The Bureau of Customs has certified the dry port container handling facility of International Container Terminal Services Inc. in Calamba City, Laguna, as an authorized Off-Dock Customs Facility.
The OCF certification enables Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal Inc. to offer faster and seamless services to businesses and industries in Southern Luzon, specifically locators in economic zones using ICTSI’s flagship Manila International Container Terminal as their trading gateway.
“The OCF status allows us to have the Bureau of Customs hold their functions and activities inside the LGICT dry port. As an OCF, LGICT officially becomes an extension of the seaport, and, in our case, an extension of the MICT,” LGICT general manager Carmela Rodriguez, said.
“With this, we will be able to serve the requirements of importers, exporters, forwarders, third party logistics providers, or locators in the economic zones in the region,” she added.
Rodriguez said the company would open its gates to customers in April.
LGICT has ongoing activities that will make the dry port a fully compliant OCF, including the installation of a one-stop-shop housing BoC and Philippine Economic Zone Authority offices, and in the near future the revival of the multimodal service via rail.
LGICT has allocated five hectares of yard space as customs area, which can accommodate 5,000 twenty-foot equivalent units at any one time.
LGICT clients would benefit from the efficient cargo movement between points, cost rationalization and the development plans of LGICT itself, which could bring in new businesses for clients and industry stakeholders.