The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is considering increasing sanctions and fines for domestic shipping companies that fail to comply with its standards and regulations.

During the National Maritime Week press conference at the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) office in Manila on Tuesday, Marina Administrator Sonia Malaluan admitted that existing penalties are too small and ineffective.

She said the most common violations found during inspections are related to safety, including defective life vests, outdated fire extinguishers, and poor vessel condition.

“We are reviewing our penalties because it seems it’s too small for they can easily pay to settle them. In the next few months or before the end of the year, we will issue increased fines. It’s our objective that it should be cheaper to comply than to violate. Most shipowners consider where they would rake in revenues, compromising the safety and ignoring the regulations, which is not admissible,” Malaluan said.

She explained that ships undergo yearly inspections since safety documents are valid for only one year.

"Ships are required to be dry-docked yearly, particularly passenger vessels, to check the condition of the hulls. Aside from that, we have random and compliance monitoring, which has been intensified since last Holy Week," she added.

Currently, there are more than 23,000 registered domestic ships, including fishing and recreational boats such as yachts.

For the international ship registry, however, Malaluan said only 95 Philippine-registered ships operate in international trade—a very small number compared to other ASEAN countries.

To address this, Marina is backing the Philippine International Ship Registration Bill and the Philippine International Shipping Fiscal Incentives Bill, both pending in the House of Representatives.

“The passage of the law would improve the number of Philippine-registered ships, hopefully, to carry our trade,” Malaluan said.

The proposed laws will introduce clear requirements and an efficient system for ship registration and reflagging, recognition of ship mortgages in line with international law, liability limitations for shipowners, smoother inter-agency processes, and incentives to reduce the cost of doing business.

National Maritime Week

At the launch of National Maritime Week, themed “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity,” the PPA, Marina, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) signed a Joint Statement of Commitment to protect oceans, promote sustainability, and strengthen cooperation in maritime safety.

PPA Assistant General Manager for Operations Atty. Mark Jon Palomar highlighted initiatives on green ports, shoreline cleanups, carbon reduction, and disaster resilience.

"I call on government agencies, private industry, local communities, and our media partners to treat maritime sustainability as a shared mission. Together, let us amplify this message, inspire collective action, and show the world that the Philippines is ready to lead toward a future where our ocean is protected, our obligations are fulfilled, and our opportunities are seized," Palomar said.

The PCG, for its part, urged the public and the industry to report violations that harm the marine environment, noting that protecting oceans is a shared responsibility. The agency also emphasized training personnel to respond to both environmental and security challenges.

The NMW 2025 celebration, which runs from September 20 to 28, features activities such as a bloodletting drive, educational port tours, tree planting, and a fun run to promote maritime safety, environmental responsibility, and workforce development.