After reports of sewage dumping, 88 foreign ships move out of Philippine EEZ — report
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 88 foreign ships, suspected to belong to Chinese maritime militia, have moved out of the Philippine exclusive economic zone, according to a report by a US-based geospatial and data analysis company.
In its August 23 report, Simularity noted that there are 71 fewer ships in the Union Banks, 35 fewer ships near Pag-asa (Thitu) Island and 88 fewer ships in the Philippine EEZ overall since its July 12 report on raw sewage from anchored ships in the Spratly Islands.
"Ships are no longer anchored together in large numbers. Reducing the amount of waste being dumped in any one place," Simularity reported.
Between June 20 to July 12, the number of ships in the Philippine EEZ in the West Philippine Sea was at 234. This was before the raw sewage report was released.
After the report, between August 1 to 18, the number of ships in the Philippine EEZ was at 146, Simularity said.
The think tank noted that multiple ships have been anchored together in the Spratly Islands since 2019.
"When ships that are anchored together dump waste, it is more concentrated in one place. Spreading out the ships helps dilute the 'excess nutrients', which helps the coral," the report read.
Simularity added that it was not unusual to see more than 20 ships anchored together in the Union Banks, where Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef is located.
In March, the Philippine Coast Guard reported the presence of 220 Chinese ships near Julian Felipe Reef.
As of August 11, the maximum number of ships seen anchored together in the Union Banks is six, according to Simularity.
Citing a July 24 report from the South China Morning Post, Simularity noted that the municipal government of Sansha, which claims jurisdiction over Spratly Islands, held a meeting following the sewage report.
The Chinese agencies were asked to "fight together the battle of pollution prevention and control and safeguard the clear sea and blue sky of Sansha."
Last year, Beijing established the district of Nansha (Spratly Islands), which falls under the jurisdiction of self-declared Sansha City.
The Department of Foreign Affairs rejected this move, reiterating that the Philippine government does not recognize Sansha City nor its constituent units.
"The Philippine government has protested since 2012 China’s unlawful establishment of Sansha City and the extent of its administrative jurisdiction, which encompasses Philippine territory and maritime zones in the West Philippine Sea," the DFA said in an Apr. 30, 2020 statement. — Satellite images from Simularity via European Space Agency
- Latest
- Trending
