SHIP UPDATE | M/V Claudine Star of Star Philippines Shipping Lines Inc (sister company of Roble Shipping) will soon serve the Cebu-Tacloban and v.v. route this coming September 2024
The newest Cebu-based ferry operator: Star Philippines Shipping Lines Inc. is poised to start its commercial operations this coming September 2024 (tentative) using their first vessel M/V CLAUDINE STAR which will soon ply the CEBU-TACLOBAN and v.v. Route
M/V Claudine Star is a RORO-Passenger Vessel built in Japan. She was the former Tanegashima Maru No.2 when she was still in Japan. She was built in Honda Shipbuilding Company in its Saiki yard in 1970.
The vessel has an overall length of 74.3 meters, a breadth of 12.2 meters and a depth of 7.2 meters. This ship is powered by a single Hanshin diesel engine with 2,300 horsepower on tap. Her original service speed was 15 knots.
The vessel was acquired by George and Peter Lines (brother of William Chiongbian) in 1993. She was renamed as the M/V Zambonga Ferry and served the company’s Cebu-Dapitan-Zamboanga and v.v. Route and had a cruising speed of 9 knots.
Her fate became uncertain as GP Lines decided to quit in the Shipping Industry and sold off its vessel assets to Lite Shipping Corporation - Lite Ferries in 2019. During that time, GP Lines only had 3 vessels. M/V Georich (its veteran cruiser ferry), M/V GP Ferry 2 (ex-Our Lady of Mount Carmel of Cebu Ferries) and M/V Zamboanga Ferry.
M/V Georich was sold as scrap and was cut into metal pieces in Cansaga. M/V GP Ferry 2 was the only vessel that will be utilitized by Lite Ferries and currently known as the M/V Lite Ferry Three. While the M/V Zamboanga Ferry was sold to Joy Roble of Roble Shipping Inc in 2019.
The vessel has undergone major refitting in the Roble Wharf in Pier 7, Mandaue City and after a long wait, she is finally ready for service.
According to sources, she will serve the Cebu-Tacloban and v.v. Route 3x a week (every Friday, Sunday and Tuesday) and will tentatively start within September 2024.
This is a great development in the shipping industry as this will be a revival of an old route that will connect Cebu and Tacloban, Leyte which was abandoned by shipping companies due to the rising popularity of Ormoc as the shipment hub of Leyte from Cebu as well as the improvement of the road network from Ormoc to Tacloban.
This new vessel service will pass through the iconic San Juanico Bridge that connects the Leyte and Samar provinces which only few people can experience due to the lack of passenger ferry services in Tacloban, Leyte.
Photo by Tristan Fil Lirasan of PSSS
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