Hi-tech airships to be built in Subic

By: Jess V. Antiporda - People's Journal

A new industry from the United Kingdom, called solar-powered communication airships, will be introduced at the Subic Bay Free Port in the very near future.

Stratospheric Airship Technologies of the United Kingdom, a pioneer in the manufacture of commercial airships, said the world is soon to witness a new industry rising here in Subic.

SAT, which chose to base its operations in Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, is projecting jobs for about 2,500 employees once the project goes full-blast.

SBMA Administrator Armand C. Arreza, who signed a memorandum of agreement with SAT managing director Bryn Lloyd Williams on Thursday, said SAT intends to invest $500-million to build solar-powered commercial airships that will carry broadband and telecommunications equipment.

He said the company is eyeing to take over an area at the Subic Bay International Airport, which is now used by FedEx as a hub for its Asian operations.

FedEx said it will transfer its Asian hub to Guangzhou, China this year.

Williams said the airships will operate at a height of 65,000-70,000 feet -- high above the clouds and air movement.

During their 15-year lifespan, the airships will be brought down once every five years for repairs.

The design of the airships, Williams added, is based on the early 20th century zeppelins or big dirigibles, but is now “totally different” since inert helium will be used instead of hydrogen, so it won’t catch fire.

For this project, Williams said SAT would be also be constructing in Subic “the largest single-spanned building in Southeast Asia.”

“It would be a great sight to behold,” said Arreza, who said the SBMA is bullish about more investments coming into Subic from countries like the United Kingdom and Dubai.

“When the SAT project pushes through, we will see Subic as a high-tech manufacturing center, and this fits very well with what we are trying to do,” the SBMA official said.

“Our objective is to really expand development in the Subic Freeport and the surrounding regions. With the opening of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, we hope to have more manufacturing jobs move along the expressway,” the officials also said.