MANILA, Philippines — International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is building another berth at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) to improve its capacity in facilitating additional shipments.
ICTSI said it is gaining headway in the second phase of the development of the eighth berth of the MICT, which acts as the premier gateway for international trade in the Philippines.
Under this, ICTSI plans to put up a berth with a depth of 15 meters to enable the MICT to handle container vessels with capacities of up to 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
According to ICTSI, MICT is equipped with the capacity to take in neo-Panamax ships through its sixth and seventh berths, which are both operated by five quay cranes. ICTSI said that another quay crane is scheduled to arrive in July and would be activated within the year.
As for the eighth berth, ICTSI said that it would run on at least four quay cranes. The port manager aims to bring in two of the quay cranes by 2025 at the earliest.
Based on the plan, the completion of the eighth berth would expand MICT’s capacity by 200,000 TEUs to a total of 3.5 million TEUs.
For ICTSI, this would enable the firm to serve the resurgent demand for cargo handling in a time when trade activities are picking up pace here and abroad.
The Razon-led firm said that the new berth would add 400 meters of quay, along with 12 meters of yard, that will be delivered in phases.
ICTSI executive vice president Christian Gonzalez said the construction of another berth proves that ICTSI aims to expand the MICT beyond its concession requirements to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). Gonzalez said that ICTSI wants to prepare the MICT for the added volume it may receive in the future.
“We are optimistic of the prospect of welcoming ultra large container vessels at MICT and we’re preparing to accommodate the added volume that these more efficient ships will bring. Our goal is to outpace the demand and ensure the efficient flow of trade, from the port to the local supply chain,” Gonzalez said.
Apart from infrastructure, Gonzalez said ICTSI seeks to make additional investments in MICT’s technology side to streamline the processes and operations of the terminal.
In 1988, ICTSI won the 50-year right to run and sustain the MICT, its flagship operation.