a ship recently purchased by St. Anthony’s College (SAC) for its Maritime Education Department, was deployed on its maiden voyage carrying supplies for towns in Antique that are badly hit by Super Typhoon “Paeng.”

The vessel berthed at the San Jose, Antique Port last November 14, Monday, from its homeport in Iloilo. It was loaded with supplies and other economic needs for Antique where land transportation was blocked by wrecked bridges and roads.

The ship, a three-decker passenger-cargo vessel of 969.84 gross tonnage, is being positioned by SAC as a response to the challenge of the European Maritime Safety Agency to produce highly skilled seafarers.

While functioning commercially as authorized by the Maritime Industry Authority, it will also house the Hanas-Dagat Visayas (HDV) maritime cadetship program.

The HDV provides maritime cadets from the BS Marine Engineering and BS Marine Transportation program, a local, affordable and suitably-duration On-Board Training program required by the Commission on Higher Education and Marina for the graduation of students from BSMT and BSMarE.

The MV Maria Estrella del Mar and the HDV are SAC’s unique and practical response to the challenges of the maritime industry as it is the first of its kind sailing commercially while dedicated to training cadets.

The training ships currently present in the country and Southeast Asia are of the kind of berthed laboratories.

Seeking to serve Antique and the nearby provinces, the MV Maria Estrella del Mar is also envisioning an active role in rejuvenating sea commerce from the province, and opening more economic and tourism routes.