ICTSI Subic unit continues port improvement plan

MANILA, Philippines — ICTSI subsidiary Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) continues to reinforce port operations with the procurement of two new additional empty container handlers.

Empty container handlers are specialized forklifts designed to efficiently stack empty containers and handle fully loaded containers in the freeport.

The new empty container handlers from Kalmar, an industry leader in terminal automation and energy-efficient container handling, will be used to directly support the latest offering of the terminal called the empty container depot.

SBITC said the empty container depot is ready to serve the region and the rest of Luzon’s growing need to move empty containers in and out of the country.

“Our new containers are part of this year’s port improvement plan and will be used in our empty container depot. In fact, our terminal has increased its mobile stacker fleet by 100 percent compared to January this year,” the company said in a statement.

The new container handlers have a lifting capacity of nine metric tons each and can stack empty containers up to six feet high, which is essential for port operators to fully maximize space to load and unload containers.

SBITC expects the two new container handlers to be fully operational next month.

Aside from the new container handlers, the port operator said there would be another equipment arriving within the year to fulfill its port augmentation.

“We’re looking forward to the arrival of more cranes later this year to complete our 2019 port improvement plan. We will continue to invest in improving our facilities as a world-class freeport for the benefit of our locators and port users,” SBITC said.

Last March, SBITC added four reach stackers—an equipment which can lift, shift and stack empty containers—to ensure efficient port operations and optimize container yard space of the Subic port terminal.

SBITC is one of the leading port operators in the world which leverages on fast, reliable, and cost-efficient system.