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The Maritime Industry Authority has reduced by 50% the fees for inspecting and auditing Philippine-registered overseas ships and for auditing of shipping companies and recognized organizations
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The discount will apply to remote inspection/survey/audit of covered entities
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It will remain in effect until the state of public health emergency imposed due to COVID-19 is lifted or the discount is revoked
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The discount is in view of shipping challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and in compliance with the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has slashed by 50% fees for inspection and audit of Philippine-registered overseas ships, shipping companies and recognized organizations.
MARINA Advisory (MA) No. 2021-06 dated November 4 said the discount took into consideration the challenges to shipping operations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and is in compliance with Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
RA 11494 established mechanisms to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through the provision of assistance, subsidies, and other forms of socioeconomic relief.
The 50% discount, applicable to remote inspection/survey/audit of the covered entities, will remain in effect until the public health emergency is lifted, or until the discount is revoked by MARINA, whichever comes earlier.
The fee for ship inspection and ship audit is now US$1,500 per ship, and $500 for company audit and recognized organization audit.
Earlier, MARINA also provided a 30% discount on the annual tonnage fee for 2021 to assist the domestic shipping sector hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ: MARINA extends 30% discount on 2021 tonnage fee
Ship audit is covered by MARINA Memorandum Circular (MC) No. MS-2020-06. The circular required all Philippine-registered ships engaged in international voyages, including training ships and ships operating on the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area roll-on/roll-off routes, to be surveyed, inspected, and audited by the flag state administration as part of its oversight function.
Shipping companies and recognized organizations will also be audited under certain circumstances under MC MS-2020-06.
MC MS-2020-06 provides rules on how MARINA conducts its oversight function as flag state administration in delegating authority to recognized organizations.
Guiding the implementation of remote inspection/survey/audit of companies, ships, and shipyards, in compliance with social distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is MARINA issued MA 2020-75 in October 2020. – Roumina Pablo
