SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – An Australian firm will embark on a P60-billion distribution intermodal project that will generate 800 jobs.
Asian Institute of Aviation (AIA) will occupy seven hectares of land near the Subic Bay International Airport and will build hangars and food processing stations for its intermodal logistics business, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Roberto Garcia said at a press briefing.
Garcia said AIA will be joined by an Australian firm, which will buy into the company for the new operations.
The company will export goods by air from Australia to China, Japan, and other Asian countries, and import from Australia by air or by sea to Subic Bay meat, seafood, and other agricultural products. The goods will be processed and packed according to customer orders for final delivery.
Garcia explained that the Australian partner has been doing the processing in Australia but since this entails higher labor cost it has decided to shift the operations to Subic.
The operation, Garcia said, is intermodal. “They will ship out by air since they have seven jets; they will also ship out via seaport, and their volume for the seaport is 60 containers per month,” he explained.
The company “has also shown interest in providing new equipment for the tower at the Subic airport,” Garcia said.
The new investor plans to build hangars for maintenance and repair operations that will cater to jets in Hong Kong. Garcia said it is expensive to park jets in Hong Kong. “You pay $3,000 just to park it outside without a hangar.”
The new investment has been approved in principle by the SBMA board after the proponents showed proof of funds, Garcia said, adding the construction of proposed facilities will be subject to detailed engineering design.
