The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) board recently approved the detailed development design for North Port submitted by operator Manila North Harbour Port, Inc (MNHPI).
“All approved designs only cover Terminal 1 while the other designs are still pending,” Manila and North Luzon engineer Constante Fariñas said.
PPA approved an extension of completion date for the port’s Terminal 1 passenger terminal building to November 2013, eight months later than the original date of April 2013.
Despite the longer completion date approved by PPA, MNHPI committed to finish the project by next year, Fariñas said.
PPA also approved collapsing the development of two passenger terminal buildings into only one.
A joint venture between Harbour Centre Port Terminals, Inc and San Miguel Corp, MNHPI committed to sink in P14.5 billion to develop a container terminal, general cargo terminal, and passenger terminal at North Port.
Phase I of the project will be implemented over a period of six years. The first year of the contract requires completion of a crane rail for two load-on load-off berths and pavement/concreting of container yards. After completion of the crane rail, the operator will procure two shore cranes and support equipment.
So far, the joint venture has invested P1 billion, of which P650 million was provided by Harbour Centre and the rest by San Miguel for the purchase of equipment.
Another P1 billion was infused partly for the interim passenger terminal and container terminal. The port has a capacity of 1.2 million TEUs to 1.5 million TEUs.
This year, MNHPI expects to handle 780,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up from last year’s 630,000 TEUs. The port has a capacity of 1.5 million TEUs.
Photo by Will Scullin
