PPA unveils P5.7B expansion of Manila South Harbor

To better serve logistics players and the broader supply chain, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Friday unveiled the expanded Manila South Harbor — a P5.7 billion private sector investment by Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) and its global partner, Dubai-based DP World.

According to the PPA, the project features the extension of Pier 3’s berth to over 600 meters, expanded yard capacity to accommodate 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), two new ship-to-shore cranes — the largest in the country — and new eco-friendly landside equipment. Notably, the project was delivered at no cost to the government while promising significant public benefit.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon led the formal unveiling of the newly completed infrastructure, emphasizing its role in accelerating and modernizing Philippine trade.

“I commend GM Jay (Santiago) and his team for really pushing the private sector partners to provide these world-class facilities not only for our passengers but to (really) improve our supply chain,” said Secretary Dizon.

He noted that what used to be substandard port facilities are now world-class and aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision.

The Department of Transportation chief also praised the Batangas Port Passenger Terminal Building as one of the country’s largest and most modern terminals.

“Our people do not deserve the kind of terminals we had in the past — hot, uncomfortable, and lacking proper seating. We deserve the ones like those in Batangas,” he added.

For his part, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago highlighted the project’s significance, including the introduction of the largest and fully electric cranes in the Philippines.

“With these new cranes, we expect to increase Manila South Harbor’s capacity from 1.4 million to over 2 million TEUs annually. That’s an additional 600,000 TEUs — faster and more efficient cargo handling.”

DP World Group chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the Philippines, “At DP World, we consider the Philippines a major port and logistics hub. That’s why we’re investing in projects like in Batangas, as well as this new expansion.”

He added, “A lot of people see problems. We see opportunities, and we believe that the Philippines will be able to take advantage of whatever happens in the world today. Even with the height of the customs duty, the Philippines still has the lowest among all the Asian countries in its export to the United States.”

Addressing concerns over recent US tariff hikes, Santiago assured that the Philippine trade outlook remains stable and even promising.

“So far, we see no negative impact. In fact, the Philippines now has one of the lowest tariffs imposed by the US among Southeast Asian countries, which could make us a more attractive trading partner,” he said.

With expanded infrastructure and new cranes, the PPA expects faster processing and shorter ship queuing times at Manila South Harbor, ultimately boosting trade flow and efficiency.