The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is considering building a maritime industrial park (MIP) with a one-stop shop for shipbuilding and ship repair in Bataan. The establishment of a MIP was discussed during a meeting between MARINA Administrator Sona Malaluan and Authority of the Freeport of Bataan (AFAB) Administrator Mohammed Hussein Pangandaman at the AFAB Administrator's office on Thursday. During the meeting, Malaluan highlighted the importance of the MIP in reducing the importation of materials from other countries. She said the MIP may be established in Bataan or other strategic locations. In addition, having one-stop-shop shipbuilding and repair would boost the country's expertise in shipbuilding and ship repair among Filipino maritime professionals in demand in foreign countries such as South Korea and Japan. The country's development in shipbuilding and repair, as well as the establishment of the MIP, is part of MARINA's Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP) 2028. On the other hand, Pa ngandaman brought up the challenges faced by the AFAB and committed to providing relevant data to MARINA towards improving the shipbuilding and repair industry. MARINA and AFAB are set to conduct a series of meetings to discuss more collaborations and projects for the maritime sector. Source: Philippines News Agency