Manila-based ferry operator 2GO Travel has unveiled the spoils of a recent ropax shopping expedition in South Korea by proudly unveiling two new vessels acquired in deals that have yet to be reported in the market.
Freshly painted in 2G0’s bright pink branding, the 9,700-gt ropax 2GO Magalang (built 2002) and 10,000-gt ropax 2GO Masigla (built 1999) arrived off Manila on 23 December and, following refits, will begin operating in the company’s 10-strong ropax fleet in 2024.
The 2GO Magalang was acquired as Blue Pearl from Hanil Express for an undisclosed price. Its time with the South Korean ferry operator was brief as it had only been acquired as Ferry Kyoto 2 in January 2022 from Japan’s Meimon Taiyo Ferry.
Market sources told TradeWinds that 2GO had attempted to buy the ship when Meimon Taiyo first put it up for sale in late 2021 but was beaten at the bargaining table by Hanil Express.
The 2GO Masigla joins the 2GO fleet from South Korea’s MS Ferry, which has operated it as New Star since 2018.
Both ships were handed over to 2GO earlier in December.
2GO, the largest ferry operator in the Philippines, described the addition of the two ships as “a major milestone” that promised “elevated sea travel experiences and enabling more cargo to be moved nationwide in 2024”.
“With new vessels come new routes and boundless possibilities on the horizon,” the company said in a social media posting.
In March 2021 2GO became the first Asian ferry operator to acquire secondhand ferry tonnage since the outbreak of Covid 19 when it bought the 13,400-gt ropax Stena Nova (built 2003) from Stena RoRo.
That deal was followed up two months later with the purchase of Hankyu Ferry’s 29,000-gt ropax Tsukushi (built 2003).
