Aboitiz Transport acquiring 2 RoRo vessels for $15 million

MANILA, Philippines - Aboitiz Transport System Corp. (ATS) is acquiring two Japanese-made RoRo (roll on, roll off) passenger vessels – MV Sunflower Kogane and MV Sunflower Nishiki – at a cost of $7.5 million each, or a total of $15 million.

Both vessels have a total capacity of 400 20-footer containers and close to 2,000 passengers. Each of the approximately 9,700 gross tonnage vessel is expected to arrive in the Philippines next month.

Aiming towards operational excellence, the vessel purchase is intended to modernize ATS’s current fleet to achieve greater efficiencies. These vessels are also expected to provide additional options for SuperFerry passengers traveling during the coming summer season and better support the growing value-added business of 2GO, company officials said.

2GO is the total supply chain solutions provider under ATS, the transport and logistics company of Aboitiz & Co.

ATS is considered the only integrated transport solutions provider in the Philippines. Its principal business units are engaged in the movement of people operating under the brand names SuperFerry, SuperCat, and Cebu Ferries and the movement of cargos operating under the brand name 2GO. 

ATS’s array of services geared towards cargo movements includes containerization, RoRo services, logistics and supply chain solutions. The company also provides ship management and manpower solutions worldwide under the Aboitiz-Jebsen Group of Companies. It is majority-owned by Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV).

ATS registered a P1 billion drop in consolidated revenues in the third quarter ending Sept. 30, 2009, contributing to a net loss of P67.3 million, slightly higher than the P66.2 million net loss in 2008.

Officials noted that while the international chartering business partly contributed to the reduction in revenues in the third quarter, the P107.1-million loss before income tax was entirely attributed to the loss of one of its ships, and the subsequent temporary suspension of all its RoRo passenger vessels which greatly affected freight and passenger business in September. All ATS vessels ultimately passed the Maritime Industry Authority’s audit and inspection and were cleared for sailing shortly after the suspension.