MICT ready for super ships

International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the Philippines’ leading international trading gateway, is now capable of handling the world’s largest container ships after taking delivery of three new cranes–a pair of Neo-Panamax quay cranes and a Post-Panamax quay crane–on Thursday, June 7.

Currently the largest port handling equipment in the country, existing or planned, the Neo-Panamax cranes allow MICT to handle up to 14,000–twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) boxships–the largest in the intra-Asia trade. This puts MICT at par with the major ports in developed markets in terms of facilities and equipment capacity.

“We are now ready for the era of super-sized ships. With the arrival of the new Neo-Panamax cranes, MICT is ready to address the pressing demand and volume increase by servicing larger vessels,” said Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI Head of Global Corporate and Regional Head of Asia Pacific & MICT.

“Combined with our unparalleled customer focus and highly trained staff, the new cranes allow MICT to deliver even greater efficiencies to the benefit of our customers and the entire supply chain,” Mr. Gonzalez adds.

Two more quay cranes are set to arrive in 2019.

Manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (ZPMC), the quay cranes are part of ICTSI’s USD80 million capital equipment program for MICT. The pair of Neo-Panamax cranes and the Post-Panamax crane will be positioned at Berths 6 and 5, respectively.

Upon full commissioning, MICT customers can expect quayside productivity gains, translating to shorter port stays.