Stolt Tankers has continued its local partnership with JCI Regatta in the Philippines by donating the funds to build a boat to transport local children to school on the island of Malalison, Iloilo. The Boats to School programme is also supported by the local government unit of Malalison Island and Culasi Antique Philippines.
The newly constructed boat will benefit 70 high school and college students and their families. Commenting on how it will make an important contribution to local communities, Joey Infante, who manages the programme for Stolt Tankers, said: “When children who live on some of the more remote islands of the Philippines are unable to secure a free ride to school, they often have no other choice but to stay at home and help their families with household chores. By providing safe, reliable and most importantly, free transport to school we are helping more children to continue their education and fulfil their potential.”
The Boats to School programme also provides employment for local residents who built the boat, which will be used to ferry tourists outside of the school-run hours, making it a truly sustainable initiative. Experts at Stolt Tankers also provided training to the boat crew which covered basic safety awareness and boat maintenance.
Joey added: “I’m particularly proud of the fact that this project is truly sustainable, and the Malalison Island community will benefit for many years to come. Revenues from tourism will provide employment for three crew members and profits will be invested in other projects to benefit the local community. Our yellow-hulled ships carry essential products worldwide and, just as importantly, this yellow boat will carry the dreams of the 70 student beneficiaries of our Boats to School Programme.”
Stolt Tankers’ ongoing partnership with JCI Regatta in the Philippines runs several events a year in support of the reforestation of mangroves in the Philippines. In 2023 in Guimaras, Stolt Tankers also established the Jacob Stolt-Nielsen Mangrove Forest, dedicated to the memory of our founder, where local team members have planted 12,000 mangrove saplings, which act as a natural barrier against coastal erosion, storms and tsunamis and are effective at removing CO2 from the atmosphere. This year, Stolt Tankers launched the CORAL Project, establishing two coral nursery beds at the bottom of a protected marine area to help restore coral colonies near the Jacob Stolt-Nielsen Mangrove Forest.
