MANILA, Philippines -The DBP Leasing Corporation (DLC), a subsidiary of state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), announced that it will launch this month the countrys first locally-designed and built roll-on, roll-off (RORO) vessel.
Francisco F. del Rosario, Jr., DBP President & CEO and concurrent Chairman of the Board of DBP Leasing Corporation, said the project aims to provide the domestic ship-owners and operators with a new and readily available RORO vessel that complies with international and MARINA standards as a viable and cost-effective alternative to the more expensive and time-consuming acquisition and outfitting of second-hand vessels from other countries.
Del Rosario stressed that this is the first-ever RORO vessel originally designed in the country to meet the needs of local traders and built to efficiently operate in Philippine waters.
The construction of the vessel was undertaken by DLC through a public bidding participated in by local shipyards. R< Shipyards in Navotas was awarded the project. The vessel was built in less than a year, at a cost close to that of a second-hand RORO vessel. It was designed by a local naval architect based on technical specifications provided by DLC. For its size, the MV Pinoy RORO has a 4.11-meter high ceiling clearance that can accommodate trucks and jeepneys with bulky cargoes stacked on their roofs. This is the type of rolling cargo that is most common in the countrys short inter-island trips. Whats best about designing and building a new RORO vessel is that we were able to tailor fit the ship to local conditions without compromising safety and stability, Del Rosario said. The safety standards prescribed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and adopted by MARINA for domestic shipping and shipbuilding industry are the same safety standards that we adopted. According to Agustin R. Bengzon, President and CEO of DLC, the MV Pinoy RORO has an operational life span of at least 30 years compared to second hand RORO vessels which have a shorter remaining lifespan. The Pinoy RORO also has new main and auxiliary engines which would entail less fuel consumption and emission. He further added that the MV Pinoy RORO uses the same steel plates found on similar RORO ships abroad that protect them against the impact of huge waves. After undocking at the R< Shipyard in Navotas and going through sea trials, the MV Pinoy RORO will subsequently be commissioned, ushering the start of her commercial operation. With the launch of MV Pinoy RORO, Bengzon hopes that RORO operators will consider leasing new locally-manufactured vessels instead of second-hand imported ones. This is the only way we can modernize the fleet and further improve local shipping services. Choosing to lease new locally built RORO vessels will also mean more jobs for Filipino skilled shipyard workers and shipbuilding projects that can spur the local economy, he said. Aside from standard navigational tools like radar, the MV Pinoy RORO boasts of safety equipment, including a rescue boat which is not available in most second hand RORO vessels currently in service, according to Ronnie Bacolod, DLC Vice President for Shipping Operations. He also added that the 294-gross ton ship is 36.47 meters long and 10 meters wide with a maximum speed of 12 knots and a seating capacity of 200 passengers. Further, it can carry 18 medium-sized cars or its equivalent in trucks and buses in its 190-square-meter car deck area.