Philippines keen to revive shipyards

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Manila: Shipping regulator Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is set to issue several circulars to revive the country’s shipbuilding sector, which has been stagnant for the past decades. During its board meeting in March, Marina has approved several circulars that now include not only the shipbuilding sector but also the ship repair, ship breaking, and other boat-building companies. One of which is Marina Circular 2009-06, which requires shipyards to have license plates, which will be handed out by Marina starting June this year.
“The license plate shall have a validity of nine years, which shall correspond with the expiry date of the entity’s certificate of registration,” Marina said in its circular.
Marina said it would sell the license plate to covered entities at no more than P500.
Lack of license plate after June 1 will have a corresponding penalty of P5,000 and a 30-day suspension of the license for the first offense, and P10,000 and revocation of license for the second day.
Marina is also mulling over the release of a circular for small boat repairs and boat building, but a copy of which was not made available to the media as it has not been published yet in a newspaper of general circulation.
Earlier, Marina recommended Subic Bay, Bohol and Malita municipality in Davao del Sur as the priority areas for the establishment of the country’s shipyards.
Marina said in its report that it is in coordination with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) and the Board of Investments (BOI) to declare the three cities and municipalities as priority areas where shipyards “can be located and concentrated.”
“Such areas may be declared as ecozones [economic zones] wherein operations of the shipyard shall be registered with the BOI in order to reduce operating costs through incentives provided,” Marina said.
Of the three areas, only Subic Bay has already its own shipyard, including the one operated by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd.
Peza, on the other hand, has its Subic Shipyard Special Economic Zone in Cabangan Point in Cawag, Subic. The other two areas are still working out the construction of their own shipyard. [05/05/09]