Ro-Ro firm targets P1.5-B revenues

MANILA, Philippines - Asian Marine Transport Corp., a roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) transport operator, is targeting to hit revenues of up to P1.5 billion in 2014 on the back of its planned overseas expansion projects.

Last year, the company generated revenues of P800 million.

In an interview, Asian Marine senior vice president and chief finance officer Ernesto Tan said the company is eyeing routes to Indonesia, China and Vietnam.

The company, which owns the Super Shuttle vessels, has plans to ply from Davao to Bitung, Indonesia in October, and to China and Vietnam eventually.

 â€œWe may be commencing the Asean Ro-Ro connectivity,” Tan said.

He said the routes would include the Batangas to Humen Port in Guangdong province in China and Da Nang Port in Vietnam.

“One of the contributions of the Philippines to ASEAN connectivity is the Ro-Ro,” he said.

Ro-Ro vessels, an innovation introduced during the Arroyo administration, can carry cargo such as automobiles and trucks that are driven on and off the ship.

For the international routes, Asian Marine said the Batangas port would be the center of activity.

At present, Asian Marine has routes coming from 32 ports nationwide out of a total of 46 ports.

Asian Marine’s Ro-Ro operations have supported the growth of the rural sector or businesses in the provinces as envisioned by the government’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway program by providing inter-island transportation access from farm to markets across the country, Tan said.

In terms of reducing the cost of doing business, Asian Marine’s operations have also eliminated double handling in loading and unloading of goods and reduced damage and pilferage of goods, Tan said.