Pasig River Ferry Service
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Owner | SCC Nautical Transport Services Incorporated |
| Locale | Metro Manila |
| Transit type | Water bus |
| Number of lines | 2 (none in operation) |
| Number of stations | 14 |
| Daily ridership | 2,000 |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | February 14, 2007 |
| Operator(s) | SCC Nautical Transport Services Incorporated |
| Number of vehicles | 10 |
| Technical | |
| System length | 28 km (17.40 mi) |
| Average speed | 10 knots (19 km/h) |
| Top speed | 17 knots (31 km/h) |
The Pasig River Ferry Service, is the only water-based transportation in Metro Manila, Philippines that cruises the Pasig River from Pinagbuhatan in Pasig to Intramuros in the City of Manila. The system is owned and operated by a private company, SCC Nautical Transport Services Incorporated. Although commonly referred to as a ferry, it is more akin to a water bus.
In February 2011, the service was suspended, but was reopened on April 28, 2014.
Pollution in the Pasig River contributed to the decline in ferry transport in the river in the 1960s. The present Pasig River Ferry Service superseded the two short-lived ferry projects in the entire Pasig River in the 1990s.
The Magsaysay Lines started operation during the year 1990 and had stations from Guadalupe in then-Municipality of Makati down to Escolta Street in Manila (a total of 15 kilometers), using river-side sheds as stations. The service however lasted only for a year and closed in 1991. Its short-lived operation was beset by problems such as the proliferation of informal settlers along the route, water lilies, garbage and other debris clogging the waters (preventing the boats from traveling at normal speeds), aside from the foul odor permeating the environs.
In 1996 another ferry service was launched, the Starcraft Ferry. This service's fleet is the ancestor of the current Pasig River Ferry Service fleet since this service had 30 units of catamaran-type boats (the same type used by the current Pasig River Ferry Service) with a seating capacity of 30 people with air-conditioning. Unlike Magsaysay Lines, it had a smaller boat aptly name the M/V Tamaraw or the River Taxi, as during this same year the Tamaraw FX service became very popular. It offered a seating of 12 people, also air-conditioned, and can be hired like a taxi service for travel along the river, just like a Tamaraw FX taxi. The route stretched from Bambang in Pasig down to Escolta in Manila (a total of 16.2 kilometers). However, like the Magsaysay Lines, Starcraft Ferry only lasted for a year and it closed in 1997. Like the Magsaysay Lines, the problems encountered during the operation were informal settlers, water lilies (since it prevents the boats from traveling at normal speeds), foul odor and garbage disposed on the river.
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