Cebu-made Norwegian vessel to hire all-Pinoy crew

The third of the four bulk carriers built in a Cebu shipyard owned by a Norwegian shipbuilding company will hire an all-Filipino crew for the ship's maiden voyage in November. In a launching ceremony, President Gloria Arroyo herself named the carrier “MV Hoegh Manila" to reflect the close ties between the Norwegian company Hoegh Autoliners and Manila, Balitang Bisdak, GMA Network's partner in Cebu, reported on Friday. A bulk carrier transports cars and trucks to various destinations in the world. Because the ship was built by Cebuanos, including the project engineer, Hoegh Autoliners will hire Filipinos only to man the ship, the report said. The twin ships of Hoegh Manila, which will soon come out from the shipyard, will be named Hoegh Oslo to emphasize the friendship between Norway and the Philippines. - Luis Gorgonio, GMANews.TV