Sara visits Cebu for ship’s blessing

CEBU, Philippines — Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has graced the blessing and inauguration of MV Lite Ferry Five in Cebu City which will soon travel from Oslob, Cebu to Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.

“These new routes are beneficial to both places and will boost its economic activity,” said Duterte-Carpio, who is the guest of honor of the event that was also attended by various stakeholders in the shipping industry.

Completed in 2019, Lite Ferry Five is a new 75-meter RORO passenger coastwise ship, with a GRT of 2,895 tons built in China but classed by RINA of Italy.

“The vessel is brand new because if we purchased brand new vessels, we have several incentives from the Maritime Industry Authority such as no competition of such route for six years,” said Lucio Lim, Jr., the president and chief executive officer of Lite Shipping Corporation.

The vessel was granted the “Pioneering Status Protection” by MARINA in the said route under EO 909 and MC 2015-4.

Lim, however, said that for the meantime until six months, the said vessel will temporarily take the Oslob, Cebu to Dapitan City route.

“As of now, ongoing pa ang dredging sa Dipolog Port which is very shallow. Mga six months pa tingali na mahuman ang dredging and after completion, anha na magsugod ang Oslob-Dipolog route,” Lim said.

The brand new vessel has wide passageways on its passenger decks and a spacious cargo deck that can accommodate 540 passengers and 23 10-wheeler trucks.

It has a maximum speed of 15 knots and a service speed of 13 to 14 knots.

On its 29th year, the shipping company is embarking on a new chapter of “Sailing Bigger, Faster and Better,” with the launching of its latest acquisition.

Lim said that, so far, the company has 25 vessels and another brand new vessel, the MV Lite Ferry Nine is a 70-meter coastwise RORO ferry is expected to arrive in Cebu next month.

MV Lite Ferry Nine has a GRT of 2,107 tons, also built in China, and classed by the Bureau Veritas of France.

It can accommodate 400 passengers and 17 10-wheeler trucks.

The ship will be deployed in January 2020. It has a service speed of 12 knots.

The vessel will be deployed to service the Jagna, Bohol to Cagayan de Oro City route on a pioneering status by MARINA.

With a total of seven ships acquired brand-new in the past 5 years, including its flag ship vessel “M/V Lite Ferry 88” plus the six other vessels which were all below 20 years old upon acquisition, Lite Ferries now operates one of the youngest fleets in the Philippines Lite Shipping Corporation – Lite Ferries is a proud member of the Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association, Inc.

Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio opted not to answer any of the queries thrown at her by the press by simply saying “no comment.”

She was asked on the chances if she is going to run for president, her reactions on the installation of Vice President Leni Robredo as the country’s drug czar, among others. (FREEMAN)