JPP Marine, one of Poland’s leading shipbuilding companies, is exploring various locations in the Philippines for what could be its largest overseas expansion to date, citing significant opportunities in the domestic market for new vessels and maintenance services for the country’s growing fleet.
Piotr Pietruszczak, vice president of JPP Marine, who joined a select group of visiting Polish companies for the Philippines-Poland Investment Dialogue on Tuesday, June 16, said the company has already decided to invest in the Philippines.
“The decision has been made, we would like to do something here. That’s why I am here. The question is right now how fast it will grow. What kind of opportunities we will find here. We would like to find a partner here and we would like to as well make a technology transfer from Poland,” he said, noting that Poland is a well-known shipbuilding nation.
Pietruszczak said JPP Marine offers ship repair, shipbuilding, and ship conversion services. The company can build small vessels measuring up to 35 meters and also has the capability to construct larger ships. JPP intends to serve both domestic and international clients.
JPP Marine has been expanding globally, but Pietruszczak said the “Philippines would be our first for this huge expansion. So, for the Philippines we have much wider plans than for other countries.”
JPP already has partnerships and projects in other countries in the region, such as Indonesia and China, but Pietruszczak reiterated that the “Philippines will be the first from the size point of view.”
Pietruszczak is working closely with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) in Manila, which has linked the company with prospective shipyard operators as potential business partners.
He said the current geopolitical situation presents a significant opportunity for the Philippines, particularly in the shipbuilding sector. While many vessels operating in the country are built in China, he expressed optimism that the Philippines could emerge as another major shipbuilding hub.
In the meantime, JPP is conducting due diligence to determine the most suitable location for its planned investment.
Meanwhile, PAIH Chief Bartlomiej Wasiewski said they have visited shipyards in Mariveles, Bataan; Cebu; and Batangas, and has held discussions with government agencies, including the Maritime Industry Authority.
According to Wasiewski, JPP initially explored supplying patrol boats for the Philippine Coast Guard, electrified boats for fishermen, and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels for secondary cities.
However, the company was eventually persuaded to manufacture the vessels in the Philippines after learning that the government prefers to procure boats that are built locally.
Wasiewski said the company has already held meetings and presentations with the Departments of Defense and Agriculture, maritime authorities, and private-sector clients. More business missions from Poland are also expected in the coming months.
He added that a form of collaboration has emerged among European shipbuilders to counter the dominant presence of Chinese-built vessels in the Philippine market.
