Despite the current problems faced by the local shipping industry these days, Roble Shipping, Incorporated is bent on addressing the demand from the market by improving on their fleet after recently acquiring an additional ship for its inter-island travel destinations.
This December 15, Roble Shipping will be sending off its M/V Wonderful Stars, the ship they have acquired in Japan last July after winning the bid over other international shipping companies in May this year.
M/V Wonderful Stars has a service speed of 14.5 knots and runs a maximum speed of 15.5 knots. It has luxurious suite rooms, business class accommodation, VIP rooms, and a spacious set-up for its tourist and economy accommodations.
In an interview with Roble Shipping, Inc.’s VP for Operations Jose Emery Roble, he said that “the competition is really stiff these days and the increasing fuel cost continues to be our big burden, so the shipping industry will be much more difficult for us if we will not improve on our fleet.”
With their hefty investment upon the acquisition of the new vessel, Roble Shipping strives to serve the demand of the market, improve their units and adopt the government’s “Roll-Off, Roll-On” under the Nautical Highway program.
“We don’t want to be left behind with the trend and so in order for us to cope with the stiff competition; we change our fleets into Ro-Ro and so far, our sales are doing well,” Roble stressed.
Roble also pointed out that the shortage of crew on board is another factor that burdens the local shipping industry.
“There is a very big demand of Filipino seafarers abroad and with this situation, the local shipping industry experiences a shortage of crew as most seafarers would opt to work abroad.”
Despite of the Philippines’ major competitors, China and Indonesia, Filipino seafarers are more preferred by international shipping companies abroad because of their competency in the English language, said Roble.
But taking this factor into great consideration, Roble Shipping according to him is making efforts to ensure that their crew will be intact to serve their client base.
The passenger season according to Roble has started this holiday season and will last until January in time for the Sinulog mardi gras celebration. He also said that despite the increase in the domestic air travel due to the low cost airline fare promotions by low cost carriers, the local shipping players are still optimistic as more new vessels are being acquired to improve their services.
Roble Shipping, Inc. has been established in 1985 starting with a small boat called M/V Marao and through time the company expanded and currently has five vessels.
These vessels include: M/V Ormoc Star which travels from Cebu to Hilongos in Leyte, M/V Beautiful Stars which travels in the same route on a different schedule, M/V Heaven Star with a route from Cebu to Ormoc City. They also have a charter vessel M/V Twinkle Little Star utilized for diving and recreational sea trips and the new M/V Wonderful Stars that will travel from Cebu to Hilongos, Cebu to Ormoc twice a week and to Catbalogan City in Samar once a week. – Rhia de Pablo