Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) has boosted Manila South Harbor’s (MSH) capacity with the arrival of two state-of-the-art Neo-Panamax Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes.
This expansion, part of MSH’s ongoing modernization, increases annual handling capacity to nearly two million
The deployment of the cranes marks a significant operational milestone for MSH which is now complemented by a fleet of 11 modern STS cranes alongside hybrid and conventional rubber-tired gantries and other cargo handling equipment to make trade flow faster, safer, and smarter.
The cranes are integral to the continuous modernization program at MSH in response to evolving customer needs, future market requirements, and in line with ATI’s long-term investment commitment with the Philippine Ports Authority. This is well-timed with the scheduled completion of MSH’s Pier 3 redevelopment, highlighted by its extended quay length to nearly 600-meters to accommodate more and bigger vessels deployed by ATI’s international carrier partners.
The Neo-Panamax cranes, manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, are the largest among ATI’s existing quay-side equipment, and are considered among the biggest deployed in the Philippines to date. With an outreach of 58-meters, each STS crane can handle vessels carrying up to 20 container rows wide. Backed by eco-friendly powertrains, along with innovative technologies and safety features, the cranes can execute quicker container cycles which would redound to faster vessel turn-around time.
“The deployment of these two new cranes significantly boosts Manila South Harbor’s capacity and efficiency, allowing us to handle larger vessels and more cargoes which directly benefit the Philippines as an emerging economic center in the region,” ATI director William Khoury said.
“In partnership with government, we are lining up more investment in the coming years to future proof our gateway terminals in Manila, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna in support of the resilient and sustainable growth of the Philippine economy,” Khoury added.
In 2024, ATI handled a cumulative volume of almost 1.6 million teus (twenty-foot equivalent units), over 4 percent higher compared to 2023. Of this, MSH handled nearly 1.3 million teus, or around 8 pecent higher than the total volume it handled the previous year, reflective of the growth of the country’s economy.
Following the completion of its land- and sea-side development projects, along with the deployment of new cranes and other systems upgrades, MSH is now positioned to handle nearly two million teus in annual container throughput, from its previous capacity of 1.45 million teus.
ATI is part of the expansive ports and terminals network of global trade enabler DP World, its strategic foreign equity shareholder partner. Leveraging its local expertise and the global leadership of logistics giant DP World, ATI delivers comprehensive and innovative trade solutions for a robust Philippine supply-chain.
