Shipbuilding Facility to Rise in Subic Zone

According to reports, a modern domestic shipbuilding facility will soon rise in this premier Freeport zone. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Feliciano Salonga, in a meeting with National Maritime Leasing Corp. president Agustin Bengzon, said the facility would create a synergy aimed at supplying the needs of the domestic shipping industry. Salonga said the partnership and mutual cooperation of SBMA and National Maritime Leasing, a subsidiary of National Development Co., would focus on the acquisition of affordable but more efficient cargo and passenger ships by local shipping operators. Shipbuilding has been included in the government’s Investment Priority Plan.

Bengzon said National Maritime Leasing would fully support the project as he cited the pressing need to build about 18 new tankers by next year for the use of local shipping operators, through a lease-to-own scheme. National Maritime Leasing is implementing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway project, through the acquisition of modern roll-on roll-off vessels for leasing to qualified operators.

Salonga, citing a study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, said the domestic shipping industry consisted mostly of second-hand and ageing vessels, majority of which came from Japan. Source: Manila Standard Today