Aznar Shipping secures pioneer status for Cebu-Leyte ferry routes

Insider Spotlight

• Aznar Shipping received pioneer route status from MARINA for MV Alexander Aznar I
• The brand-new IACS-class vessel cuts Danao-Isabel travel time to three hours
• The route protection incentive runs for six years under MARINA’s domestic shipping modernization program
  
  

Cebu-based Aznar Shipping Corp. secured pioneer route status from the Maritime Industry Authority for its brand-new MV Alexander Aznar I, strengthening its Danao, Cebu-Isabel, Leyte ferry service under the government’s domestic shipping modernization program.

The grant was issued under MARINA Memorandum Circular No. DS-2025-04, which encourages shipowners to deploy brand-new, safer and more efficient vessels on authorized domestic routes. 

The incentive gives Aznar six-year route protection, barring additional vessels on the same origin and destination ports unless capacity is insufficient or a pressing national economic need arises.

Why it matters

The MV Alexander Aznar I is certified by the International Association of Classification Societies, a global benchmark for ship design, construction, maintenance, safety and environmental protection.

“Through this IACS-class vessel, we are strengthening our ability to serve the growing movement of people, vehicles, and goods between Cebu and Leyte. MV Alexander Aznar I allows us to reduce travel time from four hours to three hours, increase capacity, and provide a more reliable transport option for passengers and cargo customers,” Aznar Shipping president and CEO Kyle Alexander Aznar said.

Kyle Alexander Aznar

The 31-year-old Aznar Shipping CEO took the company’s helm after his father’s death in 2022.

By the numbers

The vessel can carry up to 340 passengers per trip, around 60 percent higher than the combined passenger capacity of previously deployed vessels. It can also carry 14 units of 10-wheeler wing vans and 24 four-wheel vehicles, equivalent to 22 units of 10-wheeler wing vans per trip.

That translates to a 37.5-percent increase in cargo-carrying capacity compared with older vessels. Aznar said the dedicated space for four-wheel vehicles better matches the route’s cargo profile, where around 70 percent of traffic consists of four-wheel vehicles.

“As the Visayas continues to grow, inter-island shipping will remain crucial in connecting key growth centers. Our goal is to continue serving as a sea bridge for the region by investing in vessels and routes that support safer travel, stronger cargo movement, and more reliable connectivity,” Aznar added.

What’s next

MV Alexander Aznar I operates four daily trips between Danao and Isabel, carrying passengers and rolling cargo. It departs Isabel at 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and Danao at 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.

Aznar Shipping said the deployment supports its broader push to build short-haul, high-frequency routes across the Visayas, where maritime links remain vital for trade, tourism and daily mobility. —Daxim L. Lucas| Ed: Corrie S. Narisma