Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to board and inspect all dredgers operating in Manila Bay reclamation projects amid renewed concerns over vessel identity, ownership, and compliance with Philippine laws. 'The President orders the PCG to board all the dredgers operating in Manila Bay as part of the reclamation project and inspect their vessel registration and AIS (automatic identification system) transmission,' Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters in a message on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the directive was issued just days after a maritime security analyst flagged a Chinese-origin dredger allegedly broadcasting multiple identities while operating in Philippine waters. In an article published on Monday, Ray Powell, director of maritime intelligence group SeaLight, reported that the dredger Kang Ling 539 has transmitted at least 30 different vessel identities while shuttling between Manila Bay and a dredging site in Zambales for more than two years.
The report highlighted that the dredger has operated under at least six different flag states, including the Philippines, Sierra Leone, China, So Tom© and Prncipe, and Panama. This raised concerns over possible violations of maritime and domestic regulations. Under Philippine law, dredgers transporting sand between Philippine points must be at least 60 percent Filipino-owned, Philippine-flagged and registered, and crewed by Filipino nationals. Foreign-owned or foreign-flagged vessels are prohibited from undertaking dredging operations unless they are reflagged and placed under qualified domestic ownership.
The President's latest directive follows his earlier order in May 2025 for a nationwide probe into dredging and reclamation activities. This was issued amid mounting environmental concerns and reports that sand sourced from Philippine waters may have been diverted to Chinese land reclamation projects.
