ATI cargo volume in Batangas jumps 254% in Q2

MANILA, Philippines - Asian Terminal Inc. (ATI) reported a 254 percent increase in container throughput at the modern Batangas Container Terminal in the second quarter of the year amid the truck ban implemented by the city government of Manila.

The listed port operator said the container volume handled by the Batangas Container Terminal in the first half of the year already surpassed the volume handled in the entire 2013.

After booking a 194 percent growth in container throughput in the first quarter of the year, container throughput at the Batangas Container Terminal surged 254 percent in the second quarter.

ATI continuously stepped up its role as trade facilitator in the second quarter as it provided Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) businesses with a viable port option that kept the flow of goods moving amid trucking and logistics constraints experienced in Manila during the period.

The performance of Batangas Port since the fourth quarter of 2013 to date has been exceptional with volumes significantly rising even prior to Manila’s expanded truck ban, indicative of the natural shift of Calabarzon cargoes via Batangas as dictated by free market forces and customer preference.

The shipments handled by the container terminal are bound for Calabarzon, the natural hinterland Batangas Port was specifically built for. Cargoes are delivered and shipped out aboard increasing number of international carriers now frequenting Batangas.

“We have a great product in Batangas Port which is fully equipped with all the industry expertise one could expect from an experienced Filipino port operator backed by global port leader DP World,” ATI executive vice president Andrew Hoad said.

He pointed out that the facility is ready and capable of handling Calabarzon’s shipments given its complement of two modern quay cranes, four rubber-tired gantry cranes and other cargo handling equipment for an annual throughput capacity of 350,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

From two regular weekly ship calls, led by MCC Transport’s Intra-Asia 4 (IA4) and Philippine Feeder 4 (PH4) services, eight vessels are now servicing the Batangas Container Terminal which connect Calabarzon shippers directly to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and other key regional and global markets.

Just recently, ACX Diamond and ACX Pearl operated by NYK (Nippon Yusen Kaisha) Line successfully discharged containers from Japan at Batangas. Encouraged by strong market response, more international carriers are set to include Batangas to their port rotations.

Philippine Ports Authority general manager Juan Sta. Ana announced early this month that economic managers approved a discount in the port and docking fees at the Batangas Port to attract more foreign and local shipping firms.

Sta. Ana explained that shipping lines calling at the Batangas Port would be given a 90 percent discount in port and docking or berthing charges for a period of six months.

After six months, he said the discount on port as well as docking or berthing charges would be reduced to 50 percent effective for another six months.