SRN Fast Seacrafts, Inc. which operates the Weesam Express ferry line, is a company based and founded in
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The company was founded and headed by Hadji Ahmad W. Sakaluran as President and Hadji Wahab A. Amil his nephew in
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
. Established on April 17, 1997, it started with a vessel plying from Zamboanga City to
Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, and made them as one of the initial shipping companies plying the BIMP-EAGA route directly from Zamboanga City to Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia and vice versa route. Weesam Express is now expanding their reach to
Leyte
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
,
Bohol
Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Bohol; tl, Lalawigan ng Bohol), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It ...
and
Bacolod.
History
It was during the inaugural or maiden voyage of MS Express (a passenger ferry boat of A. Sakaluran Shipping Corporation) headed by Hadji Ahmad W. Sakaluran as their President, last February 19, 1997 and Hadji Wahab A. Amil, a nephew of Hadji Ahmad W. Sakaluran was a guest, that when they were able to conferred later, Hadji Ahmad W. Sakaluran suggested to Hadji Wahab A. Amil that he can also partake in this type of business as the sea is a big area for all of them. It was during this talk that my name was suggested by Hadji Ahmad W. Sakaluran to prepare all the documents necessary for an entity to operate a passenger ferry boat within Zamboanga City.
The Weesam Express was started last April 17, 1997, when the main proponent, Hadji Wahab A. Amil contacted the undersigned to create a company to operate a passenger ferry boat in southern Philippines. It took a month later on May 13, 1997 when the SRN Fast Seacrafts, Inc. was formally organized, amended and registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. SRN Fast Seacrafts was then working with the MV ''Lady Mary Joy 1'' of
Aleson Shipping Lines as its "Hepe De Viaje" (Chief of the cruise). It was the only ship then plying the
BIMP-EAGA route directly from
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
to
Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
,
Sabah
Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
and vice versa route. A few days later, the undersigned arrived from
Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
which prompted the beginning of organizing a company to manage a passenger ferry boat.
As for the passenger ferry boat acquisition, contact were made with Yong Choo Kui, owner of the Yong Choo Kui Shipyard. at Sibu,
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. The first passenger steel hull boat was acquired from the operator of the Bullet Express, Upon acquisition, it was renamed as MV ''Weesam Express'', named after the youngest son of Hadji Wahab A. Amil, Weesam. The inaugural voyage of the seacraft was on September 21, 1997, from Zamboanga City to Jolo, Sulu.
They soon expanded to Visayan waters with the acquisition of their succeeding Weesam ships. New routes included Cebu City to Ormoc and Cebu City to Dumaguete to Dapitan. However, their Zamboanga City - Sandakan, Malaysia route was later abandoned due to
Aleson Shipping Lines cheaper rates. Later on, they introduced new routes for Basilan through
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
-
Isabela City
Isabela, officially the City of Isabela (Chavacano: ''Ciudad de Isabela''; Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Isabela''; Yakan: ''Suidad Isabelahin''; fil, Lungsod ng Isabela), is a 4th class component city and ''de facto'' capital of the province of Bas ...
route.
Today, they are now in concentration of developing their existing routes, including their launch to their online booking through
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
and developing their terminals on the ports where they're serving at.
Ports of call
All of Weesam Express's are registered for the
Port of Zamboanga. But their ships are actively in service to ports of
Bacolod City
Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occident ...
,
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. Acc ...
,
Iloilo City
Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on t ...
,
Bacolod,
Ormoc City
Ormoc (IPA: oɾˈmok, officially the City of Ormoc ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Ormoc; war, Syudad han Ormoc; fil, Lungsod ng Ormoc), is a 1st class independent component city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
,
Tagbilaran City
Tagbilaran, officially the City of Tagbilaran ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Tagbilaran), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 104,976 people.
Encompassing a l ...
,
Isabela City
Isabela, officially the City of Isabela (Chavacano: ''Ciudad de Isabela''; Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Isabela''; Yakan: ''Suidad Isabelahin''; fil, Lungsod ng Isabela), is a 4th class component city and ''de facto'' capital of the province of Bas ...
, and
Jolo, Sulu
, nickname =
, motto =
, anthem =
, subdivision_type3 = District
, subdivision_name3 =
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 1952
, parts_ ...
.
Routes
Current
These are their routes as of December 2017:
*
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. Acc ...
-
Maasin
Maasin (IPA: ɐ'ʔasɪn, officially the City of Maasin ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Maasin; war, Syudad han Maasin, fil, Lungsod ng Maasin), is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2 ...
*
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. Acc ...
-
Ormoc
Ormoc (IPA: oɾˈmok, officially the City of Ormoc ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Ormoc; war, Syudad han Ormoc; fil, Lungsod ng Ormoc), is a 1st class independent component city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 ce ...
*
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. Acc ...
-
Tubigon
*
Iloilo City
Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on t ...
-
Bacolod
*
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
-
Jolo, Sulu
, nickname =
, motto =
, anthem =
, subdivision_type3 = District
, subdivision_name3 =
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 1952
, parts_ ...
*
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
-
Isabela, Basilan
Isabela, officially the City of Isabela (Chavacano: ''Ciudad de Isabela''; Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Isabela''; Yakan: ''Suidad Isabelahin''; fil, Lungsod ng Isabela), is a 4th class component city and '' de facto'' capital of the province of Bas ...
Former
*
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. Acc ...
-
Tagbilaran
Tagbilaran, officially the City of Tagbilaran ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Tagbilaran), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 104,976 people.
Encompassing a la ...
*
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
-
Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
,
Sabah
Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
*
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...
-
Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
*
Dapitan City
Dapitan, officially the City of Dapitan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dapitan; Subanon: ''Gembagel G'benwa Dapitan/Bagbenwa Dapitan cbk, Ciudad de Dapitan''), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to ...
-
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
*
San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
San Carlos, officially the City of San Carlos ( ceb, Dakbayan sa San Carlos; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang San Carlos; fil, Lungsod ng San Carlos), is a 2nd class component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2 ...
-
Toledo City, Cebu
Fleet
![Weesam Express 7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Weesam_Express_7.jpg)
The shipping line has seven passenger vessels:
* ''Weesam Express 1''
* ''Weesam Express 2''
* ''Weesam Express 3''
* ''Weesam Express 5''
* ''Weesam Express 6''
* ''Weesam Express 7''
* ''Weesam Express 8''
Subsidiary
* A. Sakaluran Shipping Corporation (defunct)
* Amil's Tower Hotel and Restaurant
Notable incidents
* On July 23, 2013, Weesam Express 7 was tossed by the waves and strong winds at around 8:00 in the morning while it was about to leave from
Ormoc
Ormoc (IPA: oɾˈmok, officially the City of Ormoc ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Ormoc; war, Syudad han Ormoc; fil, Lungsod ng Ormoc), is a 1st class independent component city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 ce ...
to
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...
. The fast craft reportedly failed to start and it floated away, hapless to the merciless elements. It ran aground at Bagsakan in Brgy. Alegria, around 10 meters from shore and 100 meters away from the port. Some of the passengers, including a 63-year old foreign national had to be brought to the hospital for hypertension due to the incident.
* On January 23, 2014, Weesam Express 7 with at least 160 passengers aboard yet again ran aground off Talisay in Cebu province. All passengers had been rescued. A week later, the vessel was temporarily suspended by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) over seaworthiness issues.
See also
*
List of shipping companies in the Philippines
*
Aleson Shipping Lines
*
2GO Travel
Go, GO, G.O., or Go! may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Games and sport
* Go (game), a board game for two players
* ''Travel Go'' (formerly ''Go – The International Travel Game''), a game based on world travel
* Go, the starting position l ...
*
Montenegro Lines
*
Ever Shipping Lines Inc.
*
Trans-Asia Shipping Lines
References
Notes
Everything Cebu - Weesam ExpressTransit: Going to Tawi-tawi
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weesam Express
Ferry companies of the Philippines
Shipping companies of the Philippines
Transportation in Mindanao
Companies based in Zamboanga City