International Container Terminal Services Inc. said Wednesday it is implementing upgrades at the flagship Manila International Container Terminal to further ease transactions and ensure safety and security for all port stakeholders.
The port operator said it was speeding up the second phase development of MICT’s Berths 7 and 8, which would add full back-up areas for the future Berths 9 and 10.
ICTSI said it would also refurbish Berths 1 to 5 and their back-up areas, including the installation of an additional 450 reefer plugs for 40 footers and upgrade the yards of Berths 1 to 5.
The company said leading the charge towards an eco-friendlier port operation is the planned acquisition of eight new hybrid rubber tired gantries to add to the 32 hybrid RTG fleet acquired starting 2018.
Expected to further improve service levels at the terminal, the new RTGs will further reduce emissions by 50 percent compared to previous RTGs.
ICTSI will also decommission MICT’s first quay crane this year, which will be replaced over the next three years by three new quay cranes—all capable of servicing larger vessels of over 12,500-TEU capacity.
“With our strong focus on environmental stewardship, we understand how technological innovation goes hand in hand with our thrust to improve our ports’ air quality, energy consumption and waste and water management,” said ICTSI executive vice president Christian Gonzalez.
“In line with this, we continually invest in port infrastructure and facilities that enhance our operational efficiency while simultaneously helping minimize our environmental impact,” he said.
A substantial part of the ICTSI Group’s 2022 budget was earmarked for the MICT upgrades that would further strengthen MICT’s capacity to effectively serve the world’s larger box ships and the increasing volume that comes with a recovering economy.
Despite the knock-on effects of global supply chain disruptions affecting major hubs, yard utilization at ICTSI’s flagship continues to be manageable, according to data from the Philippine Ports Authority. Based on PPA’s September 2021 performance report, MICT’s average yard utilization was at 63.02 percent.
ICTSI said it continued to fast-track the movement of overstaying import containers out of the Port of Manila to improve its utilization rate as more imports loom.
To further improve the mobility of trucks inside the terminal, the company in April added a truck ingress, equipped with optical character recognition and with automation to further improve gate service.