Maritime Industry Authority

Fallarme 11:35 AM, May 16, 2023

May 16, 2023

Dear Kenneth Daniel,

Thank you for your request dated Mar 06, 2023 under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch, for Inquiry on how to determine the routes of the oil tankers et al.

We received your request on Mar 06, 2023 and will respond on or before Mar 27, 2023 06:34:43 PM, in accordance with the Executive Order's implementing rules and regulations.

Should you have any questions regarding your request, kindly contact me using the reply function on the eFOI portal at https://www.foi.gov.ph/requests/aglzfmVmb2ktcGhyIAsSB0NvbnRlbnQiE01BUklOQS0yNzMzMDUwMzMwMTkM, for request with ticket number #MARINA-273305033019.

Thank you.

Respectfully,

Theodore Fallarme
FOI Officer

Donadilla 11:59 AM, May 19, 2023

Dear Kenneth Daniel,

Thank you for your request dated Mar 06, 2023 under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016)on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch, for Inquiry on how to determine the routes of the oil tankers et al.

We will be forwarding your concern to the proper office of MARINA  and will get back to you once we receive their response.

Rest assured that any response or information received by MARINA relative to your request will be acted upon expeditiously.

Thank you.

Donadilla 09:00 AM, Jun 07, 2023

June 7, 2023

Dear Kenneth Daniel Quesada,

Greetings!

Thank you for your request dated Mar 06, 2023 06:34:43 PM under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch.

Your Request

You asked for Inquiry on how to determine the routes of the oil tankers et al.

Response to Request

Your FOI request is approved. I enclose a copy of all of the information you requested.

Oil Tanker Routes

Philippine-registered oil tankers ships generally operate in tramping service, which does not follow specific or scheduled routes and mostly covers ports from where they have cargo to load or unload. Tramping operations as defined in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9295 refers to a type of shipping service wherein the cargo freight rates are not published or advertised but are negotiated in the open market  through fixtures, or similar negotiation by the shipper or cargo owner on the one hand, and the vessel owner/operator on the other, for the transportation of cargoes, normally bulk commodities, of full vessel capacity volume, under a contract of affreightment, either a voyage charter or successive voyage charters or time charter agreement, where the vessel does not observe a regular pattern of shipping service in liner routes and/or a fixed sailing schedule.

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) does not possess vessel route information on vessels engaged in tramping operations as this information is within agreements under the contract of the ship owner/operator and the shipper or cargo owner. However, the Administration has the ability to track vessels (if the vessel is a subject for monitoring) through the Automatic Identification System (AIS) installed on board specific ships. AIS is an automatic tracking system used by ships and vessel traffic services (VTS) to electronically exchange data with other nearby ships, AIS base stations, and satellites. The use of AIS is mandated under MARINA Circular No. 2015-02.

Double Hull Requirements for a Ship or Oil Tanker Vessel

The rules and regulations governing the implementation of double hull requirements for oil tanker vessels are outlined in MARINA Circular No. 2007-01 on the “Rules to Implement Double Hull Requirements under MARPOL 73/78, Annex I, as amended, on Oil Tankers operating in Philippine Domestic Waters,” and MARINA Circular No. 2010-01 on the “Revised Policy Guidelines on Tankers.” The implementation of the said circulars are also guided by the issued MARINA Advisory No. 2012-04.

The application of the double hull requirements is further guided by the implementation of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code) for chemical tankers and the International Code for the Contraction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) for gas carriers, in accordance with the implementation of MARINA Circular  No. MS-2023-03 and MARINA Circular No. MS-2021-01, respectively. Based on the said maritime codes and circulars, the application of double hull requirements varies, taking into consideration the nature of risks to safety and hazard to the marine environment of the type of chemical/s or liquefied gas cargo/es to be carried by the tanker ships.

MARINA Maritime Safety Service 
MARINA Domestic Shipping Service

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to LEGAL SERVICE at 9th floor MARINA Building, Bonifacio Drive cor. 20th Street, Port Area, Manila/ ls@marina.gov.ph. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011).

Thank you.

Respectfully,

Neil Edgar Donadilla
FOI Receiving Officer