Starlite Ferries

Starlite Ferries is a passenger ferry company based in Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines owned and operated by Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp., a Manila-based logistics company. It mainly serves the provinces of Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Aklan, Cebu and Surigao del Norte and is one of the leading ferry companies operating in the Mimaropa and Western Visayas regions.

Starlite Ferries
TypePrivate Company
IndustryShipping
Founded1995 (1995) in Batangas City
FounderAlfonso Cusi
Headquarters
Rizal Avenue Corner P. Dandan St. Batangas City
Area served
Philippines
OwnerChelsea Logistics Holdings Corporation
Websitewww.starliteferries.com

History
MV Starlite Pioneer berthed at the Manila South Habor in December 2015

Starlite Ferries Inc. started operations in 1995 with its first vessel MV Starlite Ferry. It began at a time when trade and commerce in Mindoro started to flourish. MV Starlite Ferry served the Calapan to Batangas route which then had daily average passenger traffic of 10,000 people and an average vehicle count of 1,500 to 2,000 units. There was an increasing demand for sea transportation of the people of Mindoro and Starlite was the first to respond to this challenge.[1][2][3]

In September 2017, Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. (CLC), a logistics company owned by Filipino entrepreneur Dennis Uy under Udenna Corporation, acquired Starlite Ferries, Inc. from the Cusi family. Uy also owns Philippine interisland ferry companies 2GO Travel and Trans-Asia Shipping Lines.[2][3]

In August 2018, Starlite Ferries became the first Philippine ferry company to operate branches of the Japanese convenience store FamilyMart. Four of the company's RORO ferries, MV Starlite Pioneer, MV Starlite Jupiter, MV Starlite Pacific and MV SWM Salve Regina each opened a FamilyMart store onboard. The first three ferries operate along the Batangas-Calapan route while the last ferry operates along the Batangas-Caticlan route. The opening of the convenience stores follows Starlite Ferries owner Dennis Uy's acquisition of the Philippine franchise of FamilyMart.[4][5][6][7]

Routes

As of November 2020, Starlite Ferries serve the following destinations:[8]

FromTo
Batangas City, BatangasCalapan City, Oriental Mindoro
Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Abra de Ilog, Oriental Mindoro
Caticlan Port, Malay, Aklan
Roxas City, Capiz
Magdiwang, Romblon
Iloilo City, Iloilo
Bacolod City
Roxas, Oriental MindoroCaticlan Port, Malay, Aklan
Odiongan, Romblon
Iloilo CityJordan, Guimaras
Cebu CitySurigao City, Surigao del Norte

Fleet
MV Starlite Eagle docked at the Batangas International Port in August 2016

Starlite Ferries currently has a fleet of 12 RORO ferry, most of which are refurbished after 20–30 years of service in Japan.[9] In 2015, it added to its fleet the brand-new flagship MV Starlite Pioneer, built by Kegoya Dock Co., Ltd.[10][11][12] The acquisition of the new ship is part of a fleet upgrade composed of 10 vessels and financed by the Philippine Business Bank.[13]

† - Former vessel; sank in 2016 (see below)

Incidents and accidents
  • On December 26, 2016, MV Starlite Atlantic sank off the coast of Tingloy, Batangas during the onslaught of Typhoon Nina (international name: Nock-ten). The vessel was anchored in Batangas Bay when the typhoon passed over it with winds of up to 185 km/h in the center and gusts of 215 km/h. The typhoon generated huge waves between six to eight meters in height, causing the vessel to come off its mooring and drift toward Tingloy where it sank. One person died and 18 were reported missing in the incident, while the Philippine Coast Guard rescued 15 out of the 34 crew.[14][15][16]

References
  1. "Starlite History – Starlite Ferries". www.starliteferries.com. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  2. "Chelsea Logistics to acquire Batangas' Starlite Ferries". ABS-CBN News. 4 September 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  3. Pateña, Aerol John (4 September 2017). "Chelsea Logistics acquires Starlite". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  4. "FamilyMart onboard the Starlite Ferries' Salve Regina". pressencenow.com. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  5. "Convenience on board". Manila Standard. 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  6. "Dennis Uy acquires FamilyMart". The Philippine Star. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  7. Dumlao-Abadilla, Doris (30 October 2017). "Dennis Uy buys FamilyMart PH". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  8. "Schedules and Rates". Starlite Ferries. Retrieved 20 November 2020..
  9. Gamboa, Rey (29 January 2015). "Roro owners starting to see light". The Philippine STAR. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  10. Robles, Jojo (15 September 2015). "Diversionary theory". Manila Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  11. "Starlite Ferries to use brand new RoRo vessel for Mindoro-Caticlan route". BoracayStories.com. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  12. "New all-steel RORO ferry launched". The Philippine STAR. 5 September 2015. p. B-10.
  13. Songlingco, Judith C. (2 October 2015). "PBB partners with Starlite Pioneer". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  14. Cinco, Maricar (28 December 2016). "18 still missing from MV Starlight Atlantic sinking". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  15. "1 dead, 18 still missing as Typhoon Nina sinks ferry". CNN Philippines. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. "Rescue operations ongoing for crew of sunken PH RORO ship". Port Calls Asia. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
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