The Iloilo Strait is a strait in the Philippines that separates the islands of Panay and Guimaras in the Visayas, and connects Panay Gulf with the Guimaras Strait. It is the location of the Port of Iloilo, the third-busiest of the ports in the Philippines in number of ships.[1] Iloilo City on Panay is the major city located on the strait with Buenavista and Jordan, both on Guimaras, immediately across the strait from the city. The Iloilo River empties into the strait.

Iloilo Strait
Aerial view of the strait from Balaan bukid in Guimaras with Iloilo City in the background
Iloilo Strait is located in Visayas
Iloilo Strait
Iloilo Strait
Location within the Visayas
Iloilo Strait is located in Philippines
Iloilo Strait
Iloilo Strait
Iloilo Strait (Philippines)
NASA satellite image taken before May 2007
LocationWestern Visayas
Coordinates10°41′07″N 122°35′21″E / 10.685209°N 122.589194°E / 10.685209; 122.589194
Typestrait
EtymologyIloilo
Part ofSulu Sea
Max. length25 km (16 mi), NE-SW
SettlementsIloilo City

Pump boat ferries cross every few minutes from Iloilo City to Guimaras and vice versa. Ships doing business with the Port of Iloilo often moor in the strait.

History

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A cargo ship of 2GO Freight in the Iloilo Strait, with a pump boat and Guimaras Island in the background.

The Port of Iloilo was opened for international trade in 1855 and the coming of British Vice-consul Nicholas Loney, a year later, led to the fast development of the sugar industry in the region.[2]

Incidents

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2GO Travel's ferry St. Gregory The Great nearly capsized on 15 June 2013, when it struck rocks under the water near the Siete Picados Islands.[3]

Iloilo Strait Tragedy

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In midday of August 3, 2019, two motor boats "Chi-chi" (43 passengers on board) & "Keziah 2" (with only 4 crews survived) bounded to Jordan, Guimaras were capsized due to strong southwest monsoon winds enhanced by Tropical Depression "Hanna" (Int'l name Lekima). Several hours after an incident another motorboat from Buenavista, Guimaras named "Jenny Vince" (40 passengers on board) were also capsized due to strong winds. 31 passengers were perished in tragedy including teachers.[4]

2020 Iloilo Oil Spill Incident

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The incident happened in Friday afternoon (July 3, 2020) where one of the two power barges of National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) exploded spilling an estimated 251,000 liters of fuel by Saturday morning. Nobody was injured, but by Sunday morning, about 400 residents were evacuated amid the spreading smoke from the bunker fuel, according to the Iloilo City Risk Reduction Management Office. Some 179,300 liters of bunker fuel were collected from the water's surface on Sunday, according to a report by the Coast Guard station in Iloilo.[5][6][7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "PMO ILOILO". Philippine Ports Authority. Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  2. ^ "History of Iloilo". Iloilo Provincial Government. 7 September 2011. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Ship nearly capsizes in Iloilo Strait; passengers safe". Sun Star Iloilo. June 15, 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  4. ^ "Iloilo Strait Tragedy". 4 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Iloilo Oil Spill Incident". 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  6. ^ "DENR to fine AC Energy for Iloilo oil spill". 6 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Coast Guard to probe Iloilo City oil spill, may file charges vs. power barge owner 'if warranted'". 5 July 2020. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
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