BoI approves P684M Aviva logistics project

The Board of Investments (BoI) has approved the P684-million shipping project of local firm Aviva Shipping Corp. in Surigao, as this is expected to further boost the country’s transportation infrastructure investments in Mindanao.

Trade Undersecretary and BoI Managing Head Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. stressed in a statement the need to improve logistics facilities to make the country more competitive and the domestic supply chain activities more efficient and seamless.

According to Cristobal, the Aviva shipping project involves domestic shipping operations for landing craft transport (LCT) vessels.

More specifically, the project includes the acquisition of six LCT vessels, which will have combined cargo capacity of 14,645 deadweight tonnage (DWT) and 9,552 gross tonnage, that could be used for shallow waters and roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo operations.

Aviva, a registered and accredited Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) firm, will likewise help facilitate transport of mineral products from mining companies operating in Surigao.

Based on the domestic operating fleet inventories of Marina, there are 11,942 merchant vessels currently operating in the country with a total of 2,125,694 gross registered tonnage (GRT) as of June 2011. Merchant vessels operating in the country include passenger ferry, passenger cargo, general cargo, cargo, cargo ships, container, liquid cargo, barging, tanker and towing.