Reaching Manila by barge instead of truck
Manila-headquartered International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) is building up its Cavite Gateway Terminal (CGT) in the province of Tanza, Philippines. The terminal and port operator recently invested yard and wharf operations with the deployment of additional landside container handling equipment as well as directly contracted barge equipment.
On an area of 60,000 sqm, the CGT can handle 115,000 teu annually. Enhancements at the terminal also came at an opportune time with the temporary closure of the southbound portion of Roxas Boulevard, which is part of a cargo truck trade route connecting the Port of Manila to Southern Luzon. Close to 900 trucks and over 1,000 trailers daily travel the road’s southbound direction alone.
Now, the CGT is an alternative to "support the country’s importers and exporters," said Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice president.
The country’s first dedicated container barge terminal optimises the sea lanes of Manila Bay while providing alternate means of transporting containers from the port of the capital to the Calabarzon area south of Manila and back. (sh)