Subic-based shipbuilder bags big project anew

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Subic-based shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction-Philippines, Inc. (HHIC-Phil) bagged another big-time ship construction project, as its reputation for employing skilled and hard-working Filipinos grew with each finished vessel.

According to Hanjin officials, the firm has signed a contract with Hsin Chien Marine Co., Ltd., a Taiwanese shipping company, for the construction of two 180,000-ton Cape-size bulk carrier vessels due for staggered delivery starting September 2011.

Hanjin gained the new contract shortly after unveiling last month MT Leyla K, the first oil tanker to be made in Subic.

As this developed, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza said the HHIC-Phil, which is now the largest shipbuilder in the Philippines and the fourth biggest in the world, won the new contract because of the well-trained workforce, state-of-the-art technology, highly efficient shipbuilding processes, and high quality of workmanship, which made possible the establishment of a cost-efficient shipbuilding industry here.

“What many foreign investors like about Subic is the competitive workforce,” Arreza explained. “The Philippine labor force is more competitive than those in other Asian countries. And here in Subic Bay, we take pride in our talented and high-quality workers.”

Arreza added that local workers have “high-quality motor and technical skills, are quick learners and hardworking, and they put into practice whatever they learn in training.”

It was gathered that as of yearend of 2009, shipbuilding and marine-related businesses employ some 25,186 workers here.

About 68 percent or 17,000 of these are employed by HHIC-Phil and its sub-contractors, seven of which are among the top 10 employers here.

According to Arreza, shipbuilding and marine-related industries at the Subic Bay Freeport is fast catching up with the services sector in terms of the number of hired workers, as they are also labor-intensive activities. Manila Bulletin - Franco G. Regala