Supercat Fast Ferries Inc. is scheduled to relaunch its Tagbilaran City-Cebu City route on Thursday, over four months after temporarily suspending its trips between both cities.

According to Jojo Calamba of Supercat, the shipping company will redeploy the St. Jhudiel fast craft to service the route.

However, there will be limited trips for the meantime with the vessel departing from Tagbilaran City bound for Cebu City daily at 11 a.m. and 3:35 p.m.

The shipping company has yet to announce when it will resume normal operations and add more trips as this will depend on the return of its St. Sealthiel fast craft.

Once normal operations resume, the Supercat vessels will leave Tagbilaran City and head for Cebu City at 5:50 AM, 8:15 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:15  PM, 3: 35 PM and 5:45 PM.

Cebu City to Tagbilaran City trips will be at 5:50 AM, 8:15 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:15 PM, 3:35 PM and 6:00 PM.

Last May, Supercat announced that it temporarily suspended its Tagbilaran City-Cebu City trips.

“Gi-dry dock tong mga barko mao tong na-undang nya diha poy gihimo nga renovation,” said Calamba.

Supercat’s return comes at a time when its main competitor, Ocean Jet Fast Ferries, Inc., is under fire from the provincial government, particularly the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).

The SP last month threatened to file a resolution urging the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to withdraw Ocean Jet’s franchise to operate in Bohol if the shipping company fails to improve its services, particularly its ticketing and booking processes.

In a resolution filed mid-August, the SP gave the shipping firm 60 days to improve its ticketing service in the province.

It has been noted that passengers of the fastcraft need to fall in line in at least three queues to purchase the ticket, get the seat number and pay for the terminal fee. (A. Doydora)