THE very first “sea jeepney” in Cebu will make its maiden voyage on Monday morning, Oct. 28, 2019.

Mv Nicole Express, operated by MCE Shipping Lines, will leave the port of the City of Naga in southern Cebu at 7:30 a.m. and head to Pier 1 in Cebu City.

Travel time is expected to be 30 minutes.

Management is still trying to determine shallow portions off the coast of Minglanilla and Talisay City that the sea jeepney will avoid.

The vessel, which can carry 45 persons including the crew, will pick up passengers at Pier 1 and return to the City of Naga.

A blessing ceremony will be held at 6 a.m.

“We will skip the first trip for the blessing but we will leave earlier for the second trip. Instead of 7:50 a.m., we will leave at 7:30 a.m.,” Nelson Mejia Jr., chief executive officer of MCE Shipping Lines, said in Cebuano.

He said they won’t be able to implement their ticketing system yet because the internet signal at the port in the City of Naga is slow.

“We have a system that we plan to use. Instead of printing tickets, we will just issue a card like that of the LRT (Light Rail Transit) in Metro Manila,” Mejia said.

For the moment, they will be issuing tickets to passengers, he said.

A ride at the sea jeepney, also known as MyBoat, will cost P60. Students, senior citizens and persons with disability will automatically receive a 20 percent discount. (FROM HBL OF SUPERBALITA / PJB)