MANILA, Philippines – International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) launched Friday the country’s first container roll-on roll-off barge terminal project in Tanza, Cavite.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchnage, ICTSI said the project, which will rise on a six-hectare property in Tanza, Cavite, was launched by its subsidiary Cavite Gateway Terminal (CGT).

“In line with the DOTr’s national transport plan, CGT will facilitate off-the-roads seaborn transport of containers between the Port of Manila and Cavite and service industrial locators in Cavite area,” it said.

Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI senior vice president for Asia Pacific region and Manila International Container Terminal head, said the project would be developed in phases.

The first phase of the project, which costs $30 million, is expected to support an annual throughput of 115,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, equivalent to 140,000 fewer truck trips on roads per year.

The terminal will be integrated with other major Luzon port facilities for a more cost-effective and time-bound access to the Cavite market.

Gonzalez said the terminal is expected to be operational within the first quarter of next year.

ICTSI is engaged in the operation, management and development of ports.

At present, it has projects in Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Last year, net earnings of ICTSI surged 180 percent to $193.5 million due to higher revenues as it benefitted from improved trade activity at most of its terminals in the country.

ICTSI said last year’s revenue performance was also driven by new contracts with shipping lines and services at the terminals in Indonesia, Pakistan, Ecuador and Mexico; tariff rate adjustments at certain terminals, increase in storage and special services revenues at the terminal in Honduras, favorable container-volume mix at most of the company’s terminals, and continued ramp-up at ICTSI Iraq.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/business/2017/04/23/1692821/ictsi-dotr-launch-first-roro-terminal