THE Batangas Container Terminal (BCT) is primed for the expected cargo surge during the peak season in December, a ranking executive of Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) said on Tuesday.
Andrew Hoad, ATI executive vice president, said the terminal can handle larger volumes of cargo throughout the year, as yard utilization is currently below 50 percent.
The facility recorded 32 gross moves per crane per hour in June, handling 93,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Hoad said the company expects to exceed last year’s 160,000-TEU record.
The terminal’s reputation as trade facilitator in Southern Luzon has been making great lengths for the government in terms of decongesting thoroughfares in Metro Manila since 2010.
Aside from BCT, the Manila South Harbor (MSH) is also reported to be raring to go for the peak season, boasting a yard-utilization value of 70 percent.
“Overall, the two terminals are operating at an optimum range of yard capacity and are ready to take more volumes heading into the peak season in line with the growth of the Philippine economy,” Hoad said.
MSH had already exceeded its 550,000 TEU-record in 2016 just within the first half of this year.
The port’s performance caught the attention of awards, such as Best Terminal Award in Asia Pacific in 2016. It also surpassed nine other Asian terminals affiliated with its partner, DP World.