Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. launched in Japan on July 5 the 98-meter bed/seat roll-on/roll-off passenger (RoPax) ferry, the group’s 10th vessel of this type scheduled for delivery to the Philippines in October 2019.
Constructed in Kegoya Dock Co., Ltd. in Japan, M/V Trans-Asia 20 (Hull No. S-1190) can handle a total of 740 passengers, 22 buses and six trucks.
“The launch of M/V Trans-Asia 20 is more than just a launching ceremony. It is a testament to the long-lasting and fruitful cooperation between Chelsea and Kegoya, with a number of new projects still in the pipeline,” Chelsea president and chief executive officer Chryss Alfonsus Damuy said in a statement.
“This shows our serious commitment to support the shipping modernization of the country which is aligned with our belief that Filipinos are entitled to better maritime transport. We expect our fleet expansion program to contribute to our market dominance and to continue to provide an alternative reliable transportation to Filipinos,” Damuy added.
The launch of M/V Trans-Asia 20 coincided with the keel laying ceremony of the vessel with Hull No. S-1191, marking the official construction of another 98-meter bed/seat RoPax for Chelsea.
The soon-to-be constructed ship has a gross tonnage of 5,100 with a carrying capacity similar to that of M/V Trans-Asia 20, and will be finished and delivered in April 2020.
M/V Trans-Asia 20 brings Chelsea’s fleet to a total of 89 vessels, including 30 RoPax vessels, 11 fastcraft, 15 cargo ships, 12 tankers, 15 tugboats, four barges, and two floating docks through its subsidiaries Chelsea Shipping Corp., Starlite Ferries, Inc., Trans-Asia Shipping Lines, Inc., and Fortis Tugs Corp.
To cap its business trip in Japan, Chelsea also inked a new shipbuilding agreement with another shipyard.
Last month, Chelsea inked an agreement with another Japan-based shipyard, Fukuoka Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for the construction of a 123-meter RoPax.
In May, it also signed a bareboat charter agreement with another Japanese company, Kumiai Senpaku Co. Ltd., one of the largest independent shipping companies in Japan, for the latter to finance the construction and acquisition of a passenger vessel for Starlite.
