In its bid to advance international trade, the Sasa Baseport (also known as Davao Port) received 15 new ships of foreign registry and one Philippine-registered vessel in the past five months.
“We are very pleased about the level of confidence that the international shipping industry and the maritime community in general have bestowed in our port,” said port district manager Abdussabor Sawadjaan on the positive turnout of Davao Port’s foreign shipcalls.
This number of new calls is a testament to the Philippine Port Authority’s (PPA) strong commitment to the export industry that is anchored on its strong partnership with the cargo handling operators (CHOs) in determining the market demands and forwarding requirements of shippers/exporters/consolidators using sea transport.
PDM Sawadjaan said since PPA earns much from vessel and cargo charges, especially foreign ones, it ensures the efficiency of the ports so that these ships would call more frequently as these will largely benefit the local economy.
Port management office (PMO) Davao Port manager Atty. Christian Santillan, likewise, lauded the commendable efforts extended by CHOs in forging partnerships with foreign shipping companies to aggressively promote the Davao region as a transshipment port for export quality fresh bananas with markets in Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, parts of the Middle East, New Zealand and Europe.
Davao Baseport currently has two CHOs, namely, the Davao Integrated Port Stevedoring Services Corp. (DIPSSCOR) and Filipinas Port Services, Inc. (FILPORT). DIPPSCOR has already achieved ISO 9001-2000 accreditation for its quality management system (QMS), and its constant leveling up in terms of corporate/business practices.
The new vessels were duly welcomed by a joint party composed of the PPA and the CHO in simple ceremonies where each ship captain, in behalf of the crew on board, customarily received plaques of recognition from the PPA and CHOs, respectively, as a gesture of Filipino courtesy and hospitality to the first-time guests.
Here is the complete list of the vessels which have made their maiden voyages to Davao Port from January to May 2010: 1) MV Mell Siloso (Germany); 2) MV Ratha Bhum (Thailand); 3) MV Kota Nekad (Singapore); 4) MV 2GO 2 (Philippines); 5) MV Hansa Ravensburg (Liberia); 6) MV Gao Qiang (Hong Kong); 7) MV Alexandros Theo (Marshall Islands); 8) MV Kota Hening (Singapore); 9) MV Kota Raja (Singapore); 10) MV Leader (Russia); 11) MV Jost (Liberia); 12) MV Mell Semakau (Antigua and Barbuda); 13) MV Mell Springleaf (Antigua and Barbuda); 14) MV Scan Oceanic (Germany); 15 MV Thanh Thuy (Vietnam) and; 16) MV William Strait (Liberia).
Of the total, 13 were container type carrying mostly bananas to destinations abroad while the three others were bulk or general cargo carriers. The lone locally-registered container vessel is owned by Aboitiz Jebsen Transport System Corp.
