The Enrique K. Razon-led International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) continues to invest in expanding capacity and improving efficiency at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).

Construction is underway for MICT’s Berth 8 which will service ultra-large container vessels with up to 18,000 TEUs capacity.

When complete, the new berth is expected to handle an additional 200,000 TEUs, raising MICT’s capacity to 3.5 million TEUs per annum, ICTSI said in a statement on Wednesday.

The additional yard space also will support the new berth while easing yard utilization for increased maneuverability.

“MICT’s expansion and modernization efforts align with the country’s economic needs and goals. These further underline the terminals’ central role in the country’s logistics and supply chain resilience as well as its prominence as a gateway for global trade,” ICTSI said.

Sustainability push

In line with its sustainability push, ICTSI continues to incorporate hybrid and zero-emission equipment into its MICT operations.

Earlier, the terminal deployed eight new zero-emission rubber-tired gantries (RTGs), complementing a fleet that is now 83 percent hybrid.

Also, plans are underway to acquire electric trucks and establish electric vehicle charging infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions per container by 26 percent and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Gate operations have been streamlined with 14 automated lanes and six optical character recognition portals. The upgrades have cut average truck dwell time to 47.82 minutes, while pre-truck manifesting gate transactions have been reduced to a mere 48 seconds.

Other new equipment deliveries include 43 terminal trailers, 17 skeletal trailers and 11 tractors.

Meanwhile, a new yard management system optimizes container stacking, enhances visibility and improves resource allocation to ease bottlenecks.

Service efficiency

MICT has introduced digital solutions to further enhance service efficiency, including the ICTSI App, an application that provides real-time vessel, container and truck tracking, along with billing computation and electronic interchange receipts.

Moreover, e-wallet payments enable automated fee deductions, expediting import clearance and gate-out processing.

“Short message service notifications now alert truck drivers on container hold releases and truck instruction documents upon gate-in. Free Wi-Fi access within the terminal for truck drivers has also been introduced,” the ICTSI statement said.

The country’s busiest container port consistently ranks among the most efficient terminals worldwide.

Continued investments in infrastructure, technology and sustainability underscore its commitment to delivering world-class service.