Atienza Interisland Ferries is getting ready to reintroduce domestic tourism
11 May 2022
Silverio Atienza, president of Atienza Interisland Ferries, is one of a rising number of local shipowners who have understood the benefits of operating a modern fleet. As a result, the company ordered a fresh new ship from RAJ & T Marine Services Inc, a local shipyard. The pandemic, however, caused a delay in construction.
The shipbuilder’s General Manager Ric Tuliao delivered the MV October Lavender, which was launched only last December. On Thursday, May 6, 2022, at South Harbor in Manila, the brand new RoPax with a gross tonnage of 1,200 tons was blessed in simple rituals.
In an interview, Atienza stated, “It will serve the Manila to Coron, Palawan [route].”
Despite the fact that his company is still only working at 70% capacity compared to pre-pandemic levels, he is optimistic that cargo and passenger volumes will soon increase, as it first exclusively served local tourists.
Atienza explained, “Mga local tourists pa lang.” Since the MV October Lavender serves Coron, a popular tourist location for both locals and foreigners, he expects a large number of foreign visitors in the future.
Coron is noted for world-class World War II wreck diving, stunning beaches, crystal clear freshwater lakes, and shallow water coral reefs, in addition to its picturesque limestone islands.
The 68-meter-long MV October Lavender can carry a maximum of 484 passengers and at least 16 trucks in completely air-conditioned chambers. It is the largest of Atienza Interisland Ferries’ nine ships and serves as the company’s flagship.
Other famous tourist destinations served by the company’s passenger ships are Manila-El Nido, Palawan, Batangas-Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, and Lubang-Occidental Mindoro.
According to Atienza, having fresh new ships has various advantages for owners.
“You can sleep comfortably at night,” he stated, implying that the ship will run smoothly. “You also have lower maintenance expenditures,” he said. According to Atienza, new ships are only obliged to drydock in their fifth year of operation by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), whereas used ships are required to drydock every two years.
During the blessing of the MV October Lavender, Atienza, who is also a naval architect, thanked those who helped him realize his dream of modernizing his company’s fleet, particularly Marina; shipbuilder RAJ & T Marine Services, which is owned by his classmate Tuliao; and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), which provided financing for the ship purchase.
Apart from Tuliao, the blessing of MV October Lavender was seen by Marina officials led by Region 4 Director Emmanuel Carpio, DBP Vice President Jeane Adamos, and industry friends.
