The One-Stop-Shop (OSS) for Seafarers at the Port of Cagayan de Oro, the country's 12th crew change hub, will benefit more than 26,000 seafarers in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Maritime Sector announced Monday, June 6.
The CDO OSS, which was activated last week, was part of Transportation Secretary Art Tugade's firm commitment to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish additional crew change hubs across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative will keep maritime operations ongoing by facilitating the efficient movement of seafarers, regardless of nationality, and securing the employment of Filipino seafarers in international vessels.
“The activation of the CDO crew change hub is testament to our continuing efforts to recognize the crucial role of seafarers in keeping the global maritime industry afloat despite the prevailing health crisis, most especially that a significant amount of the sector is comprised by Filipino seafarers," Secretary Tugade stated.
The addition of the crew change hub at the Port of Cagayan de Oro brings to 12 the total number of active crew change hubs in the country.
These include those in the Ports of Manila, Currimao, Poro Point in La Union, Subic, Port Capinpin in Orion, Bataan, Batangas, Palawan, Iloilo, Cebu, Davao, and in Zamboanga.
The newest crew change hub is under the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Port Management Office (PMO) of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro.
The facility is one of the busiest ports in the country catering to various shipping activities and services as well as having the largest Passenger Terminal Building (PTB).
The country introduced the crew change hubs to process documents needed to facilitate the movement of both on-signers and off-signers amid the pandemic, recognizing the vital contribution of seafarers to the country’s economy.
As a crew change hub, the Port of Cagayan de Oro OSS will assist in the embarking and disembarking of Filipino and foreign seafarers.
The crew change hubs are manned by personnel of various government agencies such as the DOTr together with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Cebu Port Authority (CPA), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and Office for Transportation Security (OTS), as well as the Department of Health (DOH), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Overseas Workers Welfare Organization (OWWA), the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and provincial and local government units.