SID/SRB processing.
The disruption in the issuance of these documents received flak from some industry leaders.
In an open letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as posted on his social media account, maritime consultant and former ship captain Edgardo Flores said that thousands of Filipino seafarers remain affected by this disruption.
“Many cannot process the documents required for employment, while some seafarers who are already onboard may be forced to extend their contracts because their replacements cannot complete the necessary processing of SID/SRB in time. This situation may also affect their well-being, especially those assigned in high-risk areas such as the Black Sea and the Persian Gulf as well as seafarers ashore who’s long been standby for next employment.
“This situation is now approaching a serious national maritime and employment crisis for Filipino seafarers,” Flores said, urging the president, the senate, and the congress to urgently look into the matter.
Meanwhile, based on an official statement released by Marina last Aug. 14, the agency immediately initiated corrective and security measures in coordination with the DICT and systems providers to secure the infrastructure, protect database integrity, and safely restore normal operations.
It also advised seafarers with immediate deployment requirements (expedite appointments) to visit any Marina SID/SRB Processing Centers.
“Confirmed regular appointments affected by the downtime will be honored and rescheduled without additional cost once the system is restored,” Marina said in a statement.