The cargo ship MV Harmony 6, which arrived in the Philippines from China, has been placed under temporary detention for violating maritime regulations that were implemented to stop the spread of COVID-19, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) announced today.
PCG Commandant Admiral Joel Garcia said in a statement that he ordered the investigation of the Panama-flagged vessel after it was confirmed that its Captain Luu Van Loi lied by saying that the vessel had fulfilled a 14-day quarantine even though it did not.
“Immediately, the vessel was declared under temporary detention at the anchorage area while the investigation about the violations is ongoing,” Garcia said.
Carrying 18 Vietnamese and five Indian crew members, MV Harmony 6 was in Changzhou, China on Feb. 13 and left on Feb. 18. The PCG alleged that the ship’s crew turned off the vessel’s Automatic Identification System, which tracks the ship’s location, from Feb. 19 until their arrival at Poro Point in La Union on Feb. 23. Captain Loi then declared that the ship departed from China on Feb. 10 instead of Feb. 18 so that it could meet the 14-day quarantine required in all Philippine ports to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Under PCG protocol, any vessel from virus-hit countries must pass a 14-day period at sea before the Philippine’s Bureau of Quarantine can conduct a health inspection among its crew, which is needed for port clearance.
PCG said the ship remains at La Union Port’s anchorage area while the investigation is ongoing.
Garcia said that the PCG will coordinate with quarantine officials to identify any potential criminal charges that will be filed against the ship’s officers if they are found guilty of any violations.
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