Lite Shipping Corporation, operating under the brand Lite Ferries, has deployed the newly built MV Lite Ferry Twenty on the Batangas City-Caticlan route, adding passenger and cargo capacity to a key corridor linking Luzon and the Visayas.
The vessel is the company’s largest brand-new Ro-Ro passenger ship acquisition to date, measuring 90 meters long with a gross registered tonnage of 3,923 tons. It can carry up to 578 passengers, 30 12-meter trucks and six cars.
Lite Shipping President Lucio Lim Jr. said the company’s entry into the Batangas-Panay corridor reflects its broader push to strengthen inter-island connectivity and support economic activity in the areas it serves, noting that the move completes the company’s presence along the Western Nautical Highway.
Maritime Industry Authority Administrator Sonia Malaluan attended the vessel’s blessing and inauguration on Aug. 7, 2026 and called it a modern addition to the domestic fleet that reflects the industry’s push toward safer and more reliable maritime transport.
She said every new vessel brings not just passengers and cargo but also opportunities and livelihoods for Filipinos.
MARINA has granted the ship pioneering status in recognition of its upgraded service and contribution to the modernization of domestic shipping.
Lite Shipping operates routes across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and has continued investing in new and retrofitted vessels, including through its Golden Green program, which upgrades ships with more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly engines.
The company said its fleet expansion aims to give passengers and commercial partners greater capacity, comfort and reliability, and it has also received repeated recognition from MARINA and the Bureau of Quarantine for maintaining clean ships.
Lim said Lite Ferries plans to deploy another vessel on the Batangas-Caticlan route before the end of the month, with the goal of eventually offering daily trips.
Aklan 2nd District Rep. Florencio Miraflores welcomed the new vessel’s arrival, calling it a significant boost to commerce between Luzon and the Visayas and highlighting Caticlan’s role as a gateway to Panay for tourism and trade.
He voiced support for Lite Ferries’ continued operations and expansion in the province.
Beyond transport services, Lite Ferries said it supports more than 50 scholars at any given time, accepts hundreds of nautical and marine engineering graduates annually for onboard training, and has provided free shipment of relief goods to disaster-hit communities.
The company said it will continue expanding its fleet and network while focusing on safe, efficient and dependable sea travel across the Philippine archipelago.
Updates on shipping schedules are available through Lite Shipping Corporation – Lite Ferries on Facebook.