THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will complete modular port projects began by the previous administration by 2012, two years behind the original schedule.
The Greater Maritime Access (GMA) ports is part of the roll on-roll off project of the Arroyo administration. It involves construction of modular ports in 72 areas outside the following ro-ro highways: Western Nautical Highway, Pan-Philippine Highway, Eastern and Central Nautical Highways.
PPA has so far constructed six ports. Next year, it will begin construction of 26 more, in 2011, 27; and in 2012, 13.
The construction normally takes two to three months.
Modular ports are solar-powered and costs about P50 million each depending on their size, shape and features.
The project is financed by a loan from the French Export Credit.
Isabela, Aurora and Pangasinan, Quezon, Romblon, Mindoro Cavite, Palawan, Masbate, Albay, Eastern Samar, Surigao del Norte, Davao and Cotabato are being considered hosts for the rest of the modular ports.
Passenger and cargo traffic at the country’s main ro-ro highways has been swelling since the infrastructure’s introduction in 2003.
The PPA is banking on passenger and volume growth from ro-ro routes to compensate for weak international volume.
