International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) is adding another berth at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the Philippines’ main gateway for international trade.
This is the latest development to ICTSI’s concession obligations with the Philippine Ports Authority.
The expansion will also increase MICT’s capacity by 200,000 TEU to 3.5 million TEU, which will be key in addressing the increase in cargo volume as the country’s economy fully reopens.
The new berth will add 400 metres of quay along with 12 hectares of yard space that will be constructed in phases.
The berth is currently under phase two development.
MICT’s berth 8 has a design depth of 15 metres that will enable the terminal to handle foreign ultra large container vessels with capacities of up to 18,000 TEU.
MICT is capable of handling neo-Panamax ships through berths 6 and 7, which are operated by five quay cranes (QC).
A sixth crane is scheduled to arrive in July and will be operational within the year.
Berth 8 will operate with a minimum of four QCs – two of which will be delivered in 2025.
“We are optimistic of the prospect of welcoming ultra large container vessels at the Port of Manila and are preparing to accommodate the added volume that these more efficient ships will bring,” said Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI Executive Vice President.
“With these developments, our goal is to outpace demand and ensure the efficient flow of trade from the port to the local supply chain,” Gonzalez added.
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ICTSI launched a mobile app last year that grants port users visibility over their cargo.
The ICTSI App enables customers to monitor the status of their shipment across ICTSI’s network of terminals in the Philippines, which include MICT, NorthPort, Subic Bay International Terminals (SBITC), and Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT).
Other ICTSI terminals in the country will soon be covered by the app.
“Giving our customers visibility over their cargo empowers them to make better business decisions. It also enhances stakeholder coordination, which could help us further improve the services that we offer,” explained Gonzalez.
In December 2022, ICTSI and the Port Authority of Gdynia SA signed a new 30-year lease for the Baltic Container Terminal (BCT) in Poland.
More recently, ICTSI outlined a proposal for the expansion of the Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT) in the Port of Melbourne, Australia.
