A Roll-on Roll-Off (RoRo) vessel directly plying between Mindanao and Luzon has been operationalized to address disruptions caused by the rehabilitation of the San Juanico Bridge, particularly for heavy cargo trucks transporting goods. Froilan Caturla, manager of the Philippine Ports Authority-Surigao, stated that Seen Sam Shipping Inc. launched the RoRo service on June 12, 2025, to mitigate the impact of bridge repairs on goods and passenger movement.
The 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge, the only permanent land link between Samar and Leyte, is a key part of the Pan-Philippine Highway (Maharlika Highway/AH26), connecting Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The PPA noted that this is the first RoRo service bypassing Samar and Leyte, easing heavy traffic near the bridge.
MV 1018, an 85-meter Landing Craft Transport with a 2,024-metric-ton capacity, can accommodate 37 ten-wheeler trucks and five six-wheeler vehicles. The Lipata-Surigao to Bulan-Sorsogon route takes 21 hours, with freight charges ranging from P18,000 for six-wheelers to P115,000 for trailer trucks with heavy equipment.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a year-long state of calamity in Eastern Visayas starting June 5, 2025, to expedite bridge repairs. Proclamation No. 920 mandates the DPWH to fast-track rehabilitation, supported by DBM funding. The bridge’s critical condition and three-ton load limit have disrupted essential goods transport across the region. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
