SuperFerry (founded as Aboitiz Shipping Company; later Aboitiz SuperFerry) was one of the largest ferry companies in the Philippines before it was purchased by Negros Navigation, which simultaneously was purchased by the Chinese government through its private equity fund the China-Asean Investment Cooperation Fund, and became 2GO Travel, part of the 2GO Group.
 | |
| Industry | Shipping |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | William Lines Inc. Carlos A. Gothong Lines Inc. Aboitiz Shipping Corporation |
| Founded | 1989[1] |
| Defunct | 2012 |
| Fate | Merged with Negros Navigation to form 2GO Travel |
| Successor | 2GO Travel |
| Headquarters | Philippines |
Area served | Inter-island Travel |
| Parent | Universal Aboitiz Inc. (1989-1996) William, Gothong and Aboitiz (WG&A) (1996-2004) Aboitiz Transport System (2004-2012) Negros Navigation Co. (NENACO) (2010-2012) |
| Website | www.superferry.com.ph |
The shipping company was known in the 1990s as William, Gothong & Aboitiz (WG&A). Aboitiz bought out the William Lines and Gothong Lines Group . The Gothong Group restarted its own shipping company called Carlos A. Gothong Lines (CAGLI), while the William Group opted to concentrate on its logistics, warehousing, and courier business, called Fast Logistics. SuperFerry and its sister companies SuperCat and Cebu Ferries are owned and operated by the former Negros Navigation when Negros Navigation bought all of Aboitiz Transport System, was sold to China-Asean Investment Cooperation Fund, and relaunched as 2GO Travel in 2012.
Destinations
The following ports of call were served by SuperFerry throughout its history. Its main port of call was Manila. Other destinations are:
Vessels
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This list includes the vessels that were ever operated by Aboitiz Shipping Corporation, WG&A, and Aboitiz Transport System. (This list excludes the vessels of SuperCat and Cebu Ferries.)
SuperFerries
- SuperFerry 1 - Former SuperFerry fleet; was transferred and renamed M/V St. Rita de Casia by 2GO Travel and eventually sold to an Indonesian shipping company and was renamed KM Mutiara Persada 1. In 2021, she was sold to local shipbreakers in Indonesia.
- SuperFerry 2 - Former SuperFerry fleet; was transferred and renamed M/V St. Thomas Aquinas by 2GO Travel. collided with M/V Sulpicio Express Siete of the former Sulpicio Lines, on August 16, 2013, and sank near Talisay in Cebu Province.[2]
- SuperFerry 3 - Lost due to fire incident; in 2000, while the vessel was undergoing ship repairs in Keppel Cebu Shipyard, hot works on certain parts of the ship started a fire and caused evasive damages,[3] effectively gutting the whole vessel. WG&A later held the shipyard owners liable for the incident.[4]
- SuperFerry 5 - Transferred to 2GO Travel and renamed M/V St. Joan of Arc; was retired from service and sold to breakers in Alang, India.
- SuperFerry 6 - Former Our Lady of Akita of Gothong Lines, was acquired and renamed SuperFerry 6 after the merged into WG&A. In 2000, an engine fire on its starboard side swept the ship while en route to Manila from General Santos, October 2000;[5] all of the 862 passengers and 168 crew were saved and the fire brought under control, but the ship was a total loss.[6]
- SuperFerry 7 - Former Naminoue Maru of A" Line shipping in Japan, and built in 1980, she was sold to William Lines in 1994 and renamed the Mabuhay 2; later becoming a part of the WG&A fleet as part of the William, Gothong, and Aboitiz Shipping lines merger and was renamed SuperFerry 7. She was eventually lost to an extensive fire incident in 1997, wherein the whole vessel was gutted due to a presumed electrical fire while docked at Pier 4; same incident that would happen to its sister ship SuperFerry 3 later in 2000, but this time, was caused by hot works around the ship. She only spent 3 years sailing under the Philippine flag after the acquisition from Japan.[6]
- SuperFerry 8/19 - Built in 1977 as M/V Akebono Maru of A” Line shipping by Usuki Iron Works Ltd. in their Saiki, Japan shipyard. Sold in 1989 to William Lines and was renamed into M/V Sugbu. She was refurbished in Singapore and was renamed into Mabuhay 3 and eventually SuperFerry 8. Renamed into SuperFerry 19 in 2004; She was leased in 2006 by Peninsula, a shipping company in Papua New Guinea; temporarily renamed into Milne Bay. She later came back to SuperFerry. Was eventually sold to Jiangmen Xinhui Shipbreaking Co. Ltd; a shipbreaking company in China.[7]
- SuperFerry 9 - Built in 1986 by Usuki Iron Works Ltd. at Saiki, Japan, and launched as the Ariake, it was later acquired by William Lines Incorporated in 1995 and renamed Mabuhay 5. In 1996, the ship was renamed SuperFerry 9 and has been operated by Aboitiz Transport System Corp (ATSC) since that time. It was known to be a problematic ship, with several engine problems causing delays and stranding of passengers. In 2009, due to a presumed rough sea conditions and shifting of cargo containers below decks, it capsized off the southwest coast of Zamboanga Peninsula while en route from General Santos to Iloilo and sank almost 5 hours after the first distress call sent by the captain. All 968 passengers and crew were accounted for. There were 10 fatalities.[8]
- SuperFerry 10 - Built in 1973 as the Sun Flower 5 (Japanese: さんふらわあ5), one of the legendary Sun Flower ships of Japan's Blue Highway Line, she was acquired and became the flagship of William Lines as the Mabuhay 1, part of their luxury liners to compete with former rival Sulpicio Lines. After the merge, she became WG&A's flagship and was renamed SuperFerry 10. She was eventually sold to breakers in China in 2002, still in perfectly good working condition, as a casualty of WG&A's liquidation of ships after the merger break-up. She only managed to sail for 9 years in Philippine waters after the William Lines acquisition.[9]
- SuperFerry 11 - Renamed Our Lady of Banneux and transferred to SuperFerry's sister company, Cebu Ferries; sold and broken up in 2003
- SuperFerry 12 - Renamed M/V St. Pope John Paul II and was the flagship of 2GO Travel. SuperFerry 12 was the former New Miyako of Hankyu Ferry of Japan and was sold to WG&A in 1996 and renamed to SuperFerry 12. She was involved in a collision with the passenger-cargo boat M/V San Nicholas in 2003.[10] It was repaired and was a passenger Ro-Ro and cargo vessel under 2GO Travel. She was eventually sold to breakers in Chittagong, Bangladesh in 2021.
- SuperFerry 14 - Built in 1981, she entered service under WG&A in October 2000 and was advertised as a "Festival" ship for her many on-board amenities. On February 27, 2004, at around 12:50 midnight, while the ferry was sailing from Manila bound for Cagayan de Oro, an explosion tore through the vessel, starting a fire that engulfed the ship and caused most of the fatalities. The ferry later sank half-submerged, further hampering rescue and retrieval operation of survivors and missing persons. Upon investigation, a Rajah Sulaiman Movement member confessed to planting a bomb which was triggered by a timing device on board for the Abu Sayyaf group, confirming a terrorist attack. The disaster was featured in various international news and media due to its magnitude and terrorism nature. All in all, of the 899 recorded passengers and crew on board, there were 116 fatalities, 53 remained missing and presumed dead. The ship was deemed a total loss by the company.[11][12]
- SuperFerry 15 (Sold in 2007, Became C K Star, now sold to breakers)
- SuperFerry 16 - Sold in 2007 to a Chinese company, renamed New Blue Ocean under Stena Daea Line and eventually was sold in 2016 to 2GO Travel. The vessel was renamed into M/V St. Therese of the Child Jesus She is the last SuperFerry vessel sailing on Philippine waters until in 2024 when she was retired and sold.
- SuperFerry 17 (Sold, Became Isabel Del Mar, now sold to breakers)
- SuperFerry 18 (Sold, Became Huadong pearl VI, now sold to breakers)
- SuperFerry 20 - Formerly M/V Sunflower Kogane acquired from Diamond Ferry and was renamed to M/V SuperFerry 21 she was later renamed to M/V St. Gregory the Great under 2GO Travel; ran aground in Guimaras and sold to breakers
- SuperFerry 21 - Formerly M/V Sunflower Nishiki from Kansai Kisen Co., Ltd.; was acquired by Aboitiz Transport System and renamed to M/V SuperFerry 21 was later renamed to M/V St. Leo the Great under 2GO Travel. She was eventually sold to breakers in Chittagong, Bangladesh in 2021.
Ferries
- M/V Doña Virginia (Former WG&A fleet; retired and sold to breakers)
- M/V Zamboanga City (Former WG&A fleet; retired and sold to breakers)
- M/V Our Lady of Naju (Former WG&A fleet, was eventually sold to breakers in China in 2002)
- M/V Our Lady of Sacred Heart (Former WG&A fleet, retired and sold to breakers)
- M/V Our Lady of Lipa (Former WG&A fleet, retired and sold to breakers in Alang, India)
- M/V Our Lady of Medjugorje (Former SuperFerry fleet, sold to a shipping company in Indonesia)
- M/V Our Lady of Good Voyage (transferred from Cebu Ferries as a reliver vessel, later sold to Gothong Southern and later Trans-Asia Shipping Lines later broken up in Cebu.
- M/V Maynilad (Former WG&A fleet, retired and sold to breakers in 2003)
- M/V Masbate Uno (Transferred to Cebu Ferries and renamed to M/V Our Lady Of Manoag, broken up in 2005)
Cruisers
- M/V Legazpi
- M/V Elcano
- M/V Aklan
- M/V Katipunan
- M/V West Leyte
- M/V Picket
- M/V Baybay
- M/V Fait
- M/V Guillermo
- M/V Manuel
Cargo Vessels
- M/V Myriad
- M/V Millenium Brinkness
- M/V Millennium Dragon
- M/V Millennium Eagle
- M/V Millennium Tiger
- M/V SuperRORO 100
- M/V SuperRORO 200
- M/V SuperRORO 300
- M/V SuperRORO 500
- M/V Aboitiz Concarrier V
- M/V Aboitiz Concarrier XIV
- M/V Aboitiz Superconcarrier I
- M/V Aboitiz Superconcarrier II
- M/V Aboitiz Superconcarrier III
- M/V Aboitiz Megacarrier 1
- M/V Ramon Aboitiz
- M/V P. Aboitiz
- M/V Sipalay
Incidents and accidents
- On March 26, 1997, SuperFerry 7 was hit by fire while docked in Pier 4 in Manila North Harbor. There were no more passengers left as the ship had already finished discharging them. It was WG&A's first major accident.
- On February 8, 2000, SuperFerry 3 caught fire while undergoing repair in Keppel Shipyard in Cebu.
- On October 12, 2000, SuperFerry 6 caught fire on its starboard panel and sank. More than 1,000 passengers were rescued.
- On May 25, 2003, SuperFerry 12 was involved on a collision with a small passenger-cargo vessel, MV San Nicholas near Limbones Point, off Cavite province 33 nautical miles (61 kilometres) south of Manila. all 1,506 passengers and 184 crew members of the Superferry 12 were safe but unfortunatly at least eight people were killed and 132 had been rescued from MV San Nicholas.
- On February 27, 2004, SuperFerry 14 was bombed by the Abu Sayyaf terrorists killing 116 people. It was considered as the worst terrorist attack in the Philippines.[13][14]
- On March 9, 2006, SuperFerry 12 caught fire off the coast of Bantayan Island. None of the 664 passengers were injured.[15]
- On September 6, 2009, SuperFerry 9 reported engine trouble while on its way to the port of Iloilo from General Santos. The ship then listed to a 30–40 degree angle, and at 2am the captain of the vessel ordered to abandon ship. It later sank off the southern Zamboanga Peninsula with more than 966 people on board. 957 people have been rescued but there are also 9 fatalities.[16]
Trivia
- Before 2GO Maligaya, Masagana, and Masigla, SuperFerry 12, 15, 16, 17 and 18 were the only Philippine ships with an escalator on board.
- Parts of the film Pacquiao about the boxer of the same name were filmed on board SuperFerry 18.
- The Titanic parody Tataynic was filmed on board SuperFerry 12 and SuperFerry 19.
- SuperFerry was the official logistics partner of Pinoy Dream Academy.
See also
References
- ^ "WG&A SuperFerry". Everything Cebu. 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
- ^ "38 dead, 82 unaccounted for after Philippines boat collision". CNN. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ^ "Keppel shipyard liable for fire that gutted Aboitiz ship". 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- ^ "WG&A Annual report, 2000" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
- ^ "1 000 saved from blazing Philippine ferry". Archived from the original on 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- ^ a b A Sorry Maritime Safety Record Indeed In The Philippines[permanent dead link], UP Ibalon, Bicol, September 11, 2008
- ^ ATSC Annual report, 2004[permanent dead link], Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission
- ^ Three sinking boats in a row: Super Ferry 9, MV Hera & MB Minham Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, UP Ibalon Bicol, August 9, 2009
- ^ Ship Report for "7302108", miramarshipindex.org.nz
- ^ "23 dead, 198 rescued in ferry-boat collision". 2003. Archived from the original on 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- ^ The Return of Abu Sayyaf, Time Magazine, August 23, 2004
- ^ SuperFerry sinking a terrorist attack Archived 2022-03-20 at the Wayback Machine, Philstar.com, February 27, 2018
- ^ Avendano, Christine (2007-07-21). "Gracia Burnham, other terror victims speak up". The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2008-06-07.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Arroyo orders arrest of Abu leaders linked in ferry blast". Sun.Star Network Online. 2004-10-12. Archived from the original on 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
- ^ Zurbano, Joel E. (2006-03-09). "SuperFerry 12 catches fire off Bantayan Island". Manila Standard. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
- ^ "MV Superferry 9 Incident Report". Philippine Coast Guard. 2009-09-07. Archived from the original on 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2009-09-07.