AMID its robust performance in the first half, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) on Tuesday said its flagship operations in Manila is well-prepared for the upcoming peak season.
In a statement, the Razon-led port operator said yard utilization at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) stood at 61% in May, still below the 70% ideal percentage.
Also in May, average crane productivity at MICT was around 32 moves an hour. ICTSI said this shows “the terminal’s strong performance despite the uptick in container volume as global trade continues to rebound.”
“Yard utilization at the terminal remains optimal. The mechanisms we developed together with the Philippine government and other stakeholders in 2014 continue to work, resulting in the easing of traffic in Metro Manila despite inadequate trade infrastructure,” Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI senior vice-president and head of Asia-Pacific region and MICT, was quoted as saying in a statement.
While global container traffic is slowly recovering, Mr. Gonzalez expressed confidence MICT will be able to handle the expected growth.
“As a matter of fact, Southeast Asia and North America have posted the highest average growth at seven percent during the final quarter of last year. While we remain optimistic that this trend will continue, I am confident that we will be able to keep up with the pace and accommodate the projected increase,” he said.
Last December, MICT hit record volume and productivity with its first two million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) move, which triggered the multi-billion peso capacity improvement commitment with the PPA. ICTSI is required to commission five neo-Panamax quay cranes and 12 reach stackers, as well as build two new berths by 2020, which would pave the way for the MICT to service bigger ships.
“We are entering the era of larger ships. We need to adapt and stay competitive by enhancing our capabilities, which is something that we have already started,” said Mr. Gonzalez.
ICTSI expects volume to surge in the second half, as imports start arriving ahead of the Christmas season. Historical data from the Philippine Ports Authority show sustained MICT volume growth since 2015, with productivity and utilization staying healthy.
“Port congestion is a challenge every major and busy port in the world has to contend with. The congestion problem in the Port of Manila in 2014 provided us with the opportunity to further improve our operations at the MICT. We resolved the issue by putting in place new technologies that would not only upgrade the terminal, but would make MICT a sustainable business factoring in the quality of life of our hinterland communities and immediate environs. We’ve engaged all port stakeholders in resolving the issue,” the ICTSI official noted.
ICTSI adopted the Terminal Appointment Booking System (TABS) to address the port congestion in Manila in 2014. Under TABS, trucks arrive at the MICT according to a booked slot schedule, which helped reduce the number of trucks on the road. — Janina C. Lim
