SBMA reveals big-ticket projects to AMCHAM North Luzon

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has revealed three big-ticket infrastructure projects before the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (AMCHAM)-North Luzon during the latter’s visit here on September 17, 2025.

During the Subic Freeport leg of its visit to economic districts in the country, SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator (SDA) for Business and Investment Renato Lee III welcomed AMCHAM President Denise H. R. Molintas at the SBMA corporate boardroom. 

Department of Transportation (DOTR) Planning Service Director Felicisimo C. Pangilinan Jr. also shared a few insights on the various projects that would boost businesses in Luzon.

According to Lee, the SBMA is planning to create a new cruise ship berth at the Redondo Peninsula where cruise ships making their port calls in Subic can unload their passengers at the said facility.

He added that the ₱1.2-billion facility will have a quay length of 380 meters for berth 1, and 350 meters for berth 2. Lee cited that the reclamation for the cruise passenger terminal and cruise leisure and commercial area would cost ₱8.3 billion.

The agency is also intending to redevelop Boton Wharf into a 12.8-hectare terminal with a berthing length of 920 meters. The project will have five warehouses with a floor area of 5,000 square meters each. 

To complement these projects are the construction of administration offices, staging areas, access roads, rehabilitation of existing road networks, and the installation of shore power.

Meanwhile, Lee disclosed that while still in its preparatory stage, a multipurpose terminal will also be constructed at the Redondo Peninsula which will provide access and support to the area, with a total area of 30 hectares, a quay length of 600 meters, and a depth of 12 meters. It will involve the construction of warehouses, an administration building, truck parking, and weighing scale, offices, and facilities for workers. (MPD-SBMA)

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Three shipping lines launch service connecting Subic Bay to South China and Vietnam

Emirates Shipping Line (ESL), ASEAN Sea Line (ASL) and Pacific International Line (PIL), have launched a new service from Subic Bay International Terminals (SBITC). 

The service connects International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) Subic Bay operation in Zambales with South China and Vietnam. 

The South China-Vietnam-Philippines (SVP) service made its inaugural call at the Port of Subic on 9 June with the arrival of the 1,200-teu-Danum 175, operated by ESL. 

The feeder service, which makes weekly calls to Subic, caters to the growing trade requirements of South China and Vietnam. 

It also highlights the free trade agreement between the Philippines and other Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership members including Vietnam, which faces a growing demand for its agriculture and manufacturing exports. 

“The service offers a good opportunity to Northern and Central Luzon traders, who can leverage the increased connectivity to markets in Vietnam and China,” said Henry Dungca, SBITC terminal manager. 

The SVP service rotation is as follows: Shekou – Nansha – Xiamen – Manila North – Subic – Xiamen – Shekou – Nansha – Ho Chi Minh – Shekou. (SNL)

Source: https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/subic-bay-international-terminals-expand-south-china-vietnam-connectivity/

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SBITC, Royal Cargo team up for expansion

ICTSI subsidiary Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) has teamed up with Royal Cargo Inc. to provide seamless movement of goods to and from North and Central Luzon (NCL) and help small and medium-sized enterprises expand their operations.

The partnership between the two firms seeks to provide the business community in NCL a world-class and highly efficient fourth party logistics combination delivering superior customer service and attractive pricing.

Unloading at SBITC's Container Terminal 1 in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone

“The joint efforts of the terminal and Royal Cargo have increased cold-storage options that will improve the quality of refrigerated cargo coming in and out of the country in a fast and efficient manner. This creates opportunities within the value chain to allow local businesses to promote their market further outside of traditional centers like Manila,” SBITC president Roberto Locsin said.

“The north hub will take us one step closer to helping companies across the country achieve growth and expand the new markets such as the Asia-Pacific region. With SBITC, we are now able to provide a direct connectivity to major Intra-Asia and global ports which makes our operations a lot easier,” Royal Cargo president Elmer Sarmiento said.

According to SBITC, Subic’s terminal handling charges are 48 percent less expensive compared to other terminals despite being the first and only on-dock warehouse in Region 3 that can connect to NCL largest cold-chain facility operated by Royal Cargo.

“Businesses that ship via Royal Cargo can now take advantage of SBITC’s perks such as its one-stop shop service facilities and 10-day free storage period while enjoying the terminal’s world class container handling services, not to mention SBMA’s deferred payment of duties and taxes,” Locsin said.

SBITC said the completion of the Plaridel Bypass Road Phase 3 in Bulacan would also allow for faster delivery service, at the same time reduces travel time going in and out of the north hub.

“The best thing about this collaboration with Royal Cargo is its sustainable shipping services we can offer to the Filipino entrepreneurs in NCL despite their increasing logistics demands. NCL is a successful, strong business hub in the making and I couldn’t be more proud knowing SBITC is going to be part of that success,” Locsin said.

SBITC is a common-user, multi-purpose terminal, providing on and off-dock marine port cargo and container handling services in Subic Freeport Area. (Richmond Mercurio, The Philippine Star)

Read more at https://www.philstar.com/business/2018/08/15/1842569/sbitc-royal-cargo-team-expansion#JZsPxS69RjXTU6vu.99

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Victory Liner starts P2P services in Clark-Subic, Clark-Dagupan routes

VICTORY Liner Incorporated (VLI), one of the biggest bus companies in Northern Luzon, announced the start of Point-to-Point (P2P) bus services from Clark International Airport to Subic Bay in Olongapo and the City of Dagupan in Pangasinan.

P2P buses pick up and drop off passengers only at designated terminals. VLI operations manager Ronald Sarmiento said Victory Liner decided to provide this service to allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales and Pangasinan to travel to and from Clark International Airport, instead of having to go to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

There will be four routes, with all trips going to and from Clark international airport in Dagupan and Subic.

For faster trips, Victory Liner will use the TPLEX and SCTEX. “From Clark international airports, there will be a trip from Clark to Subic. This trip begins at 1:00 am and the last trip will be at 8:00 pm.

For those living in Bataan and Zambales, there will be trips from Subic to San Fernando.

For residents of Pangasinan, trips to Clark will start at 1:00 am and the last trip at 8:00 pm,” said Sarmiento.

For the Clark to Dagupan routes, Victory Liner will only pick up passengers from Clark airport, SM Clark, SM Carmen and Urdaneta Victory Liner terminals.

Passengers going from Clark to Subic, pickup and drop-off points are to be found at Clark international airport, SM Clark, Victory Liner bus terminals at San Fernando and Dinalupihan and Harbort Point. (PR)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/business/2018/03/12/victory-liner-starts-p2p-services-clark-subic-clark-dagupan-routes

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Subic eyeing to be port of choice for North and Central Luzon

With lower rates, faster turnaround time, and 15 piers and wharves to choose from, the Subic Bay Freeport is angling to be the port of choice for shippers and port users in Northern and Central Luzon today.

Atty. Wilma T. Eisma, administrator and chief executive officer of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said during the Northern Luzon Investors’ Conference at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel last Thursday that Subic provides the best solution in terms of the ease and cost of doing shipping and related maritime business.

Eisma told business leaders and prospective investors in the region during the conference that along with its strategic location, the country’s premier free port provides 10 built-in advantages that could spell the difference for players in the shipping business,” Eisma told business leaders and prospective investors in the region during the conference.

She added that Subic’s has 10 plus factors that make for successful shipping operations: faster turnaround time, absence of red tape, short processing time, absence of congestion, absence of traffic, immediate docking upon vessel arrival, no truck ban, lower port tariff, higher efficiency, and ISO quality service.

To start with, the Subic Freeport has a total of 15 piers and wharves that can support the transhipment of a wide range of cargoes. Eisma said the two wharves in Subic’s former Ship Repair Facility are ideal for passenger ships, as well as military vessels because they are located near the Central Business District, while the two other piers further inside the facility would be ideal for repair and boat services.

On the other hand, the two jetties at the former Naval Supply Depot are perfect for break-bulk cargoes and shipments bound for Subic’s industrial parks and manufacturing centers in Central and Northern Luzon, while the three docks at the Boton Logistics Center would best be suited for petroleum products.

Those at Cubi Point, meanwhile, could accommodate containerized cargo, as well as grains and fertilizer, while the single landings at Nabasan, Camayan and Grande could be used for specialized purposes, including tourism.

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Eisma also pointed out that Subic is already the port of choice for Hanjin, the fourth largest shipbuilder in the world; China’s Jovo Group, which operates the country’s first ship-to-ship transfer of liquefied petroleum gas; as well as Subic Bay Int’l Terminal Corp., an affiliate of the International Container Terminal Services Inc., which is one of the five major maritime terminal operators in the world.

“We have also attracted nine container shipping lines that now connect Subic Bay to major commercial centers in the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Southeast Asia, and this is because we have some of the lowest rates in stevedoring and arrastre, as well as export, import and transshipment fees,” Eisma said.

She cited as an example Subic’s stevedoring charges for a loaded 40-footer container that is only $94.33, while that for Manila goes for $137.87 excluding VAT, or a difference of $43.54 or 31.58%. On the other hand, Subic’s arrastre rates for the import of a 40-footer container is just P4,787.05, while that for Manila is pegged at P9,235.00 excluding VAT, or a difference of P4,447.95 (48.16%).

As a center for maritime operations, Subic also offers key port services like cargo handling, pilot and tugboat services, ship chandling, bunkering and tendering, ship agents, onboard repair, cargo survey, underwater survey, and vessel lay-up and line handling. It likewise provides facilities for fuel storage and handling, grains storage, maritime training, ship repair, warehousing, and vessel lay-up.

Eisma also said that because the Port of Subic is uniquely accessible by sea, land and air, more and more manufacturers and export producers, as well as importers in Luzon are shipping through this free port.

Among the top exporters using the Port of Subic now are Yokohama Tires Phils., which is located at the Clark Freeport; Juken Sangyo (Subic), Petron Freeport Corp. (Bataan), HLD Clark Steel (Clark), Tong Lung Phil Metal Industry (Subic), Johnson Control-Hitachi (Subic), Limech Manufacturing and Trading (Subic), Orica Phils. Inc. (Bataan and Subic), Hitachi Terminal Mechatronics (Subic), and Philip Morris Int’l (Subic).

On the other hand, the top 10 importers through the Port of Subic are: Foton Motors Phils (Subic), Yokohama Tires Phils (Clark), TIPCO (Pampanga), Nestle Phils (Bulacan), San Miguel Brewery (Pampanga), United Auctioneers Inc. (Subic), Tong Lung Phil Metal Industry (Subic), Masinloc Power Plant (Subic), HHIC-Phils Inc. (Subic), and Transam Waste and Rags (Clark).

In the same occasion, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade spoke on the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program for Subic and Clark, while Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Vivencio Dizon discussed the proposed Clark Green City, among other speakers.

On the other hand, Roberto Locsin, SBITC president and general manager, talked about Subic Port and how it facilitates trade for Northern Luzon shippers. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Aerial view of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone with its container terminals, piers and warehouse facilities.

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SBMA chief supports call to use Subic Port

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority said Monday it supports the recommendation of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to utilize the port in Central Luzon.

SBMA chairman Martin Diño said in a statement the proposed plan was highly beneficial to the country’s economy because it would increase business activities in the northern regions of Luzon.

“Efficient trading boosts business growth and where there are thriving businesses; there are job opportunities,” Diño said.

He cited that over 30 million Filipinos would benefit from the proposed utilization plan, providing jobs to several regions in the country.

He said Central Luzon was among the fastest growing regions in the country where infrastructure projects were put in place and where investors were flocking in.

“The roads leading to and from Central Luzon is in place, labor costs are attractive, utility prices are lower than other cities; it is a good place to do business,” he said.

Diño cited an efficient port waiting in Subic Bay that could cater to businesses at the shortest turnaround time possible.

“The port in Subic can hold 600,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) but it can also handle TEUs (forty-foot equivalent units),” he said.

“Imagine, in just four hours your goods are already en route to their destination,” Diño added.

The SBMA chairman said doing business in Subic was like transacting in Manila because the travel time would be cut short and roads leading to destinations were more favorable for truckers.

“You have the NLEx (North Luzon Expressway), SCTEx (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) and well paved diversion roads that assure on-time delivery of goods and services. And for businesses, time is a very important resource for investors,” Diño said.

He said the SBMA was waiting for the approvals of the proposed infrastructure projects pitched by the agency to the National Economic and Development Authority to fully harness the potential of the region. (Manila Standard Business)

PHOTO: 
The Subic Bay Freeport Zone and (inset) SBMA Chairman Martin B. Diño (AMD/MPD-SBMA)  

http://thestandard.com.ph/business/218463/sbma-chief-supports-call-to-use-subic-port.html

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Luzon businesses urged to use Subic port

Pampanga businessmen are urging their colleagues in Central and Northern Luzon to utilize Subic Bay Port to improve cost efficiency and logistics turnaround time.

Levy Laus, chairman emeritus of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., at the group’s 53rd quarterly general members meeting on September 8, said choosing Subic port as point of entry and exit for import and export of goods will not only help reduce costs but will also save another business critical resource – time.

Container ship unloads at the new container terminal of the Port of Subic

“Doing business in Subic is the most logical decision. It should be the primary port for businesses in North Luzon,” Laus said.

According to Laus, since there is no congestion in Subic, business transactions are not delayed.

Laus noted Subic Bay port was among the few ports in the country that can meet the Bureau of Customs’ goal to reduce turnaround time for cargo handling and releasing by less than five hours.

For Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), turnaround time for cargo handling, gate in to gate out for trucks, is less than one hour while processing of documents for cargo releasing takes about four hours.

Roberto Locsin, SBITC general manager, said the one-stop-shop (OSS) in Subic Bay Port reduces processing time and complexity as well as simplifies transacting in Subic for the release of cargos.

“We pulled the necessary offices in one building for faster dispensation,” he said.

Also, the processing time for brokers and truckers’ accreditation only takes a day.

“If the brokers cannot finish the accreditation in one day, the port will still release their cargo; they only need to show proof that they have started with the documentary requirements,” Locsinsaid.

Locsin added that brokers or truckers, once accredited, are not required to have an office in Subic to transact.

The OSS Brokers Lounge, equipped with workstations and free internet connection, may be used to complete their transactions.

Locsin said the Subic Port is well equipped to handle both twenty foot containers and forty foot containers.

To date, SBITC has a rated capacity of 600,000 TEUs.

As of end-2015, containerized cargos that went to Subic jumped 60 percent to 123,000 TEUs from 77,000 TEUs the year before. (Malaya Business Insight)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/business/luzon-businesses-urged-use-subic-port

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Alvarez, Belmonte back Subic port upgrade

MANILA – Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. supported yesterday the proposal of their colleagues for the modernization of the Subic port to ease vehicular congestion in Metro Manila.

Alvarez said the proposal is a “good idea” that will not only benefit Metro Manila in terms of fewer cargo trucks crisscrossing it but will spur economic growth in the central and northern parts of Luzon as well.

Gantry cranes at the New Container Terminal 1 of the Port of Subic

He  said modernizing the Subic port and maximizing its use would definitely ease traffic congestion in the National Capital Region, which causes productivity losses of at least P2.4 million a day based on a recent study.

He noted that the Subic port, which has an annual capacity of 600,000 containers, received only 123,000 containers last year.

Alvarez’s predecessor Belmonte also supported his colleague’s proposal, describing it as a “great idea.”

Another Quezon City congressman, Alfred Vargas, said the suggestion, if adopted, would result in more economic activities in Subic and neighboring areas.

“This means more jobs and more opportunities. These can hopefully translate to economic and social development in that part of the country,” he said.

“This plan, coupled with increased infrastructure spending particularly on interconnecting roads, alternative highways like C6 and bridges across the island of Luzon, will definitely solve a lot of urban management, environmental and economic issues,” Vargas said.

He noted that most imported cargoes enter the country though the port in Manila, where the flow of cargo trucks has to be carefully managed to lessen traffic jams.

Several congressmen, including Rodolfo Albano lll of Isabela and Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, suggested over the weekend the full use of Subic port where they said importers from the northern part of Metro Manila, and central and northern Luzon could unload their cargoes.

This will greatly reduce the number of cargo trucks entering the National Capital Region to pick up or deliver imported goods, they said.

They said the Manila port and its environs are among the highly congested areas in Metro Manila.

For his part, deputy speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu said importers based in areas south of Metro Manila should use the Batangas City port.

He said a large part of imported cargoes, equipment and raw materials that arrive at the Manila port is destined for manufacturing plants in the Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) region.

These need not be unloaded at the Manila port and transported to their ultimate destinations through the National Capital Region, he said.

He stressed that the cargoes could be unloaded in Batangas City, which is nearer to their destinations than if these would be transported from Manila.

According to a recent Japan International Cooperation Agency study, the country loses billions in fuel cost and lost opportunities due to traffic congestion. (Jess Diaz, The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/09/15/1623989/alvarez-belmonte-back-subic-airport-upgrade

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Coast Guard continues patrol in disputed waters

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday it will continue patrolling in the West Philippine Sea following the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) favoring the Philippines’ case against China’s territorial claim to the disputed waters.

Coast Guard Spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said he has instructions on what action to take in the West Philippine Sea but for the meantime said the Coast Guard vessel BRP Pampanga will continue to patrol the area from Subic to Northern Luzon.

BRP Pampanga

Balilo said that although the vessel’s position far from the Scarborough Shoal, it is ideal that the BRP Pampanga is already at sea so it can immediately deploy once orders arrive.

Once the BRP Pampanga is deployed at the Scarborough Shoal, it will likely stay there for only a few days at a time, he said.

He recalled that when they went to the shoal in 2013, they stayed there with a vessel from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for four days before another ship arrived.

“Vessels take turns at the Shoal every three to four days,” he said, adding that they have a smaller ship available for deployment.

He said that the Coast Guard has been conducting sovereignty patrols in the West Philippine Sea since 2013 but only covered 12 nautical miles as ordered by Coast Guard Rear Admiral William Melad.

“We have not been approaching Scarborough Shoal but BRP Pangasinan has been patrolling along the territorial waters. For national security reasons, Admiral Melad gave an order to not go beyond 12 nautical miles,” Balilo said. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos, Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/coast-guard-continues-patrol-in-disputed-waters/

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Subic now most advanced logistics hub in Phl

The Subic Bay Freeport Zone is ready to accommodate rising demand in local and international trade with recent facility upgrades and enhanced logistics solutions, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said.

SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia said Subic’s facilities now stand as the most advanced of its type in the country.

Garcia said the freeport’s available services likewise give locators in Asia and around the world the perfect venue for exports and imports while offering dealers, institutions, and companies a stable and secure location to store and trade products.

“Some of the best-known and biggest freeports like those located in Geneva, Singapore and Luxembourg have effectively attracted investments from small, medium and large industries through seamless logistics solutions. These are the same solutions available now in Subic and we expect more and more companies to come here to take advantage of what we can offer them,” he said.

According to SBMA, freeports were originally intended only to provide space to store goods in transit, but this role soon evolved to include the complete conduct of trade and business both inside and outside the country.

With recent developments, SBMA said Subic Bay Freeport has emerged as the main logistics hub for business and industries in Northern and Central Luzon.

“We’ve consistently provided cost-effective logistics for foreign and local industries in Central and Northern Luzon. That is necessary for the country’s competitiveness so that we can attract more foreign direct investments and propel the Philippines towards continued growth. More than that, we want to provide the necessary support to all companies in the Philippines that need access to the rest of the world,” Garcia said.

Located in Olongapo, Zambales, the Subic Bay Freeport is the largest in the country and is supported by the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), a subsidiary of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. which operates New Container Terminals 1 and 2.

SBITC has terminals with a combined area of 28 hectares and an annual capacity of 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units or the total number of container vans ships can carry in the terminal.

SBITC’s New Container Terminals 1 and 2 have a combined 11.14-hectare container yard with a modern fleet of mobile container handling units for moving and hauling duties. (Richmond Mercurio, The Philippine Star)

PHOTO:

The New Container Terminal 1 (NCT1) in Subic Bay Freeport Zone (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/06/26/1596583/subic-now-most-advanced-logistics-hub-phl

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Subic now key logistics hub for industries in Regions 1, 3

THE Subic Bay Freeport Zone is primed and ready to accommodate the increasing demands of both local and international trade by serving as the main logistics hub for business and industries based in northern and central Luzon.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) highlighted the free-port zone’s metamorphosis into one of the nation’s strategic gateways for international and local cargo shipping and handling, capabilities seen to boost efficiencies of business enterprises in Northern and Central Luzon provinces.

The free port is the largest in the Philippines and is supported by the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), a subsidiary of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. , which operates New Container Terminals (NCT) 1 and 2. These terminals are dedicated to providing the most cost-effective logistics solutions for foreign and local industries and the burgeoning tourism industry.

While SBMA continued to deliver seamless service as a partner in providing international cargo shipping services for multinational companies here in the region over the past years, it has recently shown eagerness in providing services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This interest is caused by the increasing opportunities for businesses and industries to capitalize on the nation’s continuing economic growth, along with various well-established locators and entrepreneurs who want to operate at a much faster, more efficient and highly productive way.

SBITC President Roberto Locsin said, “A lot of developments are happening now in Subic that provide immense business opportunities for SMEs, especially in the northern and central Luzon regions. Companies looking to broaden their networks and connect with markets and suppliers anywhere in the country, or the world for that matter.”

The opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses have the definite potential to usher in logistical improvements in the country and provide a seamless transport of goods from Subic to other parts of the country. This would then spur much higher growth and make business operations more sustainable, allowing productivity improvements and other innovative solutions.

Originally, free ports were only intended to provide space to store goods in transit, but this role soon grew to include the complete conduct of trade and business both inside and outside the country.

Located in Olongapo, Zambales, the Subic Freeport allows for the rapid and highly efficient transfer of a wide range of export and import products and other valuable items. It offers efficient and effective logistic services, storage rooms and business solutions ranging from big-bulk item and small cargo transportation to providing access to fully managed exclusive industrial parks.

Subic’s port operator, SBITC, has terminals with a combined area of 28 hectares and an annual capacity of 600,000 20-foot equivalent units or the total number of container vans ships can carry in the terminal. SBITC’s NTC-1 and 2 have a combined 11.14-hectare container yard with a very modern fleet of mobile container-handling units for moving and hauling duties.

Subic Freeport terminals can be accessed via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and soon, through a planned new connector and bypass road running through Bataan and into other parts of Luzon.

SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia said Subic’s facilities stand as the most advanced of their type in the country. Its available services give all locators in Asia and around world the perfect venue for exports and imports while offering dealers, institutions, SMEs, and other companies an efficient, stable, and secure location to store and trade products.

Garcia said, “Some of the best-known and biggest freeports like those located in Geneva, Singapore, and Luxembourg have effectively attracted investments from small, medium, and large industries through seamless logistics solutions. These are the same solutions available now in Subic and we expect more and more companies to come here to take advantage of what we can offer them.”

Subic Bay Freeport has become an emerging trade hub in the Philippines with its roster of resident companies that directly ship their goods to the many different parts of the country. It also allows the export of locally made products and the provision of logistics support to companies that export their products abroad. Truly, this is an ideal situation not only for many well-established companies but also for SMEs that need to reliably get their products to their clients while getting access to the best supplies from around the world.

“We’ve consistently provided cost-effective logistics for foreign and local industries in Central and Northern Luzon. That is necessary for the country’s competitiveness so that we can attract more foreign direct investments and propel the Philippines towards continued growth. More than that, we want to provide the necessary support to all companies in the Philippines that need access to the rest of the world,” Garcia said, adding SBMA has been consistent in its efforts to push the participation and presence of SMEs in regional and global markets as part of the Freeport’s commitment to the goals of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC of 2015 on building inclusive growth in the region. (BusinessMirror)

PHOTO:
A cargo ship full of container vans leaves the New Container Terminal in the Subic Bay Freeport, as authorities project the Port of Subic to surpass its record-breaking performance last year with more cargo transshipment from nearby economic zones. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/subic-now-key-logistics-hub-for-industries-in-regions-1-3/

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Seaoil builds P350-million station along SCTEX route

Competition of oil industry players along tollways onward to North Luzon is expected to intensify as independent player Seaoil Philippines, Inc. is now advancing to completion its P350 million mega-station along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) route.

The company is one of the ‘independents’ given the permit to put up a new gasoline station within the SCTEX stretch.

A portion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX)

While other gasoline stations – generally by the oil industry majors – serve the expanse of proximate North Luzon Expressway, it is anticipated that the contest on cornering customer patronage will eventually converge among all tracts of these so-called fast travel-designed roads, including that of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX).

According to Seaoil, its SCTEX station is targeted for full commercial operations by the last quarter of this year.

This venture is its collaboration with Double Dragon Properties Corporation of Tony Tan Caktiong of the Jollibee Foods Corporation fame.

Seaoil president for retail and chief finance officer Mark L. Yu noted that the SCTEX mega-station “will be the company’s banner station that will greatly improve our brand presence.”

He added that this shall also be the oil firm’s new network “to serve more motorists, especially those travelling from Northern Luzon and cities like Baguio.”

It has been indicated that one of the distinguishing and striking amenities of the service station would be a mall within its compound, courtesy of its property developer-partner.

“The full service filling station will have an array of restaurants and convenience stores, and will feature spacious rest rooms, parking spaces and relaxation areas for travellers,” the oil firm said.

It was some sort of a prognostic vision for Seaoil, which sounded off years back, that it wants to be “the fuel of choice” – in some way parallel to “the fast food of choice matrix” that its partner’s food venture affiliate is known for.

For the longest time, the expressways had been confined to the petroleum retail service of the traditional players, but with the downstream oil industry’s deregulation, even these segments of the market also opened up for wider competition. (Myrna Velasco, Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/seaoil-builds-p350-million-station-along-sctex-route/

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PCCI urges PNoy to prioritize the expansion of Subic, Batangas ports

The business community hopes President Aquino will finally put to rest the port congestion issue by making a priority the expansion of Subic and Batangas international ports before his term ends next year.

Alfredo M. Yao, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (PCCI) said the resolution of the port congestion at the Manila ports tops its wish list of priority issues that they want President Aquino to make a policy statement during his last State of the Nation Address this month.

“The port operation has improved a lot but sooner or later we will be hounded again by port congestion,” said Yao. Trade volume is expected to pick at the start of the second semester and with the robust economic growth, Yao expects congestion to be back again this year.

The port congestion that hit the Manila port last year has caused considerable damage to businesses in the country and potential economic potentials.

Yao stressed that the port congestion is a vicious cycle that come again and again if it is not addressed.

Yao would like the government to have the will to push for the expansion of the Batangas International Port, which is being operated by the Asian Terminals Inc.

If the capacity of the port is expanded all import and export cargo volume from and into the south should use the Batangas port rather than going to the Manila port and subject themselves to the burgeoning traffic of the city.

Expansion of the Subic ports, where the International Container Terminal Services Inc. has existing operations, need to be further enhanced.

It should be easier though to expand Subic because the Subic Bay Metroplitan Authority, which runs Subic freeport, is a government agency.

Subic port should be the main port for businesses operating in the northern part of Luzon, Yao stressed.

“At present, we are all relying on Manila ports and that is so inefficient,” he added.

“Government should come in and exercise its political will,” said Yao.

Aside from the port congestion issue, the PCCI also hopes the President to push for the enactment into law the long overdue Customs and Tariff Modernization Act among other priority bills pending in Congress. (Bernie Magkilat, Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/pcci-urges-pnoy-to-prioritize-the-expansion-of-subic-batangas-ports/

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More shippers now prefer Subic port

More shipping companies and port users in Central and Northern Luzon are now preferring to use the Port of Subic as transshipment hub because of easy access and lower cost.

The shippers lauded the advantages of the Subic port during the 2nd Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit, which was held here on Friday with no less than 500 delegates from shipping firms, trucking and forwarding consortia, customs brokers, import/export-related corporations, and other port users from Metro Manila, Central and Northern Luzon, as well as Southern Luzon.
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The conference, with the theme “Subic Bay: Your Gateway to Central and Northern Luzon,” was organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in cooperation with Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC).

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, who was keynote speaker in the event, said that “Most people are moving north and the number is up tremendously.”

Almendras, who is also head of the Cabinet Cluster on Port Decongestion, noted the successful transformation of Subic from a mere seaport with well-maintained facilities into an international seaport hub and the role it played at the height of the port congestion crisis and truck ban in Manila.

“The important part of the success in moving resources is the port. And when we turned to Subic in those times of crisis, there is no way turning back,” he said.

He said that delays in processing goods in Manila during the crisis had made companies turn to Subic in order to ship their replenishment stocks in less than two weeks.

Meanwhile, Vincent Gottman, operations manager of Hansa Creation, said that since they started using the Port of Subic for shipping in raw materials and transporting finished products to a factory in Manila, they never encountered a single problem.

“Since using Subic, our deliveries always arrived on time,” said Gottman whose company based in the Clark Special Economic Zone supplies toys to many zoos and wild parks worldwide.

He added that the government should tell stakeholders in the shipping industry about the changes that the Port of Subic underwent to provide better services, and to convince more companies to use Subic for their export and import operations.

For his part, Gary Algodon, the procurement manager of San Miguel Brewery, told delegates that as of 2014 San Miguel Brewery’s port operations had moved its transshipment to Subic because of the ease in moving goods in and out of the container yard.

“There was no problem that we encountered in transporting our shipments. Instead, we have a bonus from Subic and that is cost-saving,” Algodon said.

He noted that using Subic is more economical because of its easy access to Northern Luzon, adding that the company is now moving 80% of its product supply in Luzon, with only 20% contracted to Manila.

“Hopefully, this year, we can make that 100%,” he added.

For Anthony Eugenio, operations manager of Atlas Brokerage and Express Padala, Inc., using the port of Subic for receiving “Balikbayan” boxes from the United States has the same cost as in Manila—“Except that in Subic there is no problem about traffic and the threat of port congestion that might put the company’s service to test.”

Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PECI) in Region III president Cris Venzon, who spoke in behalf of his group, announced that PECI is supporting the initiatives of SBMA in improving the Port of Subic.

“We want to ship out (our products) through Subic,” Venzon said, adding that doing so will save them time and the cost of transportations compared to using Manila ports.

He explained that from anywhere in Central Luzon, Subic is accessible through major road networks, which are now undergoing widening and improvement to address the imminent increase of trucks and forwarders plying to Subic from various origins in the region.

For his part, SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said that the continuous improvement of the Port of Subic has already resulted in the entry of four more shipping lines.

Garcia said that the Japan-based Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Line, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, made its first direct route to the Port of Subic from Kaohsiung, Taipei in November last year with its MV Jakarta Towers.

China-based SITC Container Lines (Phils.), Inc. has also opened a direct route from Xiamen, China to Subic.

Maersk Line, listed among the largest container shipping companies in the world, brought to this premier free port the first good news for 2015, as MV Stadt Dresden marked its maiden voyage—a direct route from Singapore to Subic.

“Subic, today, is the most preferred and most competitive gateway to Central Luzon and Northern Luzon with its newly opened One-Stop-Shop Center at the New Container Terminal 1 that can connect shippers to the SBMA-Bureau of Customs and SBITC for faster transactions,” Garcia also told the conference delegates.(RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
[1] Cabinet Secretary Jose Almendras (left) and SBMA Chairman and Administrator Roberto V. Garcia prepare to cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the One-Stop-Shop at the New Container Terminal-1 to fast-track port transactions inside Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] Cabinet Secretary Jose Almendras (left) and SBMA Chairman and Administrator Roberto V. Garcia officially open the One-Stop-Shop with SBITC general manager Roberto Locsin, SBMA Deputy Administrator Mar Sanqui and other port officials at the New Container Terminal-1 in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic ready to serve as major port

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—A Cabinet member said this free port is ready to serve as an alternative facility for international shipping companies to help decongest the Port of Manila.

“Subic Bay has so much potential because of its existing port, infrastructure, roads and electricity,” said Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, who heads the Cabinet cluster on port congestion.

He said the free port was ready to become a transshipment hub for foreign cargo.

“Subic will become more accessible with the exciting new developments in Central and northern Luzon,” Almendras told the Second Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit here on Friday.

He said the North Luzon Expressway, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway hastened travel time for trucks carrying cargo to and from this free port.

“Congestion is a reality in mega cities all over the world. The solution is to decongest the cities and this will open an opportunity for Subic,” Almendras said.

He said the government had to add port capacity elsewhere outside Metro Manila.

In a position paper presented during the conference, business groups in Central Luzon endorsed a co-loading bill, which would open interisland shipping to foreign vessels.

“The passage of the bill into law will broaden the market of the Subic free port outside Luzon,” they said.

The position paper was signed by the presidents of various chambers of commerce, exporters and investors in Pampanga and this port. (Allan Macatuno, Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/687749/subic-ready-to-serve-as-major-port#ixzz3YT9udLql

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All is set for the 2nd Subic Maritime Conference

The 2nd Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit will open here tomorrow (Friday), April 24, with about 500 delegates expected at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center here.

With the theme “Subic Bay: Your Gateway to Central and Northern Luzon,” the conference is organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in cooperation with the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) to promote Subic as a major port in the region.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the maritime conference will provide delegates comprehensive updates on the Freeport's “exciting prospects as a booming logistics hub and investments destination in Asia.”

He said that Subic Freeport, with its strategic location complemented by enhanced port facilities and infrastructure, “is now well-positioned to become the logistics hub north of Metro Manila.”

He pointed out that the Port of Subic handled more than the 77,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last year, which meant a 105% increase from the 37,400 TEUs processed in 2013.

“This year we aspire to hit a target volume of 120,000 TEUs, or 20% of the 600,000-TEU combined annual capacity of the port’s New Container Terminals 1 and 2,” Garcia added.

The one-day conference is expected to draw participants from shipping lines, logistics and supply chain firms, importers and exporters, manufacturers, as well as national and local government units and agencies, and other stakeholders in the maritime industry.

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras will be the keynote speaker in the conference.

Other speakers and panelists include Chairman Garcia, SBITC general manager Roberto Locsin, SBITC vice chairman Francisco Delgado IV, USAID Compete Chief of Party Dr. Enrico Basilio, and Bases Conversion Development Authority president and CEO Att. Arnel Casanova.

Organizers said that Almendras and other speakers will provide insights on business opportunities arising in Northern Luzon with all the investments and planning that the government is putting into the area.

Among topics lined up are the latest processing improvements at the port, the Subic One-Stop Shop which will consolidate into one location all offices related to shipping through Subic port, and updates on new terminal equipment installed.

There will also be status reports on proposed development projects such as the construction of the New Container Terminals (NCT) 3 and 4, the Tipo Road expansion, and the planned Subic-Clark Corridor and Clark Green City.

Garcia said that the conference is an expression of SBMA’s optimism over the prospects of Subic as a maritime logistics hub.

He added that the SBMA is making administrative changes to fast-track import and export processing and simplify accreditation to encourage customs brokers, freight forwarders, and truckers to service the port. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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Almendras to keynote 2nd Maritime Conference in Subic Bay

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras leads a group of government officials and industry movers who will give talks about the rise of Subic Bay as the country’s foremost logistics hub in Northern Luzon.

Almendras will be the keynote speaker at the 2^nd Subic Bay Maritime Conference & Exhibit, to be held on April 24, 2015 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Themed “Subic Bay: Your Gateway to Central and Northern Luzon,” the conference is being organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in cooperation with Subic Bay International Terminal Corp.

Almendras and the other speakers, including SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, will provide insights on business opportunities arising in Northern Luzon with all the investments and planning that the government is putting into the area.

They will also share updates on infrastructure development projects for the emerging Subic-Clark Corridor, a growth area that is expected to improve the economy of Luzon region and create more jobs for local residents.

Meanwhile, Northern Luzon shippers intend to present to Secretary Almendras during the event a position paper calling for the further development of Subic Bay Freeport to decongest Manila and “serve its true purpose as a catalyst of economic growth” for the regions north of Metro Manila.

Almendras is also the chairman of the Cabinet Cluster on Port Decongestion, which successfully worked in cooperation with government agencies and private stakeholders to implement measures easing road traffic and port congestion in the City of Manila.

One of these measures is to designate Subic and Batangas as extensions of the Port of Manila in order to encourage ships to divert their shipments to these outer ports.

The position paper points out that the Subic Bay Freeport ably demonstrated its capability to handle volume cargo shipments during the Manila port congestion. It further urges the administration to use the momentum to promote Subic as an alternative container terminal to Manila for shippers located in Central and Northern Luzon.

The Subic Bay Maritime Conference & Exhibit is expected to attract some 300 Freeport zone locators, logistics and supply chain executives, import and export managers, manufacturers, shipping line executives, key national and local government officials, and other stakeholders.

For more information, please call event manager PortCalls at (02) 569 2562, 232 8393, 232 5029 or (0917) 5555 273. You may also email info@portcalls.com.

http://www.portcalls.com/almendras-keynote-speaker-at-2nd-subic-bay-maritime-conference/#

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NLEX, SCTEX integration pushed

Senate President Franklin Drilon has set deadline on the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) to approve and implement the integration of the North Luzon and Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressways to avoid travel dilemmas and inconvenience experienced by commuters from happening again, especially during peak seasons.

Drilon recently met with officials of the Department of Transportation and Communication, BCDA, MPTC, Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) to iron out issues concerning the implementation of the integration plan for NLEX and SCTEX, which has been pending for years.

Drilon asked the officials to fasttrack the implementation of an integration plan, starting with the signing of the integration agreement scheduled on February 12 of this year.

“To expedite the process, the TRB will simultaneously monitor and review the toll collection systems integration agreement to make sure it will be in conformity with the policy of the government,” said Drilon.

He said the integration will simplify toll collection system and lessen the number of toll collection plazas.

“The integration of the NLEX and SCTEX toll systems will benefit commuters, especially in saving travel time and fuel and increasing convenience for those driving through the tollways,” Drilon said.

“The current setup is too complex and stands improvement. We cannot understand why we have to make five stops going to Subic and four stops going to Tarlac only to pay toll fees, when we can make things better and simpler by simply allowing commuters to pay their fares in full in only one toll plaza,” he added.

Given the dilemma faced by commuters especially during the holiday season, Drilon said it is only proper that changes are put in place, so that the public will not have to endure the same predicament over again.

Drilon said BCDA had informed him preparation will take seven to nine months to be finished, which will cover, among others, the removal of NLEX-Dau and SCTEX-Mabalacat barriers and deployment and commissioning of NLEX integrated toll collection system in all SCTEX and new NLEX toll plazas.

“With the system integration, motorists will no longer have to make several stops only to pay for fares. That means that everyone will soon only have to stop twice in paying tolls throughout NLEX and the SCTEX, as compared to the current situation where we have to stop five times just to pay our fares,” Drilon said.

At present, motorists have to make five stops just to pay toll fees in a trip to Subic. A motorist gets a transit ticket at NLEX entry point in Balintawak, and surrenders it and pays toll fees at NLEX Dau. He then gets a smart card at SCTEX Mabalacat and surrenders it and pays toll fees at SCTEX Tipo toll plaza, only to again pay new toll fees at Subic Freeport Expressway-Tipo.

Drilon said that the tollway authorities and relevant agencies must “exercise diligence” and hasten the reforms in the toll collection systems, given the expected surge of motorists and travellers in the Holy Week and summer season.

He said he is confident that authorities and companies involved in the management of NLEX and SCTEX will be able to introduce and agree on a new collection system to provide commuters seamless travel experience.

He concluded that this is only the first phase of the integration, as plans and discussions to make travel going to North more seamless and convenient are currently being done. These include the integration of NLEX and SCTEX with the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union expressway and the interoperability of the North and South expressways. (Malaya Business Insight)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/business/nlex-sctex-integration-pushed

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Subic, Batangas to be designated extension ports

MANILA, Philippines - The government is set to designate Subic and Batangas as extension ports to help decongest the ports in Manila in time for the surge in cargo shipments for the Christmas season, a Cabinet official said.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is set to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority designating a few berths in the former US military base as extension of the ports of Manila.

“So if your bill of lading specifies Manila, it could be dropped off in Subic,” Abaya said.

Likewise, he added that the same arrangement is being considered for the port of Batangas.

He said shipping lines could call on two ports so it could offload either in Batangas or Subic and load shipments in the ports of Manila.

“Most of the cargo being offloaded in Manila are bound for Batangas or Southern Luzon. So I think we could make arrangements that these shipments could be offloaded in Batangas, in the same way, those who are northbound could be offloaded in Subic,” he said.

The PPA has given importers and brokers until today to remove overstaying customs-cleared cargoes inside the congested ports of Manila, otherwise these containers would be shipped immediately to Subic and Batangas.

At present, importers, exporters and brokers have a five-day grace period after Customs clearance to remove their containers. The cargo would be seized in favor of the government after 15 days.

“We are giving them five days to ship out their goods effective Sept. 8. If they don’t we’ll ship them out to Subic. They are using the ports as their warehouse instead of investing in their own warehouse so we are removing them,” he said.

Starting Oct. 1, Abaya said the government would impose a 10-fold increase in storage fees to decongest the ports of Manila.

Fees for unclaimed cargo would increase to P5,000 from the current P500 for each 20-foot container; to P8,750 from P842 for 35-foot containers; P10,000 from P962.6 for 40-foot containers; and to P11,250 from P1,082.90 for 45-footers.

Congestion at the Manila International Container Terminal of International Container Terminal Services Inc. and South Harbor of Asian Terminals Inc. has caused massive traffic jams in major streets in Metro Manila, extending up to the North Luzon Expressway as trucks trying to get inside the ports clogged major thoroughfares.

Utilization rate at the ports of Manila is expected to improve to 88 percent towards the end of the week after climbing to 90 percent due to the long weekend as containers being released at ports continue to climb to 4,400 per day from 4,200.

As of end June, the number of laden containers piled up at the Manila ports totaled 85,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which occupied about 104 percent of the port yard, while total empty containers also reached a high of 22,000 TEUs.

The congestion was caused mainly by the daytime truck ban imposed by the Manila city government from Feb. 24 to end May that practically limited the movement of cargo in and out of port to nighttime only.

House probe

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian filed a resolution urging the House committee on transportation to conduct an inquiry into the immediate use of the Subic and Batangas City ports as part of a long-term solution to the problem of congestion at the Manila ports.

Gatchalian filed the resolution last week to allow Subic and Batangas City ports to “share the load of processing containers” and will greatly help in decongesting the ports in Manila.

Both facilities have a combined capacity of 600,000 TEUs and are strategically located near Metro Manila, which means Subic and Batangas ports can substantially ease port congestion in Manila.

“Goods heading to Northern and Southern Luzon may instead be assigned to the Subic and Batangas ports, thereby easing the congestion in Manila ports. Those ports have a huge potential in contributing to the economy. They just have to be fully utilized,” he said.

Gatchalian is a senior vice chairman for the House committee on Metro Manila development and a majority member of the committee on trade and industry.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo urged the PPA to hire container vessels, not trucks, to transfer the empty containers to Subic to decongest the Port of Manila.

Castelo, chairman of the House committee on Metro Manila development, said the use of ferries would spare the streets of all the trucks that cause monstrous traffic, slowing down economic activity. (Lawrence Agcaoili, with Delon Porcalla, Paolo Romero, Philippine Star)

PHOTO:
Vessel hired by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) loading empty containers bound for Subic and Batangas ports

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/09/08/1366602/subic-batangas-be-designated-extension-ports

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Solon files resolution to tap Subic and Batangas ports

A senior administration congressman called on the House Committee on Transportation to inquire into the possibility of immediately tapping Subic and Batangas City ports as a long-term solution to the worsening congestion of Manila ports.

In a resolution, Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian said the House panel should conduct the inquiry in order that legislative measures may be pursued to support the planned decongestion of the Manila port.

Gatchalian, a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said the Subic and Batangas City ports, which have a combined capacity of 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and are strategically located near Metro Manila, can share the load of processing containers and will greatly help in decongesting the ports in Manila.

“Goods heading to Northern and Southern Luzon may instead be assigned to the Subic and Batangas City ports respectively, thereby easing the congestion in Manila ports. Those ports have a huge potential in contributing to the economy,” said Gatchalian.

The Valenzuela solon called for congressional action to swiftly respond to the alarming overcrowding of the Port of Manila mainly triggered by the Manila City government’s daytime truck ban ordinance.

Gatchalian filed the resolution in response to the alarming bottleneck in the Port of Manila caused mainly by Manila City government’s daytime truck ban ordinance. (Ben Rosario, Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/solon-files-resolution-to-tap-subic-and-batangas-ports/

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