PPA to construct P300-M shipbuilding facility by 2020

This will be another first for the Duterte administration if not for the country itself.

It was just announced that after an eight month feasibility study, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)will now start construction of the Duterte administration’s first shipbuilding  will start next year to bolster the country’s shipping industry.

PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said they have already completed the feasibility study for the 10-hectare facility project.

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“We have already identified the location. But we apologize that we cannot disclose the actual location because we don't want to encourage speculations dun sa (in the) landholdings,” Santiago said

For Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade said  the plan has been eight months in the making, and the facility would not only build passenger ships but leisure vessels as well.

According to the PPA chief said the facility aims to build only one design or one type of passenger vesse, a roll-on/roll-off vessel or a fast craft, and produce these as much as possible to replace old and unsafe vessels such as wooden-hull bancas which the DOTr hopes to fully retire as soon as possible.

“We want to be able to deploy as many passenger vessels as possible during the time we are retiring or decommissioning vessels that are unacceptable for the safety of our passengers,” Santiago said.

After the feasibility, the PPA is deliberating whether to start the project either by government-initiated through public-private partnerships, or through solicited proposals.

“We will also look at the appropriate vehicle, either an (operate and maintain contract) or some other arrangement with experts. Initially, we are looking at inviting manufacturers involved in shipbuilding either in Navotas or in Cebu,” Santiago said.

Santiagos said it’s the PPA’s aim for the facility to house multiple manufacturers with expertise in building different parts of a ship –an assembly line which consists of multiple manufacturers that are not competing against one another.

“We have specific manufacturers that have expertise either in hull-making, engine, coachworks, electrical --we want all of them to come together to come up with one product for that facility so that may efficiency tayo (we have efficiency),” Santiago added.

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Report from PNA