Shipbuilding leapfrogs

The Philippines has achieved a milestone in shipbuilding with the launch of the first methanol-powered Kamsarmax bulk carrier, a maritime expert told Nosy Tarsee.

The 81,200-metric-ton, dual-fuel vessel, christened the M/V Brave Pioneer, was built by Tsuneishi Heavy Industries’ local unit at the 540-hectare West Cebu Estate in Balamban, Cebu. Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) is a locator in the Aboitiz Economic Estate.

Shipbuilding was the missing link for the country to become a maritime power. The Philippines has long been recognized as a source of reliable labor, with thousands of its citizens departing each year to work as seafarers, accounting for 25 percent of the world’s 1.89-million seamen.

Further, the Philippines, as of 2024 was the world’s fifth-largest shipbuilder, after China, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam, according to the United Nations.

The production of bulk and oil carriers would place the country on par with global ship producers. Still, it would require the government to invest and craft policies to support an industry dominated by East Asian countries, China, South Korea and Japan.

Local manufacturers built 484 vessels in 2024, mostly fishing boats and passenger and cargo ships.

Japan’s Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, a giant in the industry that has been operating in Cebu since 1994, constructed the vessel. The ship is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent, compared with most seafaring vessels, which are major polluters.

Government data showed over 130 shipyards registered across the Philippines as of November, employing more than 11,000 skilled workers.

In 2025, the Philippines’ shipbuilding industry had 151 shipbuilding and ship repair companies, the most in recent years, according to government data.

The local industry’s revival gained momentum with the entry of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, which was inaugurated four months ago. The group’s shipyard is located in Subic, Zambales, an area that once housed the US’ largest overseas military installation.

Most top shipbuilding companies operating in the Philippines remain foreign-owned.