The Manila South Harbour (MSH) in the Philippines has received US$100m in investment from DP World and Asian Terminals (ATI). This will go toward the extension of Pier 3 berth to over 600m, yard expansion to accommodate 20,000 TEUs, the addition of two new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, and the purchase of eco-friendly landside equipment. Plans are also underway to deploy electric and hybrid landside equipment, including yard tractors, container loaders and rubber-tired gantry cranes in support of MSH’s carbon reduction initiatives.
Expanding capacity
The two neo post-panamax STS cranes, manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, are the largest among MSH’s 11 quay-side equipment and said to be among the biggest ever deployed in the Philippines. With an outreach of 58m, each STS crane can handle vessels carrying up to 20 containers width-ways. Each crane is equipped with safety and operational features such as intelligent sensing systems for monitoring speed, vibration, temperature, trailer positioning, anti-collision and automated diagnostics.
The recent development projects are projected to bring MSH’s annual throughput capacity to nearly two million TEUs, growing capacity by over 25% from 1.45 million TEUs previously. This will enable the terminal to accommodate more cargo volume and bigger ships deployed by international carriers, providing faster and safer turnaround times in support of the country’s international trade.
Increasing efficiency
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World, commented, “DP World is honored to be partnering the Philippine government in modernizing and advancing its critical trade infrastructure, by working closely with our local partner ATI.
“Investment in ports and logistics brings greater value down the value chain and prosperity to communities, a commitment which we embody in DP World as a trade enabler and leader in smart logistics.
“Building on our strong partnership and seeing huge economic potential, we are lining up more investment projects in the coming years to future-proof the gateway terminals in Manila, Batangas, Cavite and Laguna, in support of the resilient growth of the Philippine economy.” 
Jay Daniel Santiago, general manager of the Philippines’ Ports Authority, stated, “With bigger and more efficient facilities, through our partners in the private sector, we are elevating the capacity and capability of the country’s ports, particularly the Manila South Harbour, to connect the Philippines with the rest of the world, and serve as catalyst to long-term growth and prosperity, in support of port stakeholders.”
Eusebio H. Tanco, president of ATI, added, “We are very pleased to inaugurate these major development projects that collectively enhance our capacity and capability in delivering comprehensive and market-responsive services to our customers and stakeholders. ATI, alongside our partners from DP World, stands proud of our contribution to powering economic progress by ensuring supply chain efficiency through ATI’s strategic ports and logistics assets.”
In related news, in cooperation with ZEDHub, Smart Delta Drechtsteden, the Municipality of Dordrecht and the Port of Rotterdam, Van Oord recently carried out a pilot project with an electrified crane vessel, Christiaan P, in the seaport of Dordrecht in the Netherlands. Click here to read the full story.