I have always preferred traveling by boat. First time I ever got on a boat was in 1989, on my way to Cotabato City. About a year earlier, MV Dona Paz sank, and supposedly, one of my high school classmates's father died in that tragedy.
But that news didn't stop me from going on-board MV Cotabato Princess. My justification for avoiding airplanes as much as possible has always been: If the plane crashed, I'd surely die because I couldn't fly. But if the boat sank, I could at least try to swim.
But apparently that is crap.
Anyway, here's the very first article I saw on Inquirer when I went online this morning.
By Leila Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:39:00 07/13/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Sulpicio Lines Inc., owner of the MV Princess of the Stars that sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon last month at the height of Typhoon "Frank (international code name: Fengshen)," has a disturbing history.
For the past 28 years, its ships have not only sunk but have also collided with other vessels, caught fire, stalled at sea for several days, and run aground.
The maritime information database www.lloydsmiu.com has recorded incidents involving Sulpicio Lines vessels from 1980 to 2008. The record includes the June 21 sinking of the Princess of the Stars--the seventh sinking incident to involve the shipping company.
In all, Sulpicio Lines has had 45 sea accidents since 1980.Of the Sulpicio Lines vessels, six have collided with other ships, six have caught fire, seven have had engine problems and stalled at sea, and 19 have run aground.
The deadliest incident was the 1987 sinking of the MV Doña Paz after it collided with the MT Vector. As many as 4,300 people are believed to have died in the worst peacetime disaster in history.
Although the Doña Paz was involved in a collision, the incident was classified as a sinking in the data provided by Lloyd's MIU.
The next deadliest incidents were the sinking of the Doña Marilyn in October 1988 and the Princess of the Orient in September 1998 (with 150 fatalities each), and the Princess of the Stars last month.
At present, only 57 of the 864 people on board the Princess of the Stars have been found alive. Hundreds of bodies are believed trapped inside the ill-fated ship that left Manila for Cebu City.
Reached on the phone, Sulpicio Lines lawyer Arthur Lim said he had no comment.
No casualties
Another sinking incident involved the Sulpicio Container I (1980), with no casualties.
There were also no casualties reported in the six collisions involving Sulpicio Lines vessels--the Palawan Princess, which collided with the MV Wilcon VI at the Manila North Harbor (1992); the Filipina Princess, with a Uni-Modest vessel at the entrance of the Manila North Harbor (1993); the Iloilo Princess, with the MV Solid Pearl near the Manila North Harbor (1997); the Sulpicio Container V, with the MV Asia Malaysia at Fort San Pedro, Iloilo (2000); the Princess of Paradise, with the MV LSC Cagayan de Oro off Cebu (2003); and the Sulpicio Express Dos, with the tank barge Golden Arowana 3 off Corregidor (2005).
The six Sulpicio Lines vessels reported to have caught fire were the Philippine Princess (1989); the Princess of the Orient, then refueling at the Manila North Harbor (1997); the Dipolog Princess, then undergoing repair at Pier 7 in Cebu (2000); the Tacloban Princess, then docked in Ormoc, and where two people died (2002); the Iloilo Princess, then docked at Pier 4 in Cebu (2003); and the Princess of the World, then at sea off Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte (2005).
The seven incidents of vessels being stalled at sea involved the Filipina Princess, whose engine broke down twice (in November 1992 and March 1996); the Cotabato Princess, whose engine also broke down twice (July 2002 and March 2004); and the Princess of the Ocean, whose engine encountered problems three times (October 2002, March 2004 and June 2007).
The Sulpicio Lines vessels that ran aground were the Doña Paulina (1980); Don Victoriano I (1982); Sulpicio Container X (1986); Philippine Princess (1990 and 1997); Palawan Princess (1990 and 1995); Cagayan Princess (1990); Surigao Princess (1996); Princess of the Caribbean (1998); Tacloban Princess (1999); Cotabato Princess (2001); Dipolog Princess (2003 and 2007); Cebu Princess (2003); Princess of Paradise (2003); Princess of the Pacific (2004); Filipina Princess (2006); and the Princess of the Universe (2006).
'Correct but incomplete'
According to data earlier provided by Philippine Coast Guard sources, Lloyd's MIU has recorded 33 maritime incidents involving the vessels of Sulpicio Lines from 1980 to 2008. A source said the information came from maritime industry insiders.
When validated by Inquirer Research, Lloyd's MIU investigations/research manager Arne Hanssen said the data were "correct, but incomplete."
With Hanssen's comments, the total number of maritime accidents involving Sulpicio Lines ships rose from 33 to 45.
Lloyd's MIU said that:
The sinking of the MV Doña Paz in December 1987 led to the loss of "more than 2,000 people."
The Princess of the Stars "sank off Sibuyan Island after grounding, following engine trouble, [leaving] 150 dead and 700 missing."
The other ships that sank were the MV Carmen in 1987 and the Boholana Princess in December 1990.
300-year history
According to its website, Lloyd's MIU has "a 300-year-old history in providing information to the maritime world."
It provides data on vessel movement, ownership, characteristics and casualties, as well as port information and in-depth company information.
Lloyd's MIU data are published online, and in books and magazines. The data are compiled from various sources, including Lloyd's Agency Network of 700 agents and sub-agents, leading registries and classification societies and major company registries all over the world.
Its principal offices are located in the United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore. It employs its roster of analysts and researchers in Athens, Barcelona, Mumbai and Vancouver.
With a report from Kate Pedroso, Inquirer Research
Copyright 2008 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
News source after the jump.
Click the pix for their sources.
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