Welcome, catamaran roros

We have a new player in the roll-on, roll-off ferry business that’s been giving a lot a attention to providing safe transport for inter-island sea travel of people and goods, and it deserves some attention and support.

We’re talking about Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corp., which was founded in 2002, and now owns and operates the Philippines’ first and only catamaran roll-on, roll-off (roro) ferries, as well as a few modernized ports and terminals in the eastern and western Philippine sea route.

These catamarans, a type of multi-hulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls joined by some structure that can be either sail- or engine-powered, were design-fitted by Sea Transport Solutions of Australia for Philippine waters and for freight vehicle transport and passenger accommodation.

These catamarans are making waves in the local industry, not only because they have arguably become a safe, fast, and convenient ferry service that are seen in six busy routes in the Visayas and Mindanao, but also because of the reportedly huge $79-million investment package covering the acquisition of the 10 brand-new catamarans.

There had been guarded talk about the inherent financial risk of having brought in these vessels at such a major cost, and especially since it needs its own specific docking mechanism at the piers.

Archipelago, captained by Christopher Pastrana as company chairman, however, is no newcomer in the industry, and his bold vision needs our support, more so because he had realized that the old fleet his company had been operating before is no longer acceptable.

Fast cats on water

Archipelago’s catamaran fleet has been christened FastCat, and those who travel inter-island by sea will agree that these new vessels look good compared to others at the dock whose ages are between 20 to 40 years old.

Who knows? These catamarans may provide a vital maritime link between the Philippines’ 7,107 islands in the future since these have been specifically designed to be stable even when faced by the country’s turbulent seas and harsh weather conditions.

A typical roro being used in the Philippines has only one hull. On the other hand, the FastCat catamaran has two hulls and 10 water-tight compartments. Its twin-hulled design makes her more stable since her center of buoyancy and gravity is wider than a monohull.

The FastCat also keeps the water out of the vessel. This is why she doesn’t have a ballast tank like other roro vessels, and this makes her safer, lighter and faster than the rest.

State-of-the-art

Since the catamarans are new, expect the best in amenities as well as other vessel operating features. The FastCat is certified and classed by the American Bureau of Shipping, and therefore complies with the latest international safety rules and regulations.

The FastCat uses a state-of-the-art navigation and control system. She has two steering control systems. In case of failure, she can shift from automatic to manual steering. Therefore, this catamaran is capable of taking passengers safely to shore.

FastCat has a clearance between the water and hull of three meters. It is three times higher than most roro vessels. If a one-meter wave hits the vessel, water will not get inside the car deck or the hull, mitigating the risk of a major maritime incident.

The vessel runs at an average of 16.5 knots, faster than most roro vessels in the Philippines. It can be attributed to the vessel’s design and because she is powered by four internationally-classed and ABS-certified Yanmar engines. Most roro vessels only have one.

In case of emergency, a single engine mono hull roro vessel has to stop the voyage and may not be able to return to port. In contrast, FastCat has four engines and a twin hull. Therefore, it is better equipped to handle engine emergencies than most roro vessels. FastCat is the only ferry compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s safe return to port (SRTP) regulation.

Environmentally responsive

The FastCat is the first and only pro-environment ferry engine in the Philippines, having passed the Tier 2 emission standards in sulphur and carbon dioxide. In short, she performs better than most roro engines and emits less harmful substances.

The FastCat catamaran is compliant with the international fire safety standards. Her passenger accommodation area and engine room are insulated with the highest and internationally-certified A60 fire protection system. FastCat is also equipped with a complete fire alarm system including the latest FM 200 inside the engine rooms. This will ensure the safety of the crew in case of an emergency.

For the passenger seats, FastCat uses e-leather, a fire retardant, durable and environment-friendly material that is imported from the United Kingdom. This material is unique because it takes a longer time to combust compared to regular leather or other upholstery materials.

The vessel has two auxiliary engines that provide electricity. In addition, what makes FastCat really superior is the bridge control system. It is primarily powered by solar panels and wind turbines which makes her pro-environment. All these state-of-the-art features simply mean that FastCat has a 100-percent redundancy on performance and safety, therefore minimizing the risk of maritime incidents.

More importantly, the crew goes through regular trainings to help keep them abreast with the latest technology, information and international best practices to ensure the safety of passengers at all times. This certainly uplifts the company’s level of competency and quality of service. 

Passenger comfort

If you by any chance are travelling south, it would be interesting to book a FastCat ticket. The catamaran can accommodate up to 320 passengers, including the disabled and elderly, and can hold 30 to 34 cars and up to seven trucks or buses.

The first routes being served by these new ferries include the town/city pairs of Batangas City, Batangas and Calapan, Oriental Mindoro; Roxas, Oriental Mindoro and Caticlan, Aklan; Matnog, Sorsogon and Allen, Northern Samar; Bacolod City, Negros Occidental and Iloilo City, Iloilo; Lilioan, Southern Leyte and Lipata, Surigao del Norte; and Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte and Dumaguete, Negros Oriental.

Aside from experiencing safe and fast sea travel, passengers will be treated to a wide selection of onboard food and beverages, on board entertainment, and comfortable passenger accommodation, either in business or economy class. There are also clean comfort rooms for both men and women, as well as the disabled.

Congratulations to Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corp. for taking this bold step, and more power to them.

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