CEBU, Phillipines — An inter-agency meeting was held yesterday to discuss the salvage operation on the ship that ran aground on Monday in southeast of Malapascua Island in northern Cebu.
Among the agencies present were the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and representatives and legal counsel of vessel owner, Sun Ship Management Corporation.
The Panamana-registered MV Belle Rose was heading to San Fernando in Cebu to deliver 48,000 metric tons of clinker; a raw material used in making cement.
PCG said, the salvage team from Malayan Towage and Nippon Salvage Company is set to hold a survey today on the seabed to check the condition of the cargo vessel.
“That is what we will discuss because as what I have mentioned, it should be a collective decision between our stakeholders. So, there’s no passing the buck if the operation fails,” said PCG Cebu Station Commander Agapito Bibat in vernacular.
They will assess whether it is possible to transfer the cargoes or pressurize the water on the ballast tank to lighten the vessel.
The Monad shoal is about 10 meters deep, however, the vessel was stuck deeper at 12 meters.
The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said the mishap has damaged about 300 hectares of the shoal.
(GLADYS TOABI/UNTV NEWS)
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