The Marmot’s Hole

Reportedly Hanjin, a Korean company, is building the largest ship in the world at its shipyard in Subic Bay, but some feel this is nothing more than another big-fish story:

“The Philippine media reported ‘the world’s biggest ship’ story based on a comment by President Arroyo with no further substantiation from Hanjin or elsewhere. It’s no surprise that no international media picked up on this apparently newsworthy bit of information.”
 

While that may indicate some lack of credibility to the story, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is not true.  The recent article I did concerning the diplomat caught shoplifting received no attention for nearly a week - but it has it now.  A new blog in the Philippines (links given below) is giving some interesting insight into the Subic Bay region and the development of the bay.

According to Lloyd’s shipping list (this article and another earlier article) :

 ”Hanjin Heavy is scheduled to complete most of the yard [at Subic Bay], which is concentrating on the construction of bulkers and containerships, by the end of this year and deliver its first two vessels in 2008. The shipyard has already received orders totaling $3bn.

“Based on the capacity of the new yard, Mr Kang said that annual revenues at the Subic Bay facility could more than rival those of its domestic yard by 2010-2011. This implies annual revenues of up to Won5trn ($5.4bn).”

That is a lot of money, and one would think that the Philippine people in the Subic Bay would be happy assuming they receive some of the money - especially with a large number of the locals trained and employed by the company.  But apparently they aren’t, and, in fact, some are furious with work taking place.  A huge coal power plant is seen as a threat to the precious sealife in the region and the tourist industry that the region depends on since the base closings.  According to an article published with Seoul Times:

“Subic Bay is home to more than 70 species of fish, including important varieties of reef fish. The world’s rare and endangered Olive Ridley turtle and Hawksbill dwell still survive in Subic Bay . The area is also blanketed by a 9,000 hectare virgin triple-canopy rainforest that provides the area with some of the highest air quality in the region.”

According to a group concerned about the impact the plant will have on tourism:

“It will pollute the air, the land and the water, removing the key ingredients in Subic Bay ’s prime assets — clean air, clean water and the proximity to nature.”