TIM eMagazine Vol.2 Issue 11
PCG improves the prevention
of maritime traffic with the
inauguration of the Vessel Traffic
Managament System in Cebu
P
CG: The Department of Transportation
(DOTr) inagurated the Philippine Coast
Guard’s first Vessel Traffic Management
System (VTMS), which composed of VTMS
Control Center and three Radar Stations
strategically located at Headquarters
Coast Guard District Central Visayas, Tal-
isay, Bantalinao, and Interbridge to have
full coverage of vessel movements and to prevent mari-
time traffic along Cebu-Mactan Channel in today’s Turn-
Over Ceremony with DOTr Secretary Arthur Planta Tugade
as the Guest of Honor and Speaker at Coast Guard District
Central Visayas, Pier 3, Arellano Boulevard, Cebu City last
Monday, February 12.
The event was graced by the Ambassador Extraor-
dinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Philippines,
His Excellency Koji Haneda together with Susumo Ito,
Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation
Agency. Moreover, the PCG delegation was headed
by Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, Rear
Admiral Elson E Hermogino PCG together with Rear
Admiral Joel S Garcia PCG, Ph.D., H.D., Al-Haj and
Commodore Lyndon F Latorre PCG.
The VTMS, one of the components of Project for the
Enhancement of Coastal Communications System under
the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Official
Development Aid (ODA)/ Grant Aid amounting to 1.152
Billion Yen, is a combination of advance navigation and
communication systems for the purpose of implementing
Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) wherein the service is
implemented by a competent authority, in which case,
the Philippine Coast Guard, to improve the safety and
efficiency of vessel traffic, to improve the safety of life at
sea, and to protect the environment in accordance with
the IMO resolution A.857(20).
Being the second largest domestic port in the
Philippines and a maritime hub for the Visayan region,
the port of Cebu is one of the busiest maritime traffic in
the country considering as well the history of collision
of the Philippine-registered passenger ferry operated
by 2Go Travel, M/V St Thomas Aquinas, and a cargo ship
named M/V Sulpicio Express Siete of Philippine Span Asia
Carrier Corporation causing the sinking of the said pas-
senger vessel way back 16 August 2013.
During the official investigation of a Special Board of
Marine Inquiry on 23 August of the same year in Cebu
City, the captain of Trans Asia Nine, a cargo ship in the
area of the incident, testified that the Sulpicio Line Siete
was in the inbound lane instead of the outbound line
which caused the collision and the death of 55
passengers, 65 missing with 750 rescued. coastguard.
gov.ph
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