Nine foreign firms have expressed strong interest in bidding for the Philippine Navy’s PHP2.26-billion floating drydock project and are currently seeking local joint venture partners to meet the Navy’s procurement requirement that naval vessels must be manufactured locally.
Capt. Julius Reyes, commander of the Philippine Naval Shipyard, shared this during the recent Shipyard Owners and Associations Stakeholders’ Forum in Manila, held in conjunction with Maritime Industry Authority’s (MARINA) stakeholder consultation on its priority legislative agenda—namely the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (SBSR) Development Bill and the SBSR Fiscal Incentives Bill.
Reyes emphasized that the Philippines has a local procurement agenda for its naval vessels.
According to him, interested foreign investors in the planned floating drydock include companies from the United States, Turkey, the Netherlands, and South Korea.
Reyes explained that bidding requirements stipulate all naval vessel procurement must be done in-country. As a result, the foreign firms are now actively seeking local shipyard operators as potential joint venture partners for the project.
Originally scheduled to begin bidding late this month or early September, the process may be postponed. Reyes noted that this is because the Department of National Defense (DND), not the Philippine Navy, will conduct the bidding. “We are looking at November bidding,” he said.
The floating drydock is intended to support the construction of Philippine Navy ships, including the planned fleet of 10 small naval boats—pending approval by the DND.
The drydock specifications call for a minimum length overall (LOA) of 130 meters, a beam of 32–36 meters, and a lifting capacity of 3,500 tons. It must be tow-worthy in open-ocean conditions (at least up to sea state 2) and have a service life of no less than 30 years, with a minimum inter-docking interval of at least 10 years.
Support for MARINA Bills
Meanwhile, the MARINA-proposed bills aim to boost the country’s SBSR industry and offer incentives to attract investments in shipbuilding, ship repair, and shipyard development.
“On the part of the Navy, we fully support the SBSR bill as we will benefit from this because I always connect shipping and shiprepair to our national security because the number of ships we deploy depends on how fast or slow we can repair our ships,” Reyes said.
A total of 45 shipyard industry stakeholders from Luzon and the Visayas expressed support for MARINA’s legislative push. In a symbolic signing of a Manifesto of Support, representatives from shipyards, maritime associations, and allied industries pledged their commitment to legislation that will strengthen the country’s SBSR sector, enhance global competitiveness, and ensure sustainable growth.
The SBSR Development Bill seeks to establish a clear policy and institutional framework to advance the local shipbuilding and repair industry through infrastructure upgrades, technology adoption, and workforce development. Complementing this, the SBSR Fiscal Incentives Bill aims to attract further investment into the sector.
