Chelsea Logistics beefing up Ro-Ro fleet

Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. announced the expansion of its roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) fleet with the completion of a Japan-made vessel.

Chelsea Logistics, controlled by Davao-based businessman Dennis A. Uy, said in a stock exchange filing that its 97.78-meter M/V Starlite Venus, which could carry 740 passengers, 22 buses and six trucks, will arrive in the Philippines in April this year.

This is Chelsea Logistics’ 11th Ro-Ro passenger vessel made in Japan.

To date, the company has 22 Ro-Ro passenger vessels, 11 fast crafts, nine cargo ships, 16 tankers, 13 tugboats and two floating docks through its subsidiaries Chelsea Shipping Corp., Starlite Ferries Inc., Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. and Supercat Fast Ferry Corp.

“We thank our longtime partner, Kegoya Dock, for this launching ceremony and for making our modernization program possible,” Chelsea president and CEO Chryss Alfonsus V. Damuy said in the filing. “We are certain that our close working relations with them will help Chelsea fulfill its domestic commitments and regional aspirations,” he added.

Chelsea Logistics is part of Uy’s Udenna Corp., a holding company whose assets span logistics, energy, property, infrastructure and restaurants. The company is also seeking a larger footprint in transport and communications infrastructure. It had proposed to upgrade and operate the Davao International Airport to the tune of about P48.9 billion and a 30-year concession period. The offer was cleared by the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee.

With Udenna, the company is a shareholder of Dito Telecommunity, the China Telecom-backed third major telco player.