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Regional Container Lines’ (RCL) weekly service uses Singapore as transshipment hub to connect Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga to China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Middle East
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Service offers reliable transit time allowing stakeholders to reduce inventory costs and plan productions
International shipping line and feeder operator Regional Container Lines (RCL), through its southern Philippine agent Eagle Express Lines, Inc., has launched a new weekly service connecting Visayas and Mindanao to countries in Asia and Middle East.
The service on a two-vessel rotation calls Singapore as transshipment hub to connect Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga to China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Middle East.
RCL has been in the Philippines for 32 years now and its commitment to further expand its services at the same time help the Philippines raise its competitive edge in the ever-challenging transport and commercial landscape remains unwavered, said RCL Country Representative Jesus B. Sedano.
With the new deployment of Cebu, Cagayan, Zamboanga and Singapore shuttle service, RCL has once again fulfilled its commitment, he added.
Eagle Express Group chairman and chief executive officer Angelito Colona sees the new RCL service as a bright opportunity for the country despite challenges brought about by the pandemic. He said, “This pandemic has been a challenge for everyone, yet the opportunities are ever-present. As businessmen, we just need to unravel them amidst all the noise.”
Eagle Express Lines general manager Marlon Isah de Guzman described the service as “a game-changer”, offering a “very predictable and reliable transit time that allows international trade stakeholders to reduce inventory costs and plan productions accordingly.”
He said areas outside the RCL network may still be served via partner international shipping lines.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) area vice president for Visayas Samuel Chioson said adding an option to “ship via Singapore will allow more flexibility and opportunities for both importers and exporters within the Visayan Regions.”
Cebu is the international gateway for the Visayas region with cargoes to and from neighboring islands like Samar-Leyte, Negros, Bohol and Panay normally routed via Cebu International Port.
PCCI assistant vice president for Mindanao Ma. Theresa Alegrio noted the beneficial nature of RCL’s call to Cagayan de Oro. She said Misamis Oriental, whose capital is Cagayan de Oro, is primarily an agro-industrial exporting area of Mindanao and the RCL service opens up “conduits to time-sensitive commodities (which) will most definitely be beneficial to exporters in the area and adjacent provinces.”
Cagayan de Oro is the main international gateway for Northern Mindanao.
The addition of RCL into the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) carrier line up gives Mindanao’s business community greater access to Singapore, ensuring growth opportunities in the years to come, according to Roberto Locsin, chief executive officer of Philippine Growth Terminals for International Container Terminal Services, Inc., operator of MCT.
“MCT has remained unscathed by the COVID pandemic and showed resilience in both the foreign and domestic import and export markets that serve our customers,” he said.
Thailand-based RCL owns and operates 46 container vessels covering more than 66 destinations in Asia, India, India subcontinent and the Middle East.
