New Ferry Safety Laws for Philippines

Tougher regulations are being planned by the Philippines government following two ferry accidents that are believed to have killed approximately 85 people at Christmas. The measures include the installation of global positioning system equipment onboard vessels and the introduction of new standards for passenger life jackets.

In addition, a presidential order is being drafted that would require graduates from the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy to spend two years working onboard domestic vessels before working abroad. It was hoped this would improve the number of qualified and experienced staff working onboard the Philippines domestic fleet.

Moves are still under way to create a National Maritime Authority that would become “the sole authority to regulate the maritime industry of the country”.

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