Government gets $25-M loan for rehab of GenSan fishport

The state-owned China National Constructional and Agricultural Machinery Import and Export Corp. (CAMC) is extending a $25-million loan to the Philippine government to bankroll the rehabilitation and expansion of the General Santos Fish Port Complex in Mindanao.

An improved fish port complex will boost the reputation of General Santos City as the tuna capital of the Philippines.

CAMC will provide the loan needed to finance 90 percent of the project. The amount is part of the $100-million financial protocol between the Philippine government and the People’s Republic of China in the field of agricultural modernization and development.

The General Santos Fish Port project is being pushed by the local and national government agencies in collaboration with fishing industry players to enhance the capabilities of the fish port complex currently being used by local and foreign frozen fish suppliers.

The project includes the construction by CAMC of 500 meters of deep draft wharves to accommodate large tonnage fishing vessels over 300 tons.

Ancillary facilities to be provided will include cold storage facility with 1,500-ton capacity, 500-cubic meter wastewater treatment plant, pipeline collection systems, overhead water tank, and power sub-station with stand-by generator set.

Aside from these facilities, the expansion project will also include putting up infrastructure for fish landing and marketing, centralized operations and unloading of fishing vessels and carriers.

Once completed, the expansion project will spur maximum capacity utilization of existing canneries in the area, improve quality handling of frozen fish products, increase employment opportunities, and accommodate the additional volume of wastewater that will be generated from the expected industries inside the complex. – Rocel Felix