PROPELLED BY PASSION
The Philippines’ leading shipping operator Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc. (CSLI), in an effort to further maximize its passenger and cargo services in Visayas and Mindanao, has acquired a new vessel from Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The M/V Ferry Toshima is the 13th passenger/ro-ro vessel in the Cokaliong fleet, and was purchased at ¥285 million excluding duties and taxes estimated at P18 million, and the renovation cost which would amount to another P50 million. It was built in February 2000, making it the youngest Cokaliong vessel. CSLI Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer Chester C. Cokaliong said that it is expected to arrive in June 2018 and is to be inaugurated in October of this year. He cited Cagayan de Oro, Ozamis-Iligan, and Iloilo as the possible ports of call for the vessel, as passenger and cargo traffic in these areas is incredibly increasing. Per Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Circular No. 2017-04, shipping companies are ordered to import ships not more than 20 years old and not less than 500GT. The M/V Ferry Toshima fits the bill, with a gross tonnage of 1,391, an overall length of 85.76 meters, and a breadth of 14.60 meters. With a maximum speed of 19 knots, its main engine runs on two units of Daihatsu 4,000 PS, while its auxiliary engine has two units of Daihatsu 750 PS. Most of the vessels in CSLI’s fleet are internationally classed with Bureau Veritas (BV) headquartered in France, and Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) headquartered in Italy. Both are members of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). M/V Ferry Toshima is classed under RINA. To guarantee the passengers’ safety, this new vessel boasts topnotch navigational equipment such as an SSB Radiotelephone, VHF Radiotelephone with Digital Selective Calling (DSC), Satellite EPIRB, Automatic Identification System (AIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Doppler Log, Echo Sounder, GPS Plotter, Gyro Compass and Magnetic Compass, Navigational Telex (NAVTEX), Search and Rescue Transponder (SART), Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System (BNWAS), Anemometer and two Radars with Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA). On top of that, it is the second ship in the fleet to have a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) which improves maneuverability, making it easier to accelerate from a standstill, and decelerate more effectively, so stopping is quicker and safer. It is also the fourth vessel to have a brand new engine monitoring system, which Cokaliong invested ¥8 million for acquisition and installation. “It is not required by the MARINA, but I took it upon myself to do it because we value everyone’s safety,” said the shipping magnate. The Terasaki Watch-Free System WE500 Engine Monitoring System helps ensure efficiency in monitoring the ship’s propulsion and power, as well as the different parameters that need to be controlled including temperature, fuel consumption, pressure, among others, thereby avoiding breakdown. CSLI was built from the ground up, with the Founder having had no prior background in shipping, let alone experience in the industry. What catapulted it to be the shipping giant that it is now is Cokaliong’s hard work, focus, discipline, and personal sacrifices throughout the years. Coupled with a hands-on approach—he personally oversees operations up to this day, inspecting one ship a day at random—this set of values helped craft the company’s flawless reputation, with zero maritime accident in almost three decades of being in the shipping business. Not only does CSLI have more than a hundred awards to back this claim up, but it also constantly receives requests to either serve new routes or add more trips to the existing ones. Currently, it employs 800 employees including apprentices, but the addition of the M/V Ferry Toshima will generate additional employment of 50 more Officers and crew members. What started as a dream of having just three or four ships has now become a bigger reality of a fleet of 13 passenger/ro-ro ships and two tugboats.