Recit

Question 1

Vessel under PD No. 474

Answer 1

A vessel or watercraft is defined under PD No. 474 as “any barge, lighter, bulk carrier, passenger ship freighter, tanker, container ship, fishing boats, or other artificial contrivance utilizing any source of motive power, designed, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation operating either as a common contract carrier, including fishing vessels covered under PD No. 43, except:

1) those owned and/or operated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and by foreign governments for military purposes
2) bancas, sailboats and other waterborne contrivance of less than three gross tons capacity and not motorized

Question 2

Vessel under Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004

Answer 2

Ship or vessel may be used interchangeably and shall mean any kind, class or type craft or artificial contrivance capable of floating in water, designed to be used, or capable of being used as a means of water transport in the domestic trade for the carriage of passengers or cargo, or both, utilizing its own motive power or that of another.

Question 3

Vessel as per SC in Yu Con v. Ipil

Answer 3

Every kind of craft by whatever particular or technical name it may now be known or which nautical advancements may give it in the future.

Question 4

Vessel accdg to the Dictionary of Legislation and Jurisprudence by Escriche

Answer 4

Any kind of craft, considering solely the hull.

Question 5

Vessel accdg to Blanco, commentator on mercantile law

Answer 5

Every kind of craft, large or small, whether belonging to the merchant marine or to the navy, so long as it be not an accessory of another, such as the small boat of a vessel, of greater or less tonnage.