The Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and other local partners conducted joint inspections and found numerous irregularities on board three foreign-manned vessels at the Manila Anchorage Area on Thursday, March 20, the coast guard said earlier this week.
The vessels on which the irregularities were found were the Philippine-flagged aggregates carriers Huagan 98 and An Da Kang 3689 and the Chinese-flagged aggregates carrier Sheng Ping 007.
On Huagan 98, authorities found no Chinese nationals on board. However, a vessel calendar indicated the presence of seven Chinese crewmembers as of March 19, 2025.
A review of the logbook revealed that eight Chinese nationals disembarked before dawn on March 20. Despite existing MARINA regulations limiting foreign crewmembers to supernumerary roles for a single voyage without prolonged stay on board, all Chinese nationals were assigned official designations.
The coast guard said the vessel's master denied the presence of Chinese nationals, contradicting logbook records.
Other irregularities found on the vessel were the absence of a Domestic Shipping Operation Certificate and a non-functional CCTV camera system, which raised safety and security concerns.
On An Da Kang 3689, authorities discovered that nine Chinese nationals were improperly assigned as crewmembers despite MARINA regulations allowing only supernumeraries for knowledge transfer.
The vessel was also found to have violated Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regulations as the Chinese crewmembers were authorised to work only in Zambales province but were operating in Manila waters.
The crew failed to follow proper turnover procedures, with outgoing personnel abandoning their posts before the arrival of replacements. The vessel also lacked a valid Domestic Shipping Operation Certificate.
The inspection of Sheng Ping 007 revealed the presence of 12 Chinese nationals whose official designations as "technicians" did not match their Alien Employment Permits (AEPs). DOLE has warned that this discrepancy could lead to the revocation of their AEPs.
The coast guard said Sheng Ping 007 also had the same manning irregularities found on board An Da Kang 3689.
Appropriate legal actions will be pursued against the erring shipping companies and vessel operators found violating labour and immigration policies.