Cebu shipyard to build methanol carriers

Four methanol-fueled bulk carriers, said to be the first of its kind in the world, are set to be built in Cebu’s southwestern town of Balamban, which hosts one of the biggest shipbuilding facilities in the country.

The vessels were ordered by a US-based company and are expected to be delivered before the end of 2025, according to Yasuaki Seto, president of the Japanese-owned Tsuneishi Heavy Industries that is building the ships.

Kamsarmax, the new methanol-fueled vessels, will have lesser emissions and, in turn, contribute less to air pollution.

The new bulk carriers will have a net weight of around 82,000 metric tons, a length of 229 meters, and a maximum width of 32 m.

Tsuneishi is the first investor in the WCE developed by Aboitiz Infra Capital, under a joint-venture agreement with the Japanese shipbuilder that started in 1993. The Japanese firm now has the capacity to build 20 ships per year.

The 540-hectare WCE is also home to other shipbuilding companies, including Austal of Australia, as well as local builders Advance Catamaran Composites and Cebu Maritime Industry, solidifying Balamban as the shipbuilding capital of the Philippines.