Marcos set on revival of shipbuilding industry
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—President Marcos on Tuesday declared his administration’s strong push to revive the country’s shipbuilding industry, as he led the inauguration of the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in this premier freeport in Subic, Zambales.
During the launch here of the expansion of HD Hyundai at the Agila Subic shipyard, the President highlighted that between 2014 and 2018, the country’s shipyards produced between 1.2 million and 2 million gross tons of ships annually—equivalent to about 20 oil tankers or 30 large container ships. However, production started to decline after 2019.
With HD Hyundai’s expansion, the shipyard’s capacity is projected to increase from 1.3 million to 2.5 million deadweight tons, allowing it to accommodate up to eight oil tankers, compared to just four or five previously.
“But more than just size, the ships we build now are designed to handle higher volumes. This will enhance our export potential and create more jobs for Filipino workers,” Marcos said in his speech.
Full-scale operations
He added, “By 2030, we expect this yard to employ 4,300 Filipinos. That means thousands of families with food on the table, thousands of workers with dignity in their craft, and thousands of Filipinos who will see shipbuilding as a stable source of livelihood.”
Hyundai, one of the largest shipbuilding conglomerates in the world, is among the four major tenants at the 310-hectare Agila Subic shipyard, formerly known as the Hanjin shipyard. The company will utilize 100 ha of the facility for shipbuilding, repair, and offshore wind platform construction, taking over after Hanjin’s bankruptcy in 2019.
Ralph David Magno, Hyundai’s human resources manager, previously shared that the company aims to produce up to 10 ships annually. The first batch of employees was hired in September last year as the company prepares for full-scale operations in January next year, with plans to generate up to 7,000 jobs.
