CEBU CITY – The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) said it is eyeing three of Cebu’s major ports as potential docking ports for international cruise liners.
CPA General Manager Francisco Comendador III said
the Cebu International Port (CIP), Port 88 in Liloan and the Cebu South Harbor
and Container Terminal in Talisay City are some of the potential ports for
cruise ships in Cebu.
At present, CIP serves as main ports for
international cargo, bulk and break bulk cargo vessels while the Cebu South
Port and Container Terminal Services Corp. is a new privately-owned container
yard for breakbulk cargo operations, according to Comendador.
Port 88 is a privately-owned smart port in Liloan
that enhances connectivity with Mactan Island and the Camotes island group.
Comendador said Tourism officials and executives of
Wallem Philippines Shipping Inc. and partner international offshore handlers
have recently inspected the CIP. He said the plan to make Cebu as a destination
for international cruise liners is in line with the National Cruise Tourism
Development Strategy and Action Plan of the Department of Tourism.
It aims to promote and market the Philippines as an
attractive and diverse cruise destination, offering high-level customer
satisfaction and cost-effective deployment for cruise liners operating in major
homeports in Asia.
“This is a welcome opportunity for the Port of Cebu
to be able to feature our world-class port facilities here and to be
acknowledged on a global scale. We are closely collaborating with DOT on this
to also ensure (the) readiness of our ports in anticipation of more port calls
from top cruise ship lines,” Comendador said.
Meanwhile, Comendador, and Cebu 4th District Rep.
Janice Salimbangon, and Medellin Mayor Joven Mondigo Jr. led the groundbreaking
ceremony for the P109.3 million roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) ramp expansion project
at the Port of Kawit in Medellin town recently.
The port in mainland Cebu’s tip-most corridor can
accommodate only one shipping company and operates the route of Kawit to
neighboring islands like Santa Fe and Masbate on Bantayan Island. With the
expansion project, the port is expected to provide additional docking
facilities to accommodate additional Ro-Ro vessels and conventional vessels.
Comendador said the expansion will also provide
better mooring structure for Ro-Ro vessels to safely dock in the port facility,
especially during inclement weather conditions.
The expansion project is also expected to lower
transport cost and reduce travel time for the sugarcane planters of Bogo and
Medellin and complement the logistical needs of the soon-to-be Medellin airport
project and the proposed Northern Cebu Economic Zone in Medellin, Cebu.
It is also expected to boost Medellin’s tourism
industry as it also serves as a gateway to Bantayan Island as one of Cebu’s
best beach destinations in the north. (John Rey Saavedra)
