10 % – 11 % of Onsigners are COVID-19 positive
The strong advice from CE Amaro, now a Liberian Flag State inspector, was prompted by reports from friends from manning agencies of a relatively high number among seafarers, scheduled to leave to join their vessels, who turned out to be COVID positive “Dapat mag-ingat sila kasi, according to statistics, (batay sa) nakakausap kong mga manning […]
OWWA to pay for quarantine expenses of returning seafarers
OWWA’s move is a big relief to manning agencies who already spent several billion pesos for the food, hotel accommodation, and transportation of their returning seafarers since the onset of the pandemic last March. Leaders of JMG and the newly established Alliance of Licensed Manning Agencies (ALMA) earlier argued that if that situation would continue […]
Employers, unions urge govt to make PH a crew change hub
In a joint press conference held on August 13, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and other seafarers’ unions as well as the Joint Manning Group (JMG) have proposed specific measures towards that end. They would like the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to help ease the shortage of tug boats at the Port […]
Lack of tug boats delays in crew change at Manila Port
Ms. Garcia, also president and CEO of the manning company Blue Ocean Marine & Offshore Solutions, told veteran journalist Malou Talosig during the last Usapang CQ that, as of August 8, there were 53 foreign-flagged ships all waiting their turn to do crew change. She identified several factors that causing the congestion in Manila Bay […]
Unions, manning firms ask gov’t for additional flights to facilitate crew change
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) President Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza disclosed that his group along with other unions and manning agencies wrote the Chief Executive to allow an international carrier to provide additional flights to the country’s airports. TUCP is joined by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the Associated Philippine Seafarers Union […]
Trapped seafarers on 3 ships in Australia refuse to sail
Due to port and border restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19 have prevented ships from executing crew changes, stranding seafarers to work on ships beyond their original contracts. A Bloomberg report last Friday, August 7, said the vessels Conti Stockholm, Ben Rinnes and Unison Jasper are blocking berths in the ports of Fremantle, Geelong […]
Options for OFWs with problems on paying housing loans
Due to delays in crew change, thousands of seafarers have no choice but to sit tight until their forced prolonged vacation is over; many have been jobless for over six months now. Hence, a report from rappler.com, provides OFWs options to address their concerns over their amortization of their properties. A licensed real estate broker […]
Corrupt PhilHealth officials plan OFWs to cover their asses
The so-called MAFIA within PhilHealth wanted the increased premiums of seabased workers and other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to conceal the billions of pesos they squandered and pocketed from the agency over the years. This was confirmed during the Senate hearing early this week by Atty. Thorsson Montes Keith, resigned PhilHealth anti-fraud and legal officer, […]
US State dept approves 90 military boats for Ph
In spite of the President’s ambiguous stance with the US government, the US State Department approved the possible Foreign Military Sale to the Philippines of 90 various types of boats with armaments and equipment with an estimated total cost of $126 million. Earlier, the Philippine government had requested to buy from the US, thirty-six (36) […]
French container firm CMA CGM offers Lebanese gov’t help
One of the world’s leading container companies, the CMA CGM Group has immediately offered the Lebanese and French governments logistics and maritime assistance in order to respond to the emergency caused by the huge explosions at the Beirut port. The Group, with its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, is ensuring everything is in place to guarantee perfect […]
