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The first roll-on/roll-off ferry service to directly link Mindanao and Luzon officially started on June 12
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The purely roro offering connects Surigao City in Mindanao and Bulan, Sorsogon, in Luzon, circumventing a major segment of the country’s eastern nautical highway
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It bypasses the challenging route through Samar and Leyte severely affected by the partial closure of San Juanico Bridge
The first purely roll-on/roll-off ferry service to directly link Mindanao and Luzon officially started on June 12.
The service connects Surigao City in Mindanao and Bulan, Sorsogon, in Luzon, offering an alternative for roro transport; it bypasses the challenging Samar and Leyte route severely affected by the partial closure of San Juanico Bridge.
Since mid-May, the San Juanico Bridge has had a 3-ton gross weight restriction. The structure is the only permanent land connection between Samar and Leyte and a key component of the Pan-Philippine Highway that links Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The weight limit has affected connectivity between the provinces of Leyte and Samar, severely disrupting passenger and cargo traffic between the regions.
Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Surigao Port Management Office manager Froilan Caturla and Lipata Terminal Manager Allan Yap witnessed the arrival of the MV 1018, a newly-built landing craft tank (LCT) owned and operated by Cebu-based Seen Sam Shipping. They watched the vessel’s first docking maneuver and inspected its facilities and amenities alongside Seen Sam Shipping operations manager Edwin Bordaje.
Delivered from the shipyards of Zhejiang Zhenxing Shipbuilding Company in China, the MV 1018’s inaugural journey from Lipata Ferry Terminal in Surigao City to the Port of Bulan in Sorsogon marks a significant milestone, according to PPA.
The seven-lane MV 1018 has an overall length of 85 meters and a gross registered tonnage of 2,024 metric tons. The vessel is capable of accommodating 37 10-wheeler trucks and five 6-wheeler vehicles, addressing a critical need for efficient cargo transport across the archipelago.
The Surigao to Sorsogon trip takes about 21 hours.
PPA said truck drivers and their helpers will be provided with complimentary accommodation in air-conditioned sleeping quarters, designed to offer comfort similar to tourist or cabin facilities found on commercial passenger vessels. The voyage starts at 5am with meals (lunch and dinner) and morning coffee included.
Freight charges are as follows:
- P18,000 for a 6-wheeler Bongo
- P30,000 for 6-wheeler Canter, Elf, and Forward trucks
- P44,000 for 20-footer trailer trucks
- P115,000 for trailer trucks loaded with heavy equipment
A comprehensive freight matrix is available for all cargo types.
Seen Sam Shipping plans to bolster its service offerings in the near future.
A new vessel, the MV 1070, is expected to arrive in the coming weeks, boosting service capacity and frequency.
