Lite Shipping Corporation, is a Cebu City-based shipping line,[1] that operates the Lite Ferries, a brand consisting of a fleet of more than 20 ships. The corporation has its origins from Bohol, and is the flagship company of Lite Holdings, Inc.[2] At present, the corporation also owns and manages Danilo Lines, Inc. and Sunline Shipping Corporation.
History
The company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Lirio Enterprises, Inc., a general trading firm doing business nationwide. It started as a shipping division of the mother company in the middle of 1988 when it bought two vessels - the MV Sto. Niño de Soledad, a 500-ton DWT capacity steel-hulled vessel and the MV Sto. Niño, a wooden hull 200-ton capacity vessel. Initially, the cargo loaded was mostly goods traded by Lirio Enterprises, Inc. like salt, rice, cement, fertilizers, sugar, etc.[3] Sometimes they would accept other cargoes for backload when the occasion demands it. This shipping division was spun off as a separate shipping corporation in July 1989 when the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission approved the Articles of Incorporation and by-laws of Lite Shipping Corporation.[4]
The Lite Shipping Corporation fleet then consisted of 15 roll-on/roll-off vessels, 12 passenger vessels and 3 cargo ships. In November 1991, the corporation acquired its third vessel, the MV St. Gabriel, a steel-hulled 30-ton capacity cargo boat due to the strong demand for the smaller cargo vessel in the trading operation of the mother company. In January 1992, the company expanded into the cargo/passenger shipping business with the purchase of a 175 gross-ton roro car/truck carrier from the U.S. Navy, the LCT St. Mark. It has a capacity of four ten-wheeler cargo trucks, five cars and 50 to 70 passengers. It is the franchise holder for the Argao, Cebu to Loon, Bohol route as a daily car/truck ferry.
In November 2019 Lite Shipping Corporation bought the now-defunct George and Peter Lines it took over their routes and acquiring its vessels
Lite Shipping Corporation to Lite Ferries
In 2010, the Lite Shipping Corporation launched a new corporate brand name, along with a more contemporary and dynamic company logo, for all its vessels, now known as the Lite Ferries.
Lite Holdings, Inc.
Lite Holdings, Inc. was formed as a Holding Company with the following corporations under its umbrella:
Lite Shipping Corporation also owns and manages Danilo Lines, Inc. and Sunline Shipping Corporation. The management team is headed by COO Engr. Fernando A. Inting and OIC Jonathan Lim-Imboy;
Cebu Lite Trading, Inc. was established in 1991 as a distributor of local cement brands and is also engaged in the importation of rice from Vietnam and Thailand as well as a major cement importer. The OIC for Cebu Lite Trading is Rowena Imboy-Lim.
Lirio Shipping Lines, Inc. started only recently, and is led by Raymund Lim-Revilles as the OIC and he has steered the company into a major provider of LCT barges for the Mining Industry. They are also into Ship Management.
Lite Properties Corporation is the latest venture of Lite Holdings Group and is engaged in real estate development particularly economic and low cost housing as well as strip mall development in Cebu and in Bohol. OIC for Lite Properties is Atty. Dominique D. Lim and ably assisted by Rochelle Brigitte Lim-Imboy.
Lou's Square Development Corporation operates the hotel and restaurant business of Soledad Suites in Tagbilaran City as well as Casa Filomena Resort in Panglao and Pamilacan Island Paradise, all in Bohol where the Lim Family traces their roots.
Fleet
Present
As of April 2021, Lite Ferries have 28 ferries that are ROPAXes plus 2 Cargo RORO LCTs (LF 26 and LF 28).
She was the M/V Danilo 1 of Danilo Lines, Inc., before the company was acquired by Lite Shipping Corporation.
M/V Lite Ferry 2
A sister ship of the M/V Lite Ferry 1, she was the M/V Danilo 2 of Danilo Lines, Inc., before the company was acquired by Lite Shipping Corporation.
M/V Lite Ferry 3
The current Lite Ferry 3 was acquired in 2006 as the former Noumi No.8 in Japan, later becoming the second Santiago de Bohol in the Lite Ferries fleet. She is the smallest fleet in the Lite Ferries.
M/V Lite Ferry 6 (formerly M/V San Jose de Tagbilaran) (IMO number: 7225477)
Acquired by Lite Ferries in 2004 as the Salve Juliana of the MBRS Shipping Lines of Romblon. Her sister ships are the MV Lite Ferry 1 and 2. She was built in 1971, completed in January 1972 by Nakamura Shipbuilding & Engine Works Company in the Matsue shipyard. She was first named M/V Hagi, and assigned IMO 7225477, then became M/V Salve Juliana in 1990.
Lite Ferries 7Acquired in 2005 as the former Shodoshima Maru No.1 in Japan, and Zhu Du No.2 in China, she was then known as the San Ramon de Bohol with a flat bow ramp that was later changed into a conventional pointed bow.
The company's flagship, she is 75 meters long, and can carry almost 800 passengers and 18 trucks or buses. She was acquired in 2007 as the GP Ferry-1 of George & Peter Lines, formerly the M/V Santa Maria of Negros Navigation
There were 2 vessels to be named such. The first one was a double-ended ferry, measuring 46.0 meters by 10.0 meters by 3.8 meters with a Net Tonnage of 165. She had a sister ship, the Lite Ferry 9, which was later sold by the company. LF 10 was then sold to Medallion Transport in 2011 where she became the Lady of Miraculous Medal.
The second and present Lite Ferry 10 was the former Ocean King I of Seamarine Transport Incorporated, first acquired as a charter then later bought by the company.
MV Lite Ferry 11 at the Port of CebuShe was acquired by Lite Ferries along with 3 other vessels in 2010, as the Misaki No.5 of Oishi Shipping in Japan, measuring 65.7 meters by 15 meters by 3.5 meters but with a Gross Tonnage of 462.
She was also acquired in 2010 from Japan, and measures 60.3 meters length, 11.4 meters beam and a Gross Tonnage of 827 with a Net Tonnage of 562
M/V Lite Ferry 16
Lite Ferries 16She was acquired in 2015 from Hainan Strait Shipping Company (HNSS) in China, and became a modified LCT with a car ramp at the bow and two partial decks of passenger accommodations below the bridge where one extends to near amidship which means the passenger area is far higher than the conventional LCT. She is under refitting with changing its structure.
M/V Lite Ferry 17
Arrived in 2016 together with her sister ship from China, she was formerly known as Bao Dao 5.
She was acquired in 2016 from Hainan Strait Shipping Company (HNSS) in China, and she is a sister ship of Lite Ferry 16.
M/V Lite Ferry 21 (formerly M/V Sta. Filomena)
Acquired in 2012 as the LCT Dona Trinidad 1 of Candano Shipping Lines in Bicol.
M/V Lite Ferry 22
Acquired in 2008 as the former LCT Socor 1 of Socor Shipping Lines, she was named LCT Sto. Nino de Bohol.
M/V Lite Ferry 23
She was the fourth vessel acquired in 2010, and is considered unique being a catamaran RORO that looks like an LCT from the side. She is 57.5 meters long, and 16.0 meters wide, with gross tonnage of 496.88.
M/V Lite Ferry 25
She was acquired in 2012 from China, measuring 49.3 meters long and 13.8 meters wide.
An LCT (Land Craft Transport) Vessel, with IMO # 9814301, an overall length of 71.40 meters, length between perpendiculars of 56.50 meters, breadth of 16.80 meters, depth of 4.20 meters, and draft of 2.50 meters. She has 2 passenger decks, with a maximum capacity of 387 passengers (both lying and sitting accommodations). She can also accommodate a total of 4 10-wheeler trucks or 18 cars on her wagon/cargo deck.
M/V Lite Ferry 88.
MV Lite Ferry 88 sailing from Cebu to Tubigon 2022
The Latest Vessel Of Lite Ferry, And Their First High-Speed Catamaran Vessel.
She Is Currently Serving Cebu - Tubigon, Tubigon - Cebu Route.
M/V GP Ferry 2. This Vessel is from the now-defunct George & Peter Lines
M/V Georich. This Vessel is one of the oldest ferries in the country at 59 years old She is a cruiser that has 694 GT. This Vessel is from the now-defunct George & Peter Lines
Built in China, she was known as Aquan Two in Hongkong, then Nonan 2 in Vietnam, before being acquired by the company. She was later sold to Ocean Fast Ferries, Inc., then renamed as Ocean Jet 12.
Lite Jet 9
Built in China, she was known as Aquan One in Hongkong, then Nonan 1 in Vietnam, before being acquired together with Lite Jet 8. She was later sold to Ocean Fast Ferries, Inc., where she was renamed Ocean Jet 10.
M/V Lite Ferry 5 (formerly M/V Our Lady of the Barangay)
She was acquired in 2005, as the former Daishin Maru. Her dimensions were only 42.6 meters by 11.5 meters by 3.0 meters and forward part of the car deck has to be converted in Tourist accommodation to increase her passenger capacity. She was re-engined, and was later sold to a company in Palawan in 2017.
M/V Lite Ferry 20 (formerly LCT St. Mark)
She's now renamed as LCT SAN RICARDO of San Ricardo Shipping Lines serving Lipata - San Ricardo
At present, these are the routes (and vice versa) served by Lite Ferries:
Cebu - Cagayan de Oro
Cebu - Calbayog (via Bogo), launched in November 2016
Cebu-Dapitan
Cebu - Naval, Biliran Province
Cebu - Ormoc
Cebu - Larena (via Tagbilaran City)
Cebu - Plaridel (via Tagbilaran City and Larena)
Cebu - Tagbilaran
Cebu - Tubigon
Toledo - San Carlos
Mandaue - Tubigon
Mandaue - Ormoc
Tagbilaran - Larena
Tagbilaran - Argao (formerly Loon-Argao that started in 1990, but was moved to Tagbilaran after a strong earthquake damaged the Port of Loon)
Samboan - Dapitan
Bato (Samboan, Cebu) - Sibulan
Jagna - Cagayan de Oro
Jagna - Nasipit
Plaridel - Larena
Oslob, Cebu - Dipolog, launched in 2019
Dumaguete - Cagayan de Oro
Lipata - Cabalian launched in 2022, but was moved to Liloan after a devastating of Super Typhoon Odette was damaged the Port of Cabalian until she's back the original route last April 2023
Lipata - Liloan
Incidents and accidents
On the early morning of August 28, 2019, M/V Lite Ferry 16 was caught on fire near the engine room at Tag-ulo Point, about 3 kilometers off Pulauan Port in Dapitan with at least 4 passengers dead.[12][13][14][15][16][17]
On December 16 2021 M/V Lite Ferry 10 capsized in the vicinity of Loon Bohol leading all crew members survived and the captain passed away the cause of the vessel to capsize by a strong winds of Typhoon Odette
On September 28 2021 M/V Lite Ferry 3 capsized in the vicinity of Ormoc leading all crew survived and one lady died cause of the sinking is by listing badly
On October 29 2022 M/V Lite Ferry 1 ran aground in Port of Jagna by leading all crew and passengers safe cause of ran aground is by a strong winds of Typhoon Paeng
On December 16 2021 M/V Lite Ferry 18 capsized in the vicinity of Balamban Cebu Shipyard by leading a strong winds of Typhoon Rai all crew are recently safe
Sister companies
These are the shipping companies of Lite Shipping:[18]
