1 August 2005—Ambassador Romeo A. Arguelles of the Philippine Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the MV Vlieland, a 64-meter catamaran wholly built in the Philippines, has arrived at its home port of Harlingen, the Netherlands, on 17 June 2005 to begin ferry service connecting the mainland of the Netherlands with the Wadden Islands in the North Sea.

The ferry ship was built by Aboitiz-owned FBMA Marine, Inc. in Balamban, Cebu, for leading Dutch ferry operator Rederijk-Doeksen en Zonen B. V.  The Dutch Ambassador to the Philippines, H. E. Robert Vornis, visited the ship in Cebu before it set sail for the Netherlands.  MV Vlieland left Cebu for its new home port on 12 May 2005 and sailed for 37 days before arriving at Harlingen.

FBMA Marine, Inc., is an independent shipyard and shipbuilding company that has established its name in excellent quality and on-time deliveries since its inception in 1997.  The company currently employs 500 people, and has build and delivered high- and medium-speed ferries, patrol vessels and specialist workboats to leading European, American, Australian and Asian shipping companies.  It has also formed strategic alliances with world-renowned international ship and sea-vessel designers.

The MV Vlieland is the largest vessel built so far by the Filipino shipbuilding company.  It can accommodate 1,200 passengers and 60 vehicles, and has a VIP Lounge, tourist-class salons, bar area and a large open sun deck.

Ambassador Arguelles and Philippine Trade Attaché Corazon Canlas visited the ship onsite and joined a trial voyage on 28 July 2005 upon the invitation of Mr. P. J. M. Melles, Managing Director of Rederijk-Doeksen en Zonen B. V.

Rederijk-Doeksen en Zonen B. V. is the oldest branch of Rotterdam-based holding company Doeksen Transport Group.  Rederijk-Doeksen has operated passenger ferry services between the Netherlands mainland and the outlying Dutch islands of Tershelling and Vlieland since 1923, and has satisfied the International Management Code for the Safe Operations of Ships and for Pollution Prevention.

Ambassador Arguelles also reported that “two leading Dutch shipbuilding companies have signified future plans to outsource fabrication and building of shipbuilding vessels to other countries to control costs, presenting an opportunity for Filipino shipbuilding companies to take.” END