The #1 Philippines Ferry Database again updated

The #1 Philippines Ferry Database contains now 32 maritime companies with 220 ferries plying 176 routes.  Almost every day we discover another shipping company and new routes. But now the job became tough.

 The first 200 ferries were rather easy to find. But the last 20 are well hidden in remote bays and ports. It is incredible, but the last companies we found do even not have an official street address.

The database is here “Routes” and “Ports“.

We found companies like Hijos de Juan Corrales Inc. and Starhorse Shipping Lines. Hijos is funny. They have only one small passenger boat – we can’t call this small vessel a ferry. The Hijos-1 plies the route between Balngoan (Misamis Oriental) and Benoni (Camiguin). We caught this little boat Tuesday morning when we went to Cagayan de Oro.

In the background Mount Mambajao of Camiguin.

Hijos-1 is a real veteran of the seas (like many or most of the ferries here). Here is a picture of Hijos from 1967. It was taken from an advertisement of Cummins Diesel. Today’s shape is the result of many modifications, repairs and added features. It would be interesting to dig in the past of all the ferries here. Many of them were built in Japan. After 20 years of service, they were sold to Korea. There again they sailed during some 20 years. Finally they arrived in the Philippines where they sail until they sink or until they are recycled as steel bars for house construction.

The other funny company is Starhorse Shipping Lines. They have 8 vessels all called M/V Virgen of Peñafrancia with roman numbers from II to IX. All these ferries ply only one route: From Lucena to Marinduque. They have one really strangely shaped ferry:

This ferry rather looks like a bridge than a floating ferry.

No official Ferry Database

We are sure, there are more ferries swimming in the seas within and around the Philippines. But now it becomes difficult to find them. We checked MARINA, the Philippines Maritime Industry Authority. Nothing to find there about ferries. We checked the Philippine Ports Authority – lots and buildings for rent, but no trace of ships or ferries. Or did we miss something?

The World Shipping Register contains some surprises. We are now trying to identify the ferries. This might take some time. We feel a bit like Sherlock Holmes and Agathe Christie, but we aren’t chasing criminals but Philippines ferries.

Do you join us?

The Philippines Ferry Database needs you all. A fully loaded ferry database or even a ship database should be provided by government agencies. They do not yet, tomorrow maybe. So it is up to us, the traveling community to provide such information to our traveling friends. If you know of a ferry line or a ferry route, please send us a message. The Philippines are much more than Boracay, Palawan, Coron and maybe Panglao. Our over 7107 islands are outstanding, but not easy to reach. Help travellers and tourists to find their ferry. Maraming salamat po amigos.

The database is here “Routes” and “Ports“.

[GARD]