Shipping is said to be cheaper at Subic, Batangas ports

Shipping from Subic and Batangas ports would be cheaper for traders, according to Roberto V. Garcia Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator.

He said that importing from Subic would cost only $ 1,001.79 per 20 footer container compared with Manila’s rate of $ 1,142.26 per 20 foot container. To export from Subic also costs only $ 847.33 per 20 footer container compared with Manila’s rate of $ 990.81 per 20 Ft container.

Garcia cited Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study which showed that out of the 2.8 million containers passing through the Port of Manila, 450,000 containers are destined for Central and Northern Luzon .

“We have the capacity of 600,000 TEUs so even if all the cargo that comes from Manila goes to Subic, we have the facilities to handle that , the location is very central. We are trying to promote Subic as transshipment hub” Garcia said.

Subic Bay Freeport Zone to date , has 1,800 locators with $ 9.3 billion total investments . It also has 90,092 active Freeport zone workforce, and 5.23 million visitor arrivals in 2012.

Asian Terminals Inc. operator of Batangas Port said that the port remain as the better alternative to Manila Ports for Calabarzon (Cavite,Laguna, Batangas , Rizal and Quezon) cargoes as it has enough capacity to handle the 300,000 TEUs going to Calabarzon annually .

Sean Perez ATI vice president said during his presentation at the recent transport summit that the customers from Calabarzon would save trucking cost of at least 16 percent for export and 13 percent import in choosing Batangas rather than Manila Port.

Batangas Port has 350,000 TEUs capacity per year , 12 hectares of terminal space can handle 7,152 TEUs (4 high) at any given day expandable facility is needed . The Port volume has more than doubled to 3,819 TEUs in the first quarter of 2014 compared to previous year same period of 1,564 TEUs .

In 2013, ATI said Batangas Port handled its highest number of outbound passengers at 3.06 million. It also facilitated the seamless transit of 230,173 vehicles via the Mimaropa ( Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon , Palawan) nautical corridor. Cargo operations which handled 580,054 metric tons of conventional cargo .

The government is promoting the use Subic and Batangas port as an alternative to Manila Port as the Manila City government plans to pursue the implementation of full truck ban in Manila by July this year.

Last February, Manila City government has implemented a truck ban gives a daytime window period from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm for loaded truck to ply in Manila. Empty container trucks, was banned to take to Manila’s streets. The daytime window period for trucks was expected to last for six months . (Myla Iglesias, Malaya)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/business/shipping-said-be-cheaper-subic-batangas-ports