PinoyMovers

28/03/2024

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/28/baltimore-bridge-collapse-could-lead-to-record-insurance-loss-says-lloyds-boss

Morphy's Law: If anything can go wrong, it will.
Corollary to Morphy's Law: Morphy is an optimist.

The Baltimore Bridge, which the US NTSB describes as "fracture critical" with no safety redundancies - like 17000 other bridges in the US are, meets the MV Dali, a giant ship with a spotty safety record. In 2023, Chilean authorities cited the MV Dali, named after Salvador Dali, for propulsion problems and in 2016, it had a berth collision at the Port of Antwerp.

After their unfortunate meeting at past 0100 HRs on March 26, the busy port of Baltimore had to close down indefinitely as it was blocked by the debris of the fallen bridge at its mouth, certainly with significant adverse economic implications, and there now looms what could possibly be the biggest single maritime insurance loss in history, not to mention the accompanying death of six people.

MV Dali had earlier dispensed of the services of tugs that assisted it in leaving port even if it was still within the confines of restricted navigation as it approached on its way out the Baltimore bridge that had no pier protection and was "fracture critical".

OK now, is anybody doing the planning for the Cavite-Bataan bridge in Manila Bay monitoring?

Bruce Carnegie-Brown says disaster could cost billions and result in largest single marine insurance loss ever

25/05/2023

Mga habal-habal, hinikayat na magparehistro sa sandaling maging legal na ang Motorcycle Taxi — MC Taxi TWG

Hinihimok ng Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (MC Taxi-TWG) ang mga "habal-habal" operator, partikular na sa mga probinsya, na lumahok sa pilot study na kaugnay ng itinutulak na operasyon ng mga motorcycle taxi bilang alternatibong pampublikong sasakyan.

Ito ay dahil sa sandaling maging ganap na batas ang panukala para gawing legal ang Motorcycle Taxi sa bansa, mas mababantayan at maaaring makatanggap ng mga benepisyo mula sa programa ang mga kalahok nito.

“Once they are part of the program, they will be regulated and will be trained in the aspects of proper operations, particularly in improving their driving skills through more advanced driver training once they become part of the program. That way, they can operate safely and securely, which will ultimately benefit the riding public,” pahayag ni Atty. Paul Austria, Secretariat ng MC Taxi-TWG.

Ang plano na ito ng TWG ay alinsunod sa panukala ni Senador Raffy Tulfo sa gitna ng pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Public Services na pinangunahan ni Senador Grace Poe.

“We listened to the wisdom of the Senate and appreciate their inputs on how the public transportation system in the country can be further improved with the possible entry of MC taxis,” dagdag pa ni Atty. Austria.

Samantala, sinabi ni MC-TWG Chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III, na siya ring Chairperson ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), na pag-aaralan ng TWG kung kinakailangan pang palawigin ang lugar na sakop ng pilot study ng MC Taxi.

Inaalam na rin ng TWG kung posibleng magdagdag ng kalahok na kumpanya sa pilot study gayundin ang bilang ng mga rider na nakalaan para sa tatlong Transport Network Companies (TNCs) na kasama sa pag-aaral.

Kabilang sa mga TNC na lumahok sa pilot study ay ang Angkas, JoyRide, at Move It.

Nuong 2019 ay inatasan ng Kongreso ang Department of Transportation (DOTr) na magsagawa ng MC Taxi pilot study upang malaman kung ligtas at maaari itong gawing legal na pampublikong transportasyon sa Pilipinas. Ang nasabing pag-aaral ay una nang isinagawa sa Metro Manila at Metro Cebu.