LISTED port operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) on Tuesday said it had completed a berth expansion project at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), raising the terminal’s annual capacity by 10% to 3.3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).

ICTSI added another 150 meters to MICT Berth 7, “creating a 600-meter contiguous berth together with the adjacent Berth 6 to accommodate over 8,000-TEU capacity vessels,” the company said in an e-mailed statement.

“The two berths currently have five quay cranes, with a design for up to six quay cranes,” ICTSI also noted.

The extension of the container yard by about another 5.5 hectares complemented the berth expansion.

“This redounds to added capacity for the terminal of an estimated 200,000 TEUs for laden containers and 150,000 TEUs for empties,” it said.

ICTSI Executive Vice-President said the improvements will enable the Philippines to easily handle expected additional volumes on the road to economic reboot.

“Moreover, this will enable us to continue performing our tasks as frontliners to move critical goods that are still badly needed,” he added.

MICT Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Anders Dommestrup said: “We will continue to invest in terminal facilities to improve our capacity, infrastructure and environmental footprint to provide the highest level of service.”

ICTSI saw its attributable net income for the January to September period of 2020 decline 1.21% to $182.61 million from the previous year’s $184.86 million.

The company said it handled a consolidated volume of 7,426,307 TEUs in the first nine months, 20% less than the 7,590,090 TEUs handled in the same period in 2019.

ICTSI shares closed 0.16% lower at P126.80 apiece on Tuesday. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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