DOTr-MARINA offers incentives to shipping firms plying new RoRo routes

The Department of Transportation-Maritime Industry Authority (DOTr-MARINA) has opened 19 new Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) missionary routes, and encouraged shipping companies to take the risk and get the incentives offered by the government.

In a statement Tuesday, DOTr-MARINA said the missionary routes will “upgrade the domestic shipping industry in support of the nautical highway development.”

“The shipping company that will serve a missionary route may enjoy protection of investment for five years and 50 percent discount on the regular fees of all applications and renewal of ship documents, licenses, certificates, and permits,” DOTr-MARINA said.

A missionary route covers one or more direct links involving two RoRo-capable ports that have no existing shipping service due to geographic limitation or absence of market viability.

The new  missionary routes are the following:

• Basco, Batanes – Currimao, Ilocos Norte

• Batangas City – San Jose, Occidental Mindoro

• San Juan, Batangas – Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro

• Real, Quezon – Polillo Island, Quezon

• Lucena, Quezon – Odiongan, Romblon

• Lucena, Quezon - Buyabod, Marinduque

• Lucena, Quezon – Romblon, Romblon

• Lucena, Quezon – Masbate City

• Maasin, Southern Leyte – Ubay, Bohol

• San Narciso, Quezon – San Pascual, Masbate

• Pantao, Albay – San Pascual, Masbate

• Calbayog City, Samar – Cataingan, Masbate

• Taytay, Palawan – Cuyo, Palawan

• Cuyo, Palawan – San Jose de Buenavista, Antique

• Oslob, Cebu – Dumaguete, Negros Oriental

• Punta Engano, Mactan Island, Cebu – Jetafe, Bohol

• Poro, Camotes, Cebu – Isabel, Leyte

• Lipata, Surigao del Norte – Dapa, Surigao del Norte

• Siaton, Negros Oriental – Dipolog City

DOTr-MARINA is encouraging shipping companies to operate in any of the newly-opened missionary routes to support enhancement of the country’s “Road RoRo Terminal System” (RRTS)—a seamless stretch of roads and ports to improve inter-island transportation, enhance tourism, and expand regional markets.

Upgrading the domestic shipping industry is one of the eight priority programs of the 10-year maritime industry development plan (MIDP).

“Aside from serving new RoRo missionary routes, shipping companies are also encouraged to propose new links with RoRo-capable ports for further development of the Philippine domestic shipping industry,” DOTr-MARINA said. —Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News