STRONG domestic volume and election spending are expected to help local cargo carrier Solid Shipping Lines (SSL) recover lost ground following the global economic crisis.
SSL general manager Quirimon Tan said local volume has started to climb due to higher imports and exports, leading to more optimism within the company.
“Based on our assessment, volume in the first quarter increased by some 10% compared with the 15% decline in the same period of 2008,” Tan said.
“However, the increase is still below our normal levels. We expect a complete turnaround in the next few months mostly due to the activity brought about by the May 2010 elections,” he added.
“Overall, we expect to finish the year growing 10% or only about 5% below our pre-crisis volume.”
SSL is concentrating on its core business — the carriage of consumer items as well as live hogs. But it is also looking at additional markets in southern Philippines to further boost volumes which have been steadily growing since the latter part of 2009.
SSL recently replaced Solid Sky with the 200-TEU Solid Ocean in answer to increasing demand for cargo space from shippers in Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro and other parts of Mindanao. Others vessels in the SSL fleet are Solid Star, Solid Pearl, Solid Ace, Solid Gold, Solid Bay, Solid Jade, Solid Sun and Solid Link.
