In the midst of a global pandemic, regional economic contractions, and supply chain disruptions, shipyards soldier on.  While ship owners face passenger traffic bans, cargo fleets have never been busier.  Logistics companies, Ro-Ro vessels, and nautical highways that support the online economy are active, the goods never stop flowing.  So then must shipyards continue to build and service vessels in support of the national economy.

Build orders for vessels are by contract, which runs on a schedule that gives little allowance for supply chain issues.  Even while material shipments are delayed and technical personnel movements are curtailed, builders work closely with suppliers and OEMs to continue performing on contracts.  Alternatives must be found when traditional suppliers become less reliable due to massive power outages, port closures, the new year and the occasional Olympics.  These alternative suppliers are sure to be maintained even after the crisis passes.

Likewise, ship maintenance services must continue.  The slight reprieve by MARINA allowing drydock extensions does not slow down algae growth, required hull servicing, prevent accidents, nor does it extend the life of sacrificial anodes.

The vessels need inspection, drydocking, and parts replacement.  The hulls need material replacement, and that material has to be imported, installed and integrated into the existing hull. These varied requirements are all coordinated by shipyards and ship owners, and while at times daunting, the vessel needs are managed, inspected, certified; the vessels are returned to service as soon as needed.

In the same vein as crew training, ship maintenance skills are perishable and require use as well as refreshing.  As much as hulls need partial replacement, so too does the workforce age & retire.  New blood needs training in shipyard skills like welding, fitting and repair.  A shipyard's training programs are becoming one of its core competencies.  Once trained, workers in this pandemic environment need medical testing, transportation, and competent supervision to gain experience and achieve productivity, all of which strain the already tight budgets shipyards and ship owners face.

Through it all, shipyards have found new ways to continue servicing vessels by using new dry-docking equipment, building with high productivity fabrication equipment, and by implementing new management systems borrowed from the construction industry.

With all this new investment coming to the industry, careful planning and preparation rise to the challenge of keeping the islands connected and the products moving.  With the looming revival of passenger traffic and other aspects of the maritime transport sector, ship owners need capacity and flexibility in their services and schedules.  We are therefore proud to welcome ten new shipyards to the business, which have landed in all 3 island groups: in southern Luzon, among the Visayas and all over Mindanao!

They are:

1. Vistamarine Shipbuilder And Ship Repair Inc. in NAIC, CAVITE
2. Metallica Marine & Consultancy Fabrication & Services in AKLAN
3. F.F. Cruz Shipping Corporation in ILO-ILO
4. Philippine Rigid Construction Corporation in TAYUD, CEBU
5. Agsur Shipyard Ships Repair And Ships Manufacturing in AGUSAN DEL NORTE
6. C AND T Shipyard Inc. in SURIGAO DEL SUR
7. San Lorenzo Ruiz Fishing Industry Inc. in GENSAN
8. Mommy Gina Tuna Resources, Inc. also in GENSAN
9. Big Smile Shaan Shipyard, Inc. in ZAMBOANGA CITY
10. Mega Fishing Corporation also in ZAMBOANGA CITY

So, there you have it. It's been some tough sailing, but there are blue skies and calmer seas ahead, and the shipyard industry has never looked brighter.