WITH its safety certificate suspended, the MV Lady of Love, a roll on-roll off (roro) passenger vessel, will stay in the port of Surigao until it complies with the safety requirements needed by the Maritime Industry Authorty in Caraga region (Marina-13).
Marina-13 suspended the ship’s passenger safety certificate last Saturday after the vessel experienced engine trouble while en route to the Surigao port.
Desire Rosal, the officer in charge of Surigao Station for Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), confirmed to Cebu Daily News that they received the order suspending the vessel’s ship safety certificate.
MV Lady of Love left Cebu City on Friday at 8 p.m. and arrived at the Port of Surigao at 5:57 a.m. the following day or an hour later from its expected arrival at 4 a.m. The ship carried 37 passengers.
The vessel arrived safely in Surigao port without being rescued.
In allowing the MV Lady of Love to sail from the Cebu port on Friday, Dionlett Ampil, commander of PCG Cebu Station, said that if MV Lady of Love encountered engine trouble only when it almost reached Surigao, it meant that there was no engine problem yet when it left Cebu City.
“Minsan talaga okay pa before pag-alis ng barko and sometimes it happens na yung engine trouble ma-encounter when you reach your destination. If the vessel is not seaworthy, hindi naman pinapaalis yan (Sometimes, the vessel is okay when it leaves port and sometimes engine trouble only happens when you reach your destination. If the vessel is not seaworthy, then we will not allow it to leave),” Ampil said.