BARMM's RoRo Maguindanao-Basilan maiden voyage

THE launching of the first RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) shipping route at Celebes Sea, between the Polloc Freeport in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte and Lamitan Port, Basilan, on Tuesday, April 25, was a historic event because this would significantly alter the commerce, tourism, travel, social and cultural relations between the people of the mainland and island provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). This new shipping pathway is an offshoot of the region's Transport Logistics Roadmap, which the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MoTC) and the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) crafted, with technical support from the United States for International Development (USAid) through the Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (Respond) project of the University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation. The Maguindanao-Basilan RoRo shipping route is the first of a series of RoRo shipping routes in the BARMM. The second one will connect Lamitan Port to Jolo Port in Sulu, while the third route will link Jolo Port to Bongao Port, Tawi-Tawi. It is heartening to know that the two subsequent RoRo connections will also take place within 2023.

The Bangsamoro Maritime Industry Authority (BMarina) board approved the first transport route, and gave a special permit to the RoRo operator, the privately owned Saiidi Agri-Farm and Trading Inc. (Safti). The ship named "MV Island Paradise" can carry around 100 passengers and 10-12 loaded trucks per one-way trip. Rice, construction materials, consumer goods, appliances and equipment can be transported from Cotabato City, while agri-fishery products from Basilan can be hauled back to Cotabato City.