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Asian Terminals, Inc. secured a 25-year renewal of its concession to operate and develop Manila South Harbour until 2063
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The new agreement signed with the Philippine Ports Authority starts after the expiration of the current contract in May 2038
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ATI said it is future-proofing MSH to respond proactively to changing trade patterns, increasing cargo volumes, and the evolving needs of shipping lines, importers, exporters, and the broader logistics community
Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) has secured a 25-year renewal of its concession to operate and develop Manila South Harbour (MSH) until 2063.
The renewed concession agreement, signed with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), will run from May 2038 up to May 2063, providing long-term certainty for the continued development and modernisation of one of the Philippines’ key international trade gateways, the port operator said in a statement.
ATI in December last year applied to renew its contract with PPA to operate MSH that was expiring in 2038.
PPA in 1988 granted the 25-year contract for the management, operation and development of MSH to ATI (then Marina Port Services Inc.), and extended the contract in 2007 for another 25 years or until May 18, 2038.
ATI said the new agreement marks a significant milestone as it celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, “marking another defining chapter in its four-decade journey of enabling trade, connecting industries, and supporting Philippine economic growth.”
“The renewal of Manila South Harbor’s concession is an affirmation of the successful collaboration between the public and private sector. Under this framework, we take pride in transforming our flagship terminal into a vital gateway for commerce, creating opportunities for businesses, generating livelihoods, and connecting Filipino products and industries to global markets,” ATI president Eusebio Tanco said.
“Together with our strategic partners DP World and Maharlika Investment Corp., this milestone gives us an even stronger foundation to build on the gains of the past 40 years and ensure that Manila South Harbor continues to serve the evolving needs of our country, our people, and future generations,” Tanco added.
Strategic partner DP World
In a separate statement, Essa Kazim, executive chairman of DP World, ATI’s foreign strategic partner, said the concession renewal “provides the certainty needed to plan and invest for decades ahead.”
DP World Asia Pacific chief executive officer and managing director Jason Varsamidis, for his part, said the renewal “is a strong endorsement of ATI’s track record and the long-term partnership it has built with the Philippine Port Authority.”
“Over four decades, ATI has played an important role in developing the infrastructure that supports Philippine trade, and this agreement provides the foundation to build on that legacy. As ATI’s partner, our focus is now on the next phase of ATI’s development, including investment in capacity, technology and more sustainable operations to ensure Manila South Harbour remains competitive, efficient and responsive to the evolving needs of customers,” Varsamidis added.
Future-proofing MSH
ATI said central to this commitment is future-proofing MSH to respond proactively to changing trade patterns, increasing cargo volumes, and the evolving needs of shipping lines, importers, exporters, and the broader logistics community.
This includes capacity expansion, the deployment of greener and more energy-efficient cargo-handling equipment, increased automation, and the adoption of advanced digital technologies to deliver safer, smarter, and more sustainable end-to-end ports and logistics solutions to customers.
READ: AISL, ATI meet on moving cargo faster at Manila, Batangas ports
Over the past 40 years, ATI has invested more than P42 billion in developing and modernizing its Philippine port facilities, contributing to the movement of approximately 30 million twenty-foot equivalent units of containers, 57 million metric tons of non-containerized cargo, and 70 million passengers across its operations.
Aside from MSH, ATI also operates Batangas port, Tanza Barge Terminal, offdock yards in Manila and Laguna, and has strategic investment in South Cotabato Integrated Port Services, Inc.
