Montenegro Shipping Lines is set to launch a Cebu-Iloilo-Cuyo-Puerto Princesa route on June 6, providing the critical link to the western border of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway. While Montenegro becomes the first and only link to Palawan from Cebu, it also becomes the fourth shipping company to service the Cebu-Iloilo route. Other shipping companies on the route are TransAsia, Cokaliong and Lorenzo.
Montenegro’s MV Maria Matilde sails to Iloilo from Cebu twice weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays and to Cuyo and Puerto Princesa on Fridays. The Cebu-Iloilo route takes approximately 12 hours leaving Cebu at 6 pm and arriving at the Port of Iloilo at 6 am of the following day. From Iloilo, it takes eight hours to reach the Port of Cuyo and another 12 hours to Puerto Princesa in Palawan. The Cebu-Palawan travel time would then take approximately two days.
Montenegro Shipping Lines operations manager Evangelito E. Suelto said the Cebu-Puerto Princesa route connects the Strong Republic Nautical Highway western border from Iloilo. The nautical highway’s western border includes the Ports of Iloilo, Bacolod, Caticlan, Roxas and Batangas. The addition of the Palawan link completes the western border while connecting it to the central nautical highway from Cebu.
MV Matilde has a passenger capacity of 831 and can carry seven long 6-wheelers and 10 private cars in its cargo hold. Regular one way fare for the Cebu-Iloilo route is at P810 for economy class, P931.50 for Fiesta Class and P1,053 for Mabuhay Class. Fiesta Class provides reclining seats with airconditioned accommodation.
For the Cebu-Cuyo link, one way regular fare for economy class is P1,396, for Fiesta Class P1,605.40 and Mabuhay Class at P1,814.80. While for the Cebu-Puerto Princesa run, regular economy fare is P1,794 for one way, for Fiesta Class P2,063.10 and Mabuhay Class P2,332.20.
No encroachments.
Suelto sees no market share cutting or encroachments on the already crowded and saturated Cebu-Iloilo route saying cargo and passenger markets that Montenegro is servicing is meant for long-haul transport that is, Cebu to Puerto Princesa. Montenegro already had an existing Certificate of Public Convenience for the Iloilo-Palawan route but that it added Cebu to connect central and western nautical highway borders. The Maritime Industry Authority approved the Cebu route on May 22.
For close to three decades since it was established on September 16, 1978, Montenegro Shipping Lines has operated a fleet of 31 vessels with 24 roll-on-roll-off and 7 fast craft vessels. It calls on 18 ports nationwide with seven satellite offices in the cities of Batangas, Lucena, Masbate, Bacolod, Caticlan, Malay, Aklan, Surigao and Dumaguete. Cebu becomes the latest addition to existing ports of destination and satellite offices.
Suelto said Montenegro has plans of developing routes along the Central Nautical Highway covering Pilar, Sorsogon, Placer, Masbate, Bogo, Cebu, Tubigon, Bohol, Dumaguete and Cagayan de Oro City. Should these links push through and are developed, conventional ships serving major ports will have to keep tab on who their next competitor is. — Ruth G. Mercado
