Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard
MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese cable-laying vessel docked and unloaded “spare cables” at Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo, Zambales, last November 18, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed on Wednesday.
Based on PCG’s statement, the vessel “Fu Hai” is owned and operated by China’s SB Submarine Systems Co. Ltd.
Citing the vessel’s crew, the agency said that this was its first visit to the port “to unload spare cables and receive ship spares in transit consigned to the vessel’s master.”
READ: Zambales fishers urged to return to West PH Sea amid Chinese vessels
The PCG, however, said it is still checking who owns the cargo.
“Furthermore, verification of the vessel’s track history revealed that its last port of call was Hong Kong on November 14,” the agency’s statement reads.
Before its arrival, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SMBA) seaport department denied its entry due to a “no sail advisory” issued by the PCG amid Typhoon Pepito’s (international name: Man-yi) effects, last November 15.
The seaport department eventually granted the vessel entry on November 18 after this advisory was lifted.
But Commodore Jay Tarriela, the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, clarified that “there is no reason to consider the ship’s presence a security concern.”
“Given that this vessel did not engage in any cable laying operations, as shown by her historical tracks from Hong Kong to Subic, and primarily conducted cargo delivery in Subic, there is no reason to consider her presence a security concern,” he told reporters in a Viber message.
Based on the statement Fu Hai did not deviate from its course towards the SMBA in Subic from November 14 to November 18.
It departed from Zambales on Wednesday morning en route to her next port of call in Hong Kong.