DP World expands its footprint in the Philippines: Dubai-based port operator DP World and Philippines-based port operator Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) have launched a new barge terminal, dubbed Tanza Barge Terminal, in Cavite in the Philippines, according to a statement released on Thursday. The move comes in a bid to boost the transport of goods and raw materials to and from the Philippines' capital Manila via sea barging. The terminal will be managed by ATI-subsidiary Tanza Container Terminal Incorporated. No investment ticket was provided as part of the disclosure.

Details: The terminal — located within the newly designated MetroCas Industrial Estates Special Economic Zone — looks to handle some 240k TEUs of cargo annually. Three weekly trips — with each hauling around 100 40ft laden containers each way — will move containers between Tanza Barge Terminal and Manila South Harbor, the statement said. The barge berth is equipped with two fixed harbor cranes and a 4-hectare yard with two reach stackers and four vehicles for internal transfers. The terminal is also registered as a customs facility and warehouse by the Philippines’ Bureau of Customs, the statement also said.

Cutting road congestion: The terminal is forecasted to save an estimated 150k truck journeys per annum, relieving congestion and providing gains in terms of sustainability and efficiency.

DP World is serious about sustainable investments: The latest move aligns with DP World’s Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure (SDID), announced last week, which looks to measure how far investments go towards meeting UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The development is also a boon for MetroCas: “By establishing a direct sea link between Cavite and Manila, the new barge terminal offers a vital conduit for the efficient movement of goods, thereby boosting development within and beyond the export zone,” said Director General of Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Tereso Panga.

Background: DP World assumed a role as a strategic foreign equity partner of ATI in 2006, with the pair later collaborating on upgrades at Batangas Port and initiatives to optimize operations at Manila South Harbor, the statement added.

Tags: