Philippines: Hanjin Heavy Plans to Hire More Workers

Helping boost the Philippines economy even through a slump in the world market, Korean shipbuilding industry leader Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction – Philippines, Inc. is set to employ thousands of additional workers in its shipyard here this year.

HHIC-Phil, Inc. currently employs nearly 20,000 local employees and continues to generate more indirect job and business opportunities in the surrounding communities.

Mr. Jin Kyu Ahn, president of the Korean shipbuilder giant, said that once targets for ship orders are reached this year, Hanjin could add over ten thousand workers which “would clearly benefit the Philippine economy, and bring opportunities to Filipino entrepreneurs and skilled workers, and much needed revenue to the Philippine government“. Ahn added that as operations in the Subic shipyard expand “we will require more employees to join the Hanjin workforce, creating employment opportunities for residents in the surrounding area of the Freeport zone, including the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, and the city of Olongapo“.

Since the start of the commercial operation of Hanjin’s shipyard here in 2008, it has already generated worth Php 125 billion in export, making it the consistent top exporter in the country’s premier Freeport.

Ahn said that the recent vessel deliveries by Hanjin highlighted the competitiveness of HHIC-Phil’s Subic shipyard, which produced the state-of-the-art commercial vessels.

The vessels include M/T Brightway, a DWT 160,000 Crude Oil Tanker ordered by a Liberian company Modmal Shipping Limited and M/V FMG Matilda, a DWT 205,000 Bulk Carrier owned by Bocimar Hong Kong Ltd. based in Belgium, both owners of which are engaged in international shipping and maritime solutions.

Maximizing its assets and capabilities, Ahn said that the presence of the Subic shipyard in the Freeport has been positively contributing to the growth of the Philippine economy since 2006 and will continue to make significant contributions in the Philippine maritime industry in the years ahead.

Based on records of the Maritime Industry Authority, an agency under the Department of Transportation and Communications, the Philippines currently ranks as the world’s fourth largest shipbuilding country.

[mappress]

Source: sbma, May 17, 2012;