GROUNDED FERRIES: Regulatory hurdles, safety checks trigger ferry shortage in Guimaras

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Passengers traveling to and from Guimaras are facing long queues at the Jordan and Parola wharves after a reduction in operating vessels, as several ferries undergo or await regulatory and maritime safety compliance procedures.

The Guimaras Island Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GITMPC), a key operator on the route, said the situation stems from mandatory compliance processes meant to ensure vessel safety and seaworthiness.

“As much as we want all our vessels to remain in operation and continuously serve the riding public, we are committed to complying with all required maritime safety and regulatory requirements,” it said in a statement Saturday, June 6.

The cooperative said several vessels are temporarily out of service, including MV Jordan Ferry 14 and MB Jordan Ferry 8, 6, and 1, as they undergo drydocking, inspections, and documentary compliance with maritime authorities.

“These processes often require substantial expenses, extensive documentation, inspections, and coordination with the schedules of the inspectors and concerned regulatory authorities,” it said.

“While these procedures may take time, they are necessary to ensure the safety, seaworthiness, and compliance of our vessels,” it added.

GITMPC said drydocking and compliance activities were scheduled in advance in anticipation of certificate expirations, but added that requirements such as remedial measures and updated documentation have extended processing timelines.

Drydocking is a maritime maintenance procedure in which a vessel is taken out of the water to inspect its underwater hull and components and to confirm it remains seaworthy, fuel-efficient, and operationally safe.

The cooperative assured passengers it is working to restore full fleet capacity “at the soonest possible time,” stressing that safety remains its top priority.

On June 2, Jordan Mayor John Edward Gando met with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), the Philippine Coast Guard, and ferry operators serving the Jordan-Parola route.

The meeting was called following passenger complaints about congestion at both wharves due to limited vessel availability for daily commuters.

Officials noted that, aside from GITMPC’s fiber vessels, MV Margaux and MV Manocmanoc of Buenavista and Jordan Ferry Inc. and one vessel from 3S Uno Transport Corp. are also undergoing drydocking.

“The mandatory drydocking process usually takes seven to ten days. However, some vessels are also undergoing compliance requirements involving damage control plans, electrical plans, and the issuance of safety certificates before they can resume operations,” the local government said in a report.

The report said MARINA assured stakeholders it would expedite the processing of requirements without compromising safety standards.

Gando further urged ferry operators to submit a joint appeal to the MARINA central office to fast-track the processing of vessel compliance documents.

The tighter compliance regime traces back to the Iloilo Strait tragedy of Aug. 3, 2019, when three wooden-hulled motor bancas — Chi-Chi, Keziah, and Jenny Vince — capsized while crossing between Iloilo City and Guimaras, killing 31 people, among them students and teachers.

The disaster pushed MARINA to enforce the phase-out of wooden-hulled pump boats in favor of safer fiber-hulled and roll-on, roll-off vessels, the type GITMPC now runs on the route.

That history underscores why operators and regulators are treating the current drydocking and certification backlog as a safety imperative rather than a routine delay, even as thousands of Guimarasnons who work and study in Iloilo City absorb the cost of longer waits.