Marina urges ship operators to service ‘missionary routes’

MANILA, Philippines – The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is encouraging shipping companies to deploy ships to missionary routes to enhance the connectivity of the country’s islands.

Marina officer-in-charge Narciso Vingson Jr. also asked shipping companies on Tuesday to suggest any missionary routes.

“The Marina declared 19 missionary routes on 31 January 2019 to further connect various islands between the Central Nautical Highway to the Eastern Nautical Highway or from the Western Nautical Highway to the Central Nautical Highway. These missionary routes are part of the remaining 109 lateral routes that need to be served, considering the availability of RoRo-capable ports,” he said in a statement.

“The shipping company that will serve a missionary route shall enjoy protection of investment for five years and 50 percent discount on the regular fees of all applications and renewal of ship documents, licenses, certificates, and permits,” Vingson added.

The statement of Vingson came after Marina revealed that some companies already expressed interest in serving missionary routes during the House Committee on Transportation’s Oversight Committee Hearing on the Roll-on-Roll-off or Roro System in Cebu City last Monday.

During the session, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lauded the efforts of the maritime industry in promoting the Strong Republic Nautical Highway System in the country.

Shipping companies have expressed interest in serving seven of 19 Roro routes, namely:

1. Batangas City – San Jose, Occidental Mindoro – Coron, Palawan
2. Lucena, Quezon – Odiongan, Romblon – Caticlan/New Washington
3. Lucena, Quezon – Romblon, Romblon
4. Lucena, Quezon – Masbate City-Calbayog, Northern Samar
5. Maasin, Southern Leyte – Ubay, Bohol
6. San Andres, Quezon – San Pascual, Masbate
7. Taytay, Palawan – Cuyo, Palawan

The remaining 12 routes awaiting servicing by interested operators are:

1. Basco, Batanes – Currimao, Ilocos Norte
2. San Juan, Batangas – Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro
3. Real, Quezon – Polillo Island, Quezon
4. Pantao, Albay – San Pascual, Masbate
5. Calbayog City, Samar – Cataingan, Masbate
6. Cuyo, Palawan – San Jose de Buenavista, Antique
7. Oslob, Cebu – Dumaguete, Negros Oriental
8. Punta Engano, Mactan Island, Cebu – Jetafe, Bohol
9. Poro, Camotes, Cebu – Isabel, Leyte
10. Lipata, Surigao del Norte – Dapa, Surigao del Norte
11. Siaton, Negros Oriental – Dipolog City
12. Lucena, Quezon – Buyabod, Marinduque /cbb