By Mar Supnad
MARIVELES, Bataan — The privately-owned Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal Services based in Barangay Lucanin, here, is now producing local but quality ships that can compete with vessels made by other shipbuilding companies abroad.
This positive development came after a huge maritime training ship was successfully commissioned in a blessing last week that was witnessed by local and shipping officials in the State-owned Orion port.
“This is another breakthrough of the province and a big help to the Maritime industry,” said Gov Abet S. Garcia, impressed by the local ship product of Seafront.
The commissioning of the JBL Vanguard Maritime Training Ship was led by Garcia, Dr. Mary Lou Arcelo, owner of the training ship; Carlo Ignacio, vice president of Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal services that manufactured the vessel; and other guests.
The governor said that the commissioning of the ship was a big boost to the Maritime industry in the country, and came at a time when the world is in demand of more international seafarers.
Arcelo told The Manila Bulletin that the training ship will be open to other Maritime schools to help train their students.
The JBL maritime ship, however, will be sailed to its home port in Iloilo City, to be operated by the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University.
Ronaldo Sebastian, CEO of JBL, pointed out that the P200-million training ship was just a Second hand vessel but underwent for almost a year of massive renovation by Seafront Shipyard in barangay Lucanin, Mariveles town.
Asked why the company needed to go all the way to Bataan for its renovation considering there are a lot of ship repair facilities in Manila and Visayas areas, Sebastian said that it is more economical to have their ship repaired at Seafront Shipyard because aside from being cheaper, its (Seafront) technical expertise is above par.