International Container Terminal Inc. said it acquired three new cranes to increase the capacity of Manila International Container Terminal.
“We are now ready for the era of super-sized ships. With the arrival of the new Neo-Panamax cranes, MICT is ready to address the pressing demand and volume increase by servicing larger vessels,” said Christian Gonzalez, senior vice president and regional head of Asia Pacific & MICT at International Container Terminal Services Inc.
“Combined with our unparalleled customer focus and highly trained staff, the new cranes allow MICT to deliver even greater efficiencies to the benefit of our customers and the entire supply chain,” Gonzalez added.
Two more quay cranes are set to arrive in 2019.
Currently, the largest port handling equipment in the country, existing or planned, the Neo-Panamax cranes allow MICT to handle up to 14,000–twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) boxships–the largest in the intra-Asia trade.
This puts MICT at par with the major ports in developed markets in terms of facilities and equipment capacity.
Manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd., the quay cranes are part of ICTSI’s $80 million capital equipment program for MICT.
The pair of Neo-Panamax cranes and the Post-Panamax crane will be positioned at Berths 6 and 5, respectively.
Upon full commissioning, MICT customers can expect quayside productivity gains, translating to shorter port stays.
“The new cranes, along with other planned improvements at the MICT, will further boost the port’s already efficient turnaround times. This will redound to economic benefits benefiting the entire Philippine supply chain,” Gonzalez said.
“By investing in state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment, we are strengthening MICT’s position as one of the best-equipped and most technologically advanced terminals serving the intra-Asia trade,” he added.