ICTSI to expand Honduras facility

MANILA, Philippines - International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is expanding its container and cargo facility in Honduras.

In a statement, ICTSI said subsidiary Operadura Portuaria Centroamericana SA de CV (OPC) has signed a contract with China Harbour Engineering Co. (CHEC) for the first phase of the expansion of the specialized container and cargo terminal in Puerto Cortes in Honduras.

Phase 1 of the expansion would involve the construction of a 350-meter long berth with a controlling depth of 15.5 meters, two trestles that will be connected to the existing yard, and dredging of the bay up to 14 meters deep.

The new berth will be equipped with two super post-Panamax quay cranes to increase OPC’s total number of quay cranes to six.

ICTSI expects the expansion to be completed by the middle of next year.

Upon completion, Puerto Cortes would be positioned to become the most competitive port in the Caribbean.

Located north and along the Atlantic coast of Honduras, the port is the country’s center of transportation and commerce and considered to be one of the most important ports in Central America.

The port handles 85 percent of shipment to Honduras, 10 percent to El Salvador and five percent to Nicaragua.

ICTSI bagged the 30-year concession for the design, financing, construction, maintenance, operation and exploration of the Specialized Container and Cargo Terminal in Honduras in 2013.

The listed firm is involved in port operations, management and development.

At present, ICTSI has projects both in developed and emerging market economies in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.