Cruise and Ferry Review - Summer/Spring 2020

1 2 8 INTERV IEW A year of expansion Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation is set for a lively 2020 as it continues to grow its fleet and raise ferry safety standards in the Philippines. Mary Ann Pastrana tells Sandra Speares more A rchipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation (AFPC) is expanding fast. The company, which was founded in 2002, added new vessels to its fleet last year and now has a total of 14 ships – with more set to join this year. “2020 will be very exciting for APFC as we prepare to receive about 16 new vessels as part of our goal to operate 30 FastCats by the end the year,” says Mary Ann Pastrana, executive vice president of APFC. “New routes will be in operation and existing routes will be expanded. We’ll also launch a new ticketing system that offers 24/7 online booking and a customer loyalty programme. As part of this, we’ll install touchpoints in the terminals and marshalling areas.” Another key development is APFC’s participation in the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 project SAFEMODE, which aims to strengthen safety synergies between aviation and maritime. “Horizon 2020 aims to share breakthrough discoveries from the markets,” explains Pastrana. “It will capture data and use this to improve human risk factor assessment and management within a risk-based design and operations framework. The SAFEMODE objectives are very much aligned with APFC’s goals and we hope that the key conclusions of this project will be implemented in the Philippines maritime industry. Being a part of the SAFEMODE project is a win-win for all, especially because APFC is projected to be carrying 4.6 million people in 2020 and 5.2 million passengers per year by 2022.” Several high-profile ferry accidents in Asia mean safety has been in the spotlight in recent years. In 2019, global association Interferry initiated a FERRYSAFE project to ascertain whether safety reforms introduced in the Philippines over the past decade have reduced ferry fatalities. “The results suggested that key improvements have been achieved following government intervention, the Philippines Coast Guard’s ‘No Sail Policy’, the involvement of insurers, advancements in technology and training, and various incentives on fleet modernisation pioneered by APFC,” says Pastrana.