PPA to expand Manila port facilities

To entice more investments and make way for bulk cargo via Manila Port Area’s existing but congested facilities, the government intends to expand available space for port developments in the Tondo district. The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Tuesday said in a statement it had formed a committee to create a strategic framework for the Manila Harbor Development project involving the reclamation of about 200 hectares of land to expand existing ports. “The area between Pasig River and South Harbor, directly fronting the Engineering Island, offers huge potentials for commercial port operations," PPA general manager Juan Sta. Ana said in the statement. A reclaimed area of about 200 hectares in the Port Zone Delineation — an area under the PPA jurisdiction — should be enough to accommodate investors who interested in operating commercial ports on long-term basis, Sta. Ana said. The new port facilities will handle a range of dry and liquid bulk cargoes such as grains, minerals, and petroleum products, Sta. Ana said, noting that such cargoes are presently rerouted to ports outside Manila or handled shipside in the absence of bulk handling facilities. The committee, headed by PPA assistant general manager for operations Raul Santos, will evaluate the project and recommend a strategic framework for the PPA to base its actions. It will also address the proposals from interested private sector groups. Its report is expected to be completed before the year ends, serving as the take-off point for the expansion project, Sta. Ana said. “The Manila Harbor Development will not only dramatically change the whole scale of commercial port development but will specifically contribute to re-establishing the port of Manila as the country’s premier port capable of handling all types of sea-borne [cargo] traffic," PPA said. — VS, GMANews.TV