International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) and Philippines Port Authority (PPA) have broken grounds at the new berth at Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) to increase TEU capacity.
MICT’s eighth berth is beyond the contractual commitments to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, PPA General Manager Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago and ICTSI executive Vice President Christian R. Gonzalez led the ground-breaking for the new berth.
They were joined by DOTr Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Atty. Reinier Paul Yebra, MICT Executive Director Phillip Marsham, and DOTr Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Francisco Sarmiento.
To be constructed in phases, Berth 8 will add to the MICT’s capability to service foreign ultra-container vessels of up to 18,000 TEU, a trend that has been growing in the past years.
The new berth will create another 400 metres of quay along with 12 hectares of yard space that will bring an additional annual capacity of 200,000 TEU.
When completed, the MICT will have an annual capacity of 3.5 million TEU, making the MICT the Philippines’ largest international gateway.
The full build will give the MICT a total berth length of 2,300 metres, a 21 per cent increase in berthing capacity.
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Gonzalez said: “We are excited to announce the development of Berth 8, which enables us to be in the same league as the world’s top terminals.”
Gonzalez believes that this will bring significant economic benefits to the Philippines as ICTSI will have the added capacity to handle growing trade volumes.
He continued by thanking the DoTr and PPA for supporting the ICTSI initiatives and sharing the vision for “a vibrant Philippine port and logistics industry that will translate to the overall prosperity of the country.”
Along with equipment, Berth 8 is estimated to cost PHP15 billion ($266,377). MICT is currently 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 2023 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.
READ: ICTSI Manila bolsters handling equipment
Since taking over the MICT in 1988, ICTSI has remitted more than PHP96 billion ($1.7 billion) to the government through the PPA. Over the same period, ICTSI has remitted to its host government – the City of Manila – over PHP3 billion ($53.2 million) in taxes.
The company has invested in excess of PHP40 billion ($710.3 million) to modernise the MICT, handling over 47 million TEU since 1988.
Aside from the construction of Berth 8, ICTSI has commenced the modernisation of Berths 1 to 5 along with their backup and yard areas. The project includes the installation of additional reefer racks to accommodate approximately 300 TEU of reefer cargo.
Aside from infrastructure developments, ICTSI continues to invest in technology to make MICT’s operations more efficient.
The partnership will enable RFID scanners at the terminal gates to read Autosweep tags and match the trucks’ plate numbers, resulting in faster gate access and process.
