Roble Shipping Inc.

Roble Shipping Inc. is a Cebu-based shipping line located in Cebu City, Philippines. The company was founded by Jose Roble, a native of Danao, Cebu.

History

Established on February 20, 1985, it started with a small cargo vessel called MV ''Marao'' plying from Cebu to Iloilo containing rice and mixed cargo materials. Roble Shipping Inc. is now one of the major players in the Leyte and Samar routes. The shipping line has seven-passenger vessels of which five are roll-on/roll-off vessels, ten cargo vessels and four barges and tugboats.

The founder and owner of Roble Shipping Inc., Jose L. Roble, Passed away on September 11, 2009, at the Cebu Doctors' University Hospital at the age of 62.
All of his sons and daughters now play important roles in steering the company.

The Duranos also helped in the early years in establishing the company.

In 2010, Roble Shipping Inc. moved all its operations to their new headquarters in Pier 7.

Fleet

Current fleet

Roble Shipping's fleet consists of 8 Roll-On Roll-Off vessels and 2 LCT and 8 Cargo Ships, including its sister company, Star Philippines Shipping Lines.

Roll-On Roll-Off vessels

*MV ''Immaculate Stars''
*MV ''Theresian Stars''
*MV ''Joyful Stars''
*MV ''Ocean Stars'' (formerly Blessed Stars)
*MV ''Beautiful Stars''
*MV ''Graceful Stars''

LCT (Landing craft tank)

*MV ''LCT Stars''
*MV ''LCT Stars II''

Cargo Ships

*MV ''Star Zamboanga''
*MV ''Star Ormoc''
*MV ''Star Hilongos''
*MV ''Star Ozamis''
*MV ''Star Danao''
*MV ''Star Davao''
*MV ''Star Iligan''
*MV ''Star Dinagat''

Historical fleet

Passenger Vessels

*MV ''Marao''
*MV ''Heaven Star''
*MV ''Ormoc Star''
*MV ''Oroquieta Stars''
*MV ''Guada Cristy''
*MV ''Cebu Diamond''
*MV ''Wonderful Stars'' (2007-2015)
*MV ''Wonderful Stars'' (2005-2005)
*MV ''Sacred Stars''
*MV ''Blessed Stars''
*MV ''Hilongos Diamond''
*MV ''Jacqueline Star''
*MV ''Star Sabang''
*MV ''Twinkle Little Stars''
*MV ''Claudine Stars ''

High-speed craft

*MV ''Superjoy'' (Can only be used during Fluvial Procession of Santo Nino de Cebu Sinulog Festival)

Future fleet

*MV ''Almighty Stars'' (Formerly Naminoue)(for Star Philippines)
*MV ''Glorious Stars'' (formerly Wonderful Stars)(for Star Philippines)
*MV ''Filipinas Dumaguete'' (for Star Philippines)
*MV ''Starlite Navigator'' (for Star Philippines)

Star Philippines Shipping Lines

*''MV Gracious Stars'' (formerly Sacred Stars and MV Filipinas Surigao of Cokaliong Shipping Lines)

Ports of call and Routes

Ports of Call

Roble Shipping Inc. main port of call is Cebu City.

Current ports of call

* Ormoc City, Leyte
* Hilongos, Leyte
* Baybay City, Leyte
* Naval, Biliran

Former ports of call

* Oroquieta City
* Catbalogan, Samar
* Tacloban City, Leyte

Routes

*Cebu-Ormoc: MV ''Theresian Stars''
*Cebu-Hilongos: MV ''Graceful Stars'' / MV Immaculate Stars'' / MV Joyful Stars''
*Cebu-Baybay: MV ''Beautiful Stars'' / MV Gracious Star
*Cebu-Naval: MV Gracious Star

Incidents

* M/V Hilongos Diamond sunk within the Bato, Leyte Port
* On January 3, 2008, The MV Heaven Star of the Roble Shipping Lines left Ormoc City about 11 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Cebu City port at 3 pm. The vessel stopped off Isabel town in Leyte at noon. The vessel suffered a mechanical problem after seawater got into its bunker fuel. The company's other vessel M/V Wonderful Stars followed up to M/V Heaven Star's location to tow it.
* On December 2, 2009, MV Wonderful Star collided with a foreign-owned cargo vessel MCC Sulo at 1:20 am. Saturday around from Liloan town, some 19 kilometers north of Cebu City. The MV Wonderful Star's port side (left side) catwalk railings were slightly damaged while MCC Sulo's starboard (right) bow had a slight scratch.
* On December 2, 2009 - M/V Wonderful Stars had a collision with a passenger-cargo vessel M/V Subic Bay 1 of the late Carlos A. Gothong Lines. The said vessel had gone sideways and sustained damages estimated to be within P600,000 to P700,000.
* On August 15, 2015, MV Wonderful Stars caught fire in the port of Ormoc City. No casualties were reported
* On June 2, 2021, LCT Jacqueline Star half-submerged due to onslaught of Tropical Storm Dante in Albuera, Leyte. No casualties reported
*On December 16, 2021, MV Oroquieta Stars capsized near Liloan, Cebu during the onslaught of Typhoon Rai.
*On January 15, 2024, MV ''Star Sabang'' capsized in Bayangan Island, Labason, Zamboanga del Norte while sailing from Cebu City bound to Zamboanga City onboard 13 crews and loaded 20,000 sacks of cement.
*On March 15, 2024, M/V Immaculate Stars, Collided with the M/V Doña Caroline Joy of Gothong Southern. Both ships suffered damages.
*In April 2025, an out of control barge, collided with the M/V Claudine Stars, causing it to capsize in Pier 7, Mandaue.

See also

* List of shipping companies in the Philippines
* 2GO Travel
* Montenegro Lines
* Aleson Shipping Lines
* Weesam Express
* Supercat Fast Ferry Corporation
* Trans-Asia Shipping Lines

References

External links

*

Official Website

{{Transportation in the Philippines

Ferry companies of the Philippines
Shipping companies of the Philippines
Companies based in Cebu City
Privately held companies of the Philippines