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Large Container Terminal Planned as Southern Philippines Regional Gateway

Philippines
New cranes arriving at Manila's container terminal as part of the plan to expand the regional capabilities (ICTSI)

Published May 13, 2024 7:00 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) announced plans to build a large new international container terminal in the southern Philippines that can become a key international gateway and drive regional economic growth. To be located in Bauan, Batangas, Philippines it will be the second-largest container facility in the country serving one of the Philippines’’ fastest-growing regions.

The terminal will also represent the largest privately funded marine terminal investment in the country’s history according to ICTSI. It is part of the government and company’s strategy to develop a national network of ports. It also comes as various parts of Asia are competing to become regional hubs to support the container carriers’ growth strategies and the emergence of the hub-and-spokes strategy.

“The new terminal represents a significant leap forward for Southern Luzon,” said Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice president. “We are building a world-class facility that will unlock a wave of economic benefits for the region and the country.”

Strategically located 120 kilometers (approximately 75 miles) south of Manila and nine kilometers (5.5 miles) west of Batangas City, ICTSI says the Bauan facility will become the premier international gateway for shippers based in the region. They highlight that it is a strong agro-industrial region of the Philippines.

 They report construction will begin in 2025 with an estimated US$800 million investment. It will have an estimated annual capacity of over two million TEUs. Upon completion, the terminal will feature up to 900 meters (nearly 3,000 feet) of quay and at least eight ship-to-shore gantry cranes. It will be built on a natural cove to support easy access and it will be supported with access to the highway system.

ICTSI reports that design and engineering studies are well underway, with its target to begin construction in the first quarter of 2025. The first berthing is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.

This new project comes as the company has also been investing in the modernization and expansion of the Manila International Container Terminal, the largest in the country. The company is upgrading its ability to handle foreign ultra-container vessels in Manila including with the recent arrival of three new quay cranes. They received two new post-Panamax with a reach of 18 rows across, and one neo-Panamax with a reach of 20 rows across. The new cranes expand MICT's fleet to 18 quay cranes - the largest in the Philippines.