Batangas Port Sets Container Record
Batangas Container Terminal (BCT) set a new record in 2014 for containers handled, says its operator Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI).
Port handled over 98,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) in 2014, its highest total ever. The port operator added that BCT ended 2014 with consolidated throughput of 1.02 million TEUs, up 8.6%.
BCT has continuously expanded its role as a comprehensive gateway for Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), providing shippers direct connectivity to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and other global hubs through vessels regularly calling the port weekly.
Building on the momentum, ATI said it is further improving its services and port processes this year through continuous investment on equipment, facilities and technology, aligned with its expansion plans and investment commitment with the Philippine Ports Authority.
ATI is increasing its rubber-tired gantry cranes to 23 in Manila South Harbor, adding five more RTGs by the second quarter for a 50-percent fleet expansion since 2012. It will also grow its side-loader fleet by 50 percent, deploying six more units in February.
ATI said it also plans to roll out its Vehicle Booking System this year, which will allow trucks controlled 24-hour access to the ports without causing heavy traffic on roads. “This follows the successful implementation of the container traffic light system it pioneered last year which has since equipped truckers with a real-time and online monitoring tool for the timely and organized return of empty containers at the port,” ATI said.
