Port stakeholders seeking to improve connectivity

CEBU, Philippines - Foreign and local stakeholders of the port industry have convened in Cebu yesterday to discuss practices to improve connectivity among ports that would result to cheaper cost of goods and efficient delivery of cargoes.

At least 150 top managers of the different seaports and supply chain ministers of the member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and 50 decision makers from the Philippines attended the 8th APEC Port Services Network (APSN) workshop on port and supply chain connectivity at Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu yesterday

The workshop, which will run until today, was hosted by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in cooperation with the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA).

PPA general manager Juan Sta. Ana said this year’s workshop aims to provide an excellent platform for Asia-Pacific port authorities, maritime industries and relevant international organizations in exchanging information and sharing the best practices among economies.

He said the workshop is an enhanced effort of APSN to explore the port and supply chain connectivity that would contribute to APEC’s priority of enhancing the regional economic integration agenda.

“The workshop also provides an invaluable opportunity to network and discuss port and supply chain connectivity with key governmental, industrial and academic officials from a number of APEC economies,” he said.

Sta. Ana said they intend to gather the best practices in terms of supply chain connectivity that economies can adopt in making their respective ports highly efficient and productive.

“The handling of cargoes from a foreign port to a Philippine port will be very efficient. From our port, it will be delivered to manufacturers and warehouses in a very productive manner.  At the end of the day, we will have a very cheaper cost of goods,” he said.

Sta. Ana said the delivery from ports to warehouses, on the other hand, is handled by accredited trucking and forwarding companies in the country.

He particularly cited that the ports in the Philippines should have adequate berths that are longer and deeper to accommodate bigger vessels from other ports.

Sta. Ana also said foreign and local ports should be capable to handle cargoes better and faster by using modern container cranes to unload cargoes from the ship to the port.

“And we have that,” Sta. Ana said, adding  the productivity of port operators in unloading cargoes faster is being measured on how long the vessels are docking at the port.

APSN president Tim Meisner said supply chain connectivity among ports should be improved since it can affect the entire economy and the jobs being offered by the industry.

Meisner explained that supply chain connectivity is moving products from one port to another and from one economy to another.

Meisner said ports around the world are confronted with the same issues such as supply chain connectivity and “greening” of ports to make them more sustainable and environment-friendly.

Another major global issue includes safety and security of ports, APSN secretary general Fei Weijun said.

CPA general manager Edmund Tan also said the two-day workshop also allows participants to learn more on how to improve the ports from the perspective of users, shippers, shipping lines, freight forwarders, terminal operators, railway companies, truckling companies, inland waterway transport, feeder service operators and international organization for ports.

After the workshop today, the APSN shall lay down the blueprint in reducing the complexities in the global supply chain.

APSN holds an annual workshop in one of the APEC member economies to present and discuss matters relevant to port and port-related sectors.

The last APSN workshop was held in November 2014 in Seattle, USA. Indonesia will host the workshop next year. —(FREEMAN)