PCG, OTS forge port security pact
PCG and OTS agree to conduct joint training and capacity-building initiatives
Cargo ship leaves the Panama Canal on the Pacific Ocean side in Panama City. The number of ships sailing through the Panama Canal fell by 29 percent last year, compared to the previous year, due to the drought, the canal authority reported Tuesday. According to data provided by the Panama Canal Authority to Agence France-Presse, during the 2024 fiscal year, 9,936 vessels passed through the waterway.
MARTIN BERNETTI/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Two attached agencies of the Department of Transportation have forged a partnership to enhance maritime security.
Office for Transport and Security (OTS) Administrator Undersecretary Crisaldo Nieves and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan signed at the PCG Headquarters on Tuesday a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on cooperation on incident reporting as well as joint investigation and operations.
Under the agreement, the PCG shall perform control and compliance measures prescribed under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code relative to the security of ships in or intending to call at any Philippine port.
The PCG and OTS also agreed to conduct joint training and capacity-building initiatives and enforce
Executive Order 197 dated 4 February 2016 and the National Security Program for Sea Transport and Maritime Infrastructure.
“Today marks a pivotal moment in our nation’s history in ensuring both the safety and security of our maritime domains through the signing of this MoA between the OTS and the PCG. This partnership embodies our collective aspiration to bolster maritime security across our vast archipelago,” Nieves said.
For his part, Gavan said the partnership represented more than a formal arrangement, but a symbol of a shared vision for growth, innovation and an integrated approach to maritime security.