INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), the country’s largest port operator, is welcome to bid for the Subic Freeport’s New Container Terminal 2 (NCT-2), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga said.
ICTSI, through subsidiary Subic Bay International Terminal Corp., already won the contract to operate New Container Terminal-1 (NCT 1), which will commence operations within the first quarter of 2008.
If the company wins the NCT-2 contract — up for grabs via international bidding — the Razon-controlled firm will have exclusive control of cargo handling operations in the entire Subic freeport.
NCT-1 was not bid out since the SBMA applied the Swiss challenge on the deal.
The terms of reference for the privatization of NCT-2 is now being finalized.
Construction of the 300,000 TEU-capacity NCT-2 will be completed in March, the same time that SBMA will commence the bidding procedure.
NCT-1 has the same capacity as NCT-2.
SBMA has been improving the Subic facilities in order to accept more cargo. Current volumes, however, are still thin compared to ports in Manila.
SBMA’s Seaport Department records showed there were 1,101 vessels which docked at Subic Bay during the first three quarters of last year.
In 2006, the Port of Subic handled 34,601 TEUs, with imports consisting of 17,109 TEUs.
Based on projections, there will be a 200% increase in container traffic up to 150,000 TEUs once the two new container terminals become fully operational.
ICTSI, in its earlier disclosure, said it will spend some P473 million for NCT-1, mainly for the construction of an administration office, motor pool/engineering office, truck holding area, refueling station, and field office.
It said that when the terminal’s volume reached 250,000 TEUs per year, the terminal should have four rubber-tired gantry cranes, 22 prime movers, five forklifts, three-yard vehicles, and three company vehicles.
At the moment, SBMA owns two quay cranes for use at the terminal.
“If the actual volume at the NCT-1 will require more investment in cargo-handling equipment and other facilities, SBITC will be prepared to make such investment. This expenditure for capacity development is separate from fixed fees and variable fee payments to SBMA,” SBITC said.
