TACLOBAN CITY – After a 16-year hiatus, passenger ships are once again docking at Tacloban port with the maiden voyage of the M/V Claudine Star, operated by Roble Shipping Inc., set for Wednesday. This marks the first passenger ship service in the city since 2008.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held on Tuesday, was attended by First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, Roble Shipping Inc. President and CEO Jose Emery Roble, and Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
“We can now expect an influx of travelers and stronger trade in our city, which will pave the way for further economic and tourism growth,” Mayor Romualdez said during the event.
The M/V Claudine Star, a newly refurbished 74-meter vessel, will operate three trips weekly between Cebu and Tacloban. It departs from Cebu every Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday at 8 p.m., arriving in Tacloban the following morning at 7 a.m. The return trips from Tacloban are scheduled every Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday at 2:45 p.m., arriving in Cebu at 2 a.m. the next day.
Since the suspension of Sulpicio Lines’ operations in 2008 following the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy, Tacloban port has been limited to cargo shipments. Now, with Roble Shipping’s new service, the city is reconnecting with Cebu and welcoming a new chapter in local travel and trade. (PNA)