Lite Shipping Corporation has grown to be a major maritime transport company with its primary area of operations in the Visayas (i.e. Cebu, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Leyte, and Siquijor Provinces) and Northern Mindanao (i.e. Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte, and Zamboanga del Norte Provinces). Its beginnings can be traced in 1990, when the company acquired its first RO-RO cargo passenger boat to service the Loon, Bohol to Argao, Cebu route. Named LCT ST. MARK, the vessel was a 175-gross ton former U.S. Navy Light Carrier Transport. This had a capacity of 4 ten-wheeler cargo trucks, 5 cars and 50 to 70 passengers. The vessel has since been rebuilt and renamed Lite Ferry 20 and can now accommodate 6 ten-wheeler trucks, 8 cars and 100 passengers. Our flagship vessel, the M/V Lite Ferry 8 can carry almost 800 passengers and 18 trucks or buses. To date, the Company operates twenty (20) Ro-Ro cargo passenger vessels servicing major cargo and passenger shipping routes in the provinces where they operate.

Lite Shipping Corporation pioneered the establishment and promotion of the new missionary routes such as the Loon, Bohol to Argao, Cebu route in 1990 and the Samboan, Cebu to Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte route in 2009. The company is also the sole and exclusive Ro-Ro Operator linking the following important routes: the Toledo City, Cebu to San Carlos City, Negros Occidental route; the Cebu to Tagbilaran to Larena, Siquijor to Plaridel, Misamis Occidental route; the Jagna, Bohol to Cagayan de Oro City route; the Cebu City to Tubigon and Getafe, Bohol routes.

Over the past twenty five years, Lite Shipping has become synonymous to excellent service and safe, clean and comfortable sea travel. It is a consistent winner and Hall of Fame awardee for the Cleanest Ship of the Year in different vessel categories by the MARINA and the Bureau of Quarantine. Its reputation of having comfortable, clean and spacious passenger accommodations has been officially recognized by these government regulatory offices. In fact, through the years, the company has earned a well-deserved reputation among passengers for very clean toilets and comfortable passenger accommodation. The trademark of any Lite vessel is the above MARINA standards for passageways and the distances between passenger bed bunks and seats.

In 2010, Lite Shipping Corporation launched a new corporate brand name for all its vessels, the “LITE FERRIES” with a more contemporary and dynamic company logo. The company goal is to establish the “LITE FERRIES” brand to be synonymous with excellent service and safe, clean, comfortable sea travel.

Lite Ferries is highly conscious of its safety responsibilities to its passengers, cargo clients, and crew as we take safety as a serious business. To ensure safe and efficient operations, the company is fully compliant with the International Safety Management (ISM) code as established by the International

Maritime Organization (IMO) as well as Philippine Maritime rules and regulations enforced by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA). A major company initiative is the ongoing Systems Improvement Program which aims to define and standardize company policies and procedures for a more effective and efficient management. To help us, we have engaged the services of Aboitiz Jebsen as our technical consultants for the past two years. The main objective of this program is to instill a culture of professionalism and excellence among its people. Lite Ferries believes that its people are its best assets, hence crew training and employee development programs are regularly conducted. We strongly believe in the ISM dictum “write what you do and do what you write.” The concern for safety is also a top priority such that our safety vests are within arm’s reach for all passengers.

The company’s Human Resource Department has formed a partnership with the Seacrest Maritime Foundation, Inc. to provide scholarships for promising cadets. Lite Ferries has also taken on the responsibility of pioneering a program by sending deck and engine maritime scholars to college to address the issue of the severe shortage of competent crew.  Since 90% of accidents are caused by human error, the company recognizes the importance of crew competence as a safety issue.

Lite Ferries views its maintenance programs as part of a moral obligation to public safety. A rigorous inspection and maintenance schedule is maintained to monitor vessel condition and ensure a proactive stance in ship maintenance.

Started four years ago, Lite Ferries went on a “Going Green Energy Savings Program” to promote fuel efficiency and reduce environmental pollution. They replaced their old and inefficient engines with brand new Weichai Marine Engines which are German Deutz-based technology. With their compact, fuel efficient design, these engines have substantially lower fuel consumption. By the end of this year, 90% or a total of eighteen (18) ships of the Lite Ferries fleet will now be fully re-engined with brand new main engines as well as generators. At present, Lite Ferries operates one of the country’s most fuel efficient shipping fleet.

In line with its vision of being the best Ro-Ro service provider in passenger and cargo transport at the least cost in the routes that it traverses, the company continues to expand its fleet nationwide putting it at the forefront of Philippine domestic shipping. A Boholano-owned company by origin of owners, the Barkong Bol-anon has stayed true to the friendly nature that Boholanos are best known for. Its friendly crew happily adheres to Lite Shipping Corporation’s slogan of “Sailing with a Smile.”