DOST’s modern sea vessels to boost marine sector

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

THREE projects of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at developing modern and safe marine vessels could be the future of the marine transportation sector in Western Visayas.

On Monday, the DOST signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV), Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (NIPSC), Iloilo State College of Fisheries (ISCOF), University of Antique (UA), Aklan State University (ASU), Guimaras State College (GSC), and the Metallica Shipyard for the establishment of the Western Visayas Marine Transport Research and Development Network.

The partnership was highlighted at the Iloilo Innovation Expo 2019.

The network will formalize the long-term research program of the region in terms of marine transportation.

DOST-6 Regional Director Rowen Gelonga said they want the region to become the hub of marine transport research and development.

“We would like to formalize our network and come up with our long-term research program. We are very serious in addressing the modernization constraints sa aton nga shipping sector. We would like Western Visayas to be the hub when it comes to marine transport research and development,” Gelonga said.

Under the network, the educational institutions in the region and DOST-6 is now on the process of building three modern vessels that will be compliant with the national and international standards on marine safety.

The first vessel which is currently being developed by the ASU in Aklan is a 150-seater Hybrid Trimaran which will harness the ocean energy wave.

“Hybrid iya source from a marine engine, we will try to harness ang ocean wave energy, duha source sang energy,” Gelonga said.

The Hybrid Trimaran will be a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) modern type of commercial vessel that can also carry four vehicles.

As of now, Gelonga said the modern vessel is undergoing fabrication and is expected to undergo sea trial by April 2020.

“As for the experimental vessel we are still not sure if we can generate profit or from ocean energy but essentially, we are exploring that possibility. We are expecting by March 2019 malaunch naton ang vessel and we will start our sea trials,” he added.

In lieu of the tragic incident at the Iloilo Strait last August 3, 2019, the DOST together with the GSC and another private sector are also now on the process of developing an alternative to the wooden-hulled motor bancas plying from Iloilo-Guimaras and vice versa, according to Gelonga.

“The 60-seater modern passenger vessel would present an alternative to wooden-hull bancas. Ongoing subong ang amon research study but we plan to present it once finished to the local government unit (LGU) of Guimaras,” he said.

Aside from the modern sea vessels, a project of DOST with NIPSC also aims to provide safe and durable fishing vessels to fishermen as an alternative to the wooden-hulled fishing vessels.

“We are about to start the same concept of modern vessel but this one is intended as an alternative to wooden-hull fishing vessels. We hope to complete the projects with GSU and NIPSC by July next year,” Gelonga said.

With the aggressive research program, especially in the marine transport sector, Gelonga said they hope to present alternatives to the fishing industry and the marine transport sector not only in the region but the whole country.

“It is ironic that we supply majority of seafarers and we are an archipelagic country yet wala kita sang viable nga shipping sector. But, we have the talent especially in fabricating our ships that is why we are coming up with a very aggressive research program in WV,” he said.

Aside from the marine transport projects, DOST also led the soft launching of the Project Ulat satellite ground receiving station to be hosted by the Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) through its Dumangas, Iloilo campus on Monday.

DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña graced the launching of the DOST projects as part of the Innovate Iloilo 2019 that runs from October 21-25, 2019 alongside the Regional Science and Technology Week and Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits.