Novicio Construction and Power Solutions transformed an aging fishing port in Lapu-Lapu into a modern, storm-resilient marine facility.
The fishing port at Barangay Mactan had served local fishermen and small-scale seafood traders for over three decades. By 2023, however, the facility had deteriorated significantly — concrete jetties were crumbling, electrical wiring was dangerously outdated, and frequent power outages were causing spoilage of freshly caught seafood worth thousands of pesos daily. The port cooperative, representing over 120 fishing households, needed a partner who understood both heavy construction and specialized electrical systems in a saltwater environment.
Marine infrastructure projects present a unique set of difficulties that go beyond standard construction work. The port's existing jetty structures showed severe concrete spalling caused by years of saltwater exposure and inadequate original waterproofing. Several sections had developed structural cracks that posed safety risks to workers and vessels docking at the facility.
On the electrical side, the challenges were equally complex:
The cooperative also had a firm timeline — the renovation needed to be completed before the peak fishing season began in late October, giving the project team less than five months from contract signing to full handover.
Novicio Construction and Power Solutions began with a thorough structural and electrical audit of the entire port facility, engaging a licensed marine civil engineer alongside our in-house electrical team to develop an integrated rehabilitation plan.
For the structural works, our team applied a marine-grade concrete repair system using fiber-reinforced patching compounds and epoxy injection for crack sealing. The main jetty deck was resurfaced with anti-slip, corrosion-resistant concrete overlay, and new galvanized steel railings and mooring cleats were installed throughout the loading zones. We also constructed a new covered unloading shed with a reinforced concrete frame designed to withstand typhoon-force winds, incorporating proper drainage channels to manage water runoff during heavy rains.
The electrical rehabilitation involved a complete rewiring of the facility using marine-rated cables and weatherproof conduit systems. We upgraded the main distribution panel to a 200-ampere three-phase system capable of supporting all refrigeration units, the ice plant, water pumps, and port lighting simultaneously. LED floodlights with corrosion-resistant housings were installed across all operational areas, and a dedicated grounding system compliant with the Philippine Electrical Code was put in place. As an additional value-add, Novicio installed a small 5kWp solar array on the new shed roofing to offset daytime lighting and ventilation fan loads, reducing the cooperative's monthly electricity expenses.
Throughout the project, we maintained open communication with the cooperative's board, providing weekly progress reports and coordinating work schedules around the fishermen's daily operations so that the port never had to fully shut down during construction.
The fully rehabilitated fishing port was handed over two weeks ahead of the agreed deadline, just in time for the peak season. The structural improvements have given the jetties an estimated service life extension of 25 to 30 years with proper maintenance. Electrical-related spoilage losses dropped to near zero in the first month of operation, as the upgraded power system eliminated the outages that had plagued the cold storage units. The new LED lighting system improved nighttime safety conditions dramatically, and the solar offset has reduced the cooperative's average monthly electricity bill by approximately 18 percent. Port users and cooperative members reported an immediate improvement in working conditions and overall confidence in the facility's safety and reliability.