Ro-Ro system cuts transport cost by 45%–Yap
Thursday, September 21st, 2006When will the farmers in Mindanao get to actually taste a reduction in transport cost instead of this piece of balooney? Can we have more examples other than shipping motorcycles and comparing passenger fares between fast craft and roro?
In the first place, fast craft service is way beyond the reach of most travellers, that is why they are almost as extinct as the dodo bird. How about the cost of transporting farm produce from Mindoro to Manila? Has the roro made any impact here, or are the cargo handling operators still collecting their full measure of blood from the farmers for services not rendered?
Back in 2000, we claimed that 40 to 45% of domestic sea transport cost was traceable to cargo handling and double handling attendant to the improper use of roro technology.Â
A more conclusive proof on the success of RORO could be derived by an analysis of the annual financial and operating reports submitted by all ship operators to the MARINA. But don’t leave it to the MARINA officials to do the computations. Just like the COMELEC, they are unable to reflect a believable count.
