A SHIPPING firm is preparing to launch a regular roll-on, roll-off service for the Davao-General Santos-Bitung route, according to a Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) official. 

“There is also another player, which is hoping to a make a public announcement soon to serve the Davao-GenSan-Bitung connectivity as well. They are just finalizing the details,” MinDA Deputy Executive Director Romeo M. Montenegro said in a virtual presser last week.

Filipino-owned Reefer Express Lines has been providing cargo services for that route on chartered basis.

Mr. Montenegro said the shipping company has also been covering other routes within the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area on demand basis.

“Davao to Bitung and sometimes it also serves other areas, particularly Malaysia’s Labuan and en route to Vietnam. And in return from Vietnam, it carries either rice or cement bound for Mindanao,” he said.

With the new shipping player, Mr. Montenegro said they are hoping to finally have a right-sized vessel that will regularly ply the Davao-GenSan-Bitung route, which has enough commodities and market demand to sustain. 

The route had a grand relaunch in April 2017 with President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo leading the event to boost trade between the two countries. 

However, the 500-TEU (20-foot Equivalent Unit) container ship deployed by Asian Marine Transport Corp. proved too big for the market demand of about 100-TEU and the service was eventually dropped after. — Maya M. Padillo 

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