Lite Shipping Corporation’s Newly-launched MV Lite Ferry Five Set To Sail Across Oslob-Dipolog Route

Lite Shipping Corporation, a Cebu City-based shipping line that operates the Lite Ferries, a brand consisting of a fleet of more than 20 ships and a proud member of the Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association, Inc. (PCSA)—embarks on a new chapter of “Sailing Bigger, Faster and Better” as it has recently blessed and launched its latest acquisition, the MV Lite Ferry Five last November 18, 2019 on board the newly-built vessel at the Port of Cebu. 

The blessing and launching officially kicked off with the traditional ribbon-cutting led by Davao City Mayor and Presidential Daughter Inday Sara Z. Duterte Carpio with the assistance of Honorable Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento, Chairman of the Committee on Transportation, House of Congress and MARINA ADMINISTRATOR VADM Narciso A. Vingson, Jr. President/CEO of Lite Ferries, Lucio E. Lim Jr. led the launching together with COO Fernando A. Inting, VP Operations Jonathan Lim-Imboy and Commercial Operations Head Jethro Nathaniel Lim-Imboy. 

The MV Lite Ferry Five—a 75 meter-long RO-RO passenger coast-wise ship, with a GRT of 2, 895 tons built in China but classed by RINA of Italy has wide passageways on its passenger decks and a spacious cargo deck that can accommodate 540 passengers and 23 10-wheeler trucks, a maximum speed of 15 knots and a service speed of 13 to 14 knots, and a travel time of only 4 hours linking Northern Mindanao much closer to Cebu Province.

MV Lite Ferry Five is granted with a “Pioneering Status Protection” by Marina in the route of Oslob, Cebu to Dipolog City, Zamboanga Del Norte under EO 909 and MC 2015-4. B. The vessel reached full completion just this year, 2019.

Temporarily, MV Lite Ferry Five will take the Oslob, Cebu to Dapitan City route while the completion of the Dipolog port under the supervision of LGU of Dipolog City is still underway. 

According to Lite Ferries President Lucio E. Lim, they have established the Dapitan-Samboan route some 8-10 years ago during the presidency of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In fact, she was the one who inaugurated it. He admitted that for the first few years they lost money but they were able to develop the said route.

MV Lite Ferry 5 will be taking a shorter traveling time with Oslob-Dipolog route which makes it a lot easier for passengers to travel from the Visayas to Mindanao and vice versa.“We’re waiting for Dipolog to finish their port because their current port is too shallow for this bigger ship. The mayor promised that in six months’ time, it’ll be done,” said Lim. 

For her part, Davao Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio was grateful for this accomplishment and complimented Lite Ferries for making easier, faster and more convenient Visayas-Mindanao sea transportation possible through MV Lite Ferry Five. “This world-class ferry is definitely a welcome addition to Vismin sea transport. Vehicles like Lite Ferry 5 bring us closer together by strengthening ties between Visayas and Mindanao.”

Additionally, Lite Ferries is also expecting the arrival of “MV lite Ferry Nine” a 70 meters long coast-wise RO-RO ferry with a GRT of 2,107 tons also built in China and classed by the Bureau of Veritas in France, this coming December 2019. MV Lite Ferry Nine has a service speed of 12 knots and can accommodate 400 passengers and 17 10-wheeler trucks. The vessel will be deployed on January 2020 to service the Jagna, Bohol to Cagayan de Oro City route on a pioneering status by Marina.

For the past 5 years, Lite Ferries have acquired a total of seven brand-new ships which include its flagship vessel, “M/V Lite Ferry 88” and now it operates one of the youngest fleets in the Philippines. The six other vessels of the fleet were all below 20 years old upon acquisition. 

Bon Voyage!