Cokaliong acquires new ship

MANILA, Philippines - While passenger-cargo business still poses promising outlook in the Philippines, shipping giant Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Inc., added another ship to its fleet, as it recently acquired the (more or less) 3,000 gross tonnage M/V “Ferry Nagasaki” from Nagasaki City, Japan.

The company, which shelled out about US$2 million for the acquisition of the boat (excluding renovation), targets to have the boat’s commercial maiden voyage by end of February next year or early March of 2013.

In an interview with Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Inc., Founder, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Chester Cokaliong, he said M/V “Ferry Nagasaki” is the 9th ship of the company’s fleet, after it sold the M/V Filipinas Surigao recently to Roble Shipping Lines, Inc.

Cokaliong said the company had to give up the M/V Filipinas Surigao together with its franchise route Cebu-Baybay, Leyte, as the ship was too small for the company’s average operations.

The entry of M/V “Ferry Nagasaki” to the Cokaliong’s fleet will fill the void of the lack of passenger boat transportation services specifically in potential routes in Mindanao, such as Cagayan de Oro City, and Nasipit, Agusan del Norte (for passengers bound to Butuan City).

The M/V “Ferry Nagasaki”, is a twin-sister of the company’s 2011 acquisition, M/V Filipinas Iligan, although M/V “Ferry Nagasaki” is four-years younger, Cokaliong said.

Just like the M/V Filipinas Iligan, the M/V “Ferry Nagasaki”, which has a cruising speed of 15 knots, is so far one of the very few ships in the Philippines that have three auxiliary engines—as most ships only have two back-up auxiliary engines, to aid in case of breakdown of other engines.

Despite the low fare revolution of airlines, Cokaliong said inter-island passenger-cargo is still the cheapest mode of transportation.

Besides, he said most players in the shipping line industry nowadays are concentrating more on cargo, avoiding the complications of passenger-cargo business, particularly in times of untoward sea-based accidents.

The reason why Cokaliong Shipping Lines continued to pour investments on expansion is due to the still feasible inter-island passenger-cargo transportation business.

Major players in the industry, such as Carlos A. Gothong Shipping Lines and Gothong Southern Shipping Lines, have ceased their passenger accommodation service, and now concentrates on purely cargo service. While the Aboitizes, sold their shipping to Negros Navigation.

Likewise, the Cebu Ferries now managed and owned by Negros Navigation decided to transfer its two boats to Luzon routes, leaving the Cebu-Nasipit-Cebu, and Cebu-Cagayan de Oro-Cebu routes with fewer trips.

Other potential routes in Mindanao, include Davao City and General Santos City. Also, Cokaliong mentioned that there are still potential ports of call in other areas in the Visayas.

M/V “Ferry Nagasaki” will be delivered by the present Japanese owners at the end of November or first week of December this year. Cokaliong said the naming of the ship will be determined after the delivery.

At present Cokaliong Shipping Lines is serving twelve (12) ports of call in the Visayas and Mindanao, this include: Calbayog (Manguino-o), Cebu, Dapitan, Dumaguete, Iligan, Iloilo, Maasin (Leyte), Naval (Leyte), Ozamis, Palompon (Leyte), Surigao and Tagbilaran (Bohol).

Inter-island shipping in Cebu, connecting to different provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao, is now dominated by the Cokaliong ships.

The shipping lines has continued to invest in the improvement of its customer service, especially in safety and cleanliness, making sure that bigger chunk of its operational expense will be spent on buying cleaning agents and materials, like disinfectants, among others.

Passenger vessels, are just like any in-land accommodation facilities, people spend over-night, and hygienic details should be one of the priorities, Cokaliong said. Clean and pleasing ambiance can not only be seen and experienced in luxurious ship accommodations, but also in the most affordable passenger boats. This is the trend that Cokaliong is trying to impart in the entire shipping industry in the country, specifically in Southern Philippines. (FREEMAN)