Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. (CLC) has accepted the delivery of its first medium- range (MR) tanker, which has increased its fleet capacity by 88% to 110,255 dead weight tonnage (DWT) from 58,651 DWT.
The MR tanker, which was delivered on April 25, was built in 2013 by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd. in South Korea.
CLC in a statement said the new MR tanker is intended primarily to support the logistics requirements of local oil companies that import various petroleum products from the region. The tanker has multiple product segregation and can carry up to 53 million liters of various petroleum product types.
Moreover, earlier this month, the company received its first floating dock, measuring 150 meters long and 31.6 meters wide, and with a lifting capacity of 5,000 tonnes. The dock will be used for the dry-docking and repair of up to 30% of the company’s fleet.
“We expect to realize considerable savings in repairs and maintenance costs of the group once the floating dock is put into operations. More importantly, the availability of our own facility for dry-docking and repair is expected to contribute to the improvement of the overall fleet utilization of the group with more visibility on the completion of scheduled repairs and maintenance,” CLC president and chief executive officer Chryss Alfonsus Damuy said.
“This is a step closer to the company’s plan to embark on shipyard operations,” Damuy added.
Aside from getting the new MR tanker, CLC on April 25 signed shipbuilding contracts with Japan-based shipbuilder Kegoya Dock Co., Ltd. for the construction of two brand-new 98-meter bed/seat roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) passenger ferry ships.
The ships will be built at Kegoya Dock’s shipyard in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, to be delivered to CLC in October 2019 and April 2020, respectively.
Specifically designed for Philippine waters, the two ships are expected to be additional workhorses for the shipping operations of the company, which has an option to have a third vessel constructed by Kegoya, CLC said.
Kegoya Dock is a highly reputable Japan-based shipbuilder engaged in building and repairing ships, barges, and lighters, with its principal office in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Riding on the administration’s Build, Build, Build infrastructure program, CLC said it plans to continue upgrading its passenger and cargo fleet by acquiring brand-new and younger vessels.
In line with the plans outlined by CLC at its initial public offering (IPO), the new ships will be deployed to various new routes and under-served markets.
CLC said the new ships will support the fast-growing local tourism industry and the increasing demand for shipping capacity by commercial and industrial sectors.
Currently, CLC has 15 tankers, eight tugboats, 21 RoPax vessels, and four cargo ships. 2GO Group, Inc., in which CLC has a 28.15% indirect economic interest, has 16 RoPax ships, five cargo vessels, and 10 fastcraft.
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