Kudat-Palawan ferry service Dec
Published on: Friday, November 10, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: The first roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferry service between Kudat (Sabah) and Palawan (Philippines) is set to be launched before Christmas."We will definitely operate our maiden voyage in December and will announce the date soon," said General Manager Segundo C. Mentoya Jr of Archipelago Philippines Ferries Corporation (APFC), the operator of the service. He said the company would assign a catamaran-type ship consisting of two hulls that can either set sail or be engine-powered for the new route.ADVERTISEMENT
Mentoya, who visited the newly-constructed ramp at Kudat Port together with Kudat BEBC (BIMP-EAGA Business Council) Vice-Chairman Datuk James Ibrahim on Wednesday, said the ferry can accommodate a maximum of 300 passengers and 40-50 mixtures of vehicles plus cargo.He said the travel time between Bululuyan Port (Palawan) and Kudat Port is six hours depending on sea weather condition."The vessel (catamaran), powered by an 18-knot engine, is arguably the best for ferry service because of its speed, stability and large capacity," he said, adding it is the vision of APFC to contribute to nation-building by being the industry leader and standard setter in the ferry transportation business.He said the operation of the much awaited Kudat-Palawan sea route will complement the company's mission to connect the Philippine islands and neighbouring countries by providing safe, fast and convenient ferry transport for passengers and cargo with international standards.ADVERTISEMENT
"Furthermore, APFC is guided at all times by its core values, including focus, accountability, safety conscious, expectations and trend-setter," he added.For safety purposes, Mentoya said sea marshals would be assigned in each voyage.
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Asked on the ferry fare, he said a one-way trip would be tagged at not more than RM250 and a return trip at not more than RM500. "We will be setting up ticket counters in Kudat managed by our appointed marketing agent, Borneo Fort Sdn Bhd. The public are advised to contact 019-8520035 (James) or 019-8511115 (Yee) or [email protected] for ticket reservation," he added.Excited with the soft launch of the ro-ro ferry service, he said APFC is scheduled to carry out daily service after the maiden voyage."We are targeting to launch our inaugural service before Dec 25 to allow Filipinos in Sabah to be with their love ones and relatives during Christmas and New Year celebrations. The maiden voyage is also meant for Malaysians to be able to spend their Yuletide holidays in Palawan," he added.Meanwhile, Ibrahim described the latest developments on the much awaited Kudat-Palawan ferry service as "a dream come true" beneficial both to Filipinos and Malaysians, particularly Sabahans, including other foreign businessmen."I am pleased with the announcement of the maiden voyage by Mentoya and assure that myself and Kudat BEBC will do our utmost to ensure success of the business venture undertaken by APFC and the Palawan provincial government spearheaded by Governor Jose C. Alvarez," he said.He said he does not foresee any problems for Kudat to meet the needs such as accommodation of Palawan or Kudat-bound passengers."We have sufficient facilities in Kudat," he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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