Groundwork for new CIP slated for August

CEBU, Philippines — The civil works for the P9.9 billion New Cebu International Container Port Project (NCICPP) in Tayud, Consolacion is now underway.

Cebu Port Authority general manager Leonilo Miole said that they have experienced delays mostly due to lacking clearances and the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, he said, they look forward to the start of the construction of the project wherein the groundwork is expected to start in August 2021.

Engr. Romel Pegarom, acting manager of CPA’s Planning and Monitoring Division, in his project presentation during the virtual 160th Maritime Forum of the Maritime League held recently, said that the Department of Transportation targets to award the project in July and that the groundbreaking is scheduled on August 16, 2021.

Pegarom also said that DOTr is currently addressing concerns on the road-right-of-way (RROW) acquisition for the construction of the access road that will connect the international port to the main road in Tayud, Consolacion.

Consolacion municipal government and DOTr are set to ink a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the downloading of a P132 million budget to proceed with the RROW acquisition.

He added that the DOTr is nowprocessing the working visas for its Korean consultants by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Miole said they see this project as a long-term solution to the congestion problem of the present Cebu International Port in Cebu City.

The NCICP project is set to be completed on May 28, 2024.

This multi-billion infrastructure project will be financed through the $172.64 million loan agreement signed in 2018 by the Philippine Government and South Korea’s Export Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) equivalent to P8.48 billion and a counterpart fund of around P1.28 billion by the national government.

Once completed, CPA said that they will be the one to operate the port which will serve all international cargoes in and out of Cebu.

The existing CIP at Cebu Base Port located in Cebu City will form part of the Port of Cebu domestic port to augment port domestic operations.

CPA said that the new port will include a berthing facility with a500-meter long quay wall that can simultaneously accommodate two 2,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit vessels; operating facilities and structures for containers such as a freight station and an inspection shed; an access road and bridge; and a dredged waterway and turning basin.

CPA added that aside from the construction of physical structures, the project also covers the procurement of cargo-handling equipment and consulting services. — GMR (FREEMAN)