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Construction of the Luzon International Container Terminal, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s new terminal in Bauan, Batangas, will commence in September
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The facility’s first phase is eyed for completion by end of 2027
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Once complete, the terminal will have up to 900 meters of quay and be able to handle over 2 million TEUs annually
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It will be equipped with at least eight ship-to-shore gantry cranes and 20 rail-mounted gantry cranes
Construction of the Luzon International Container Terminal (LICT), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) new terminal in Bauan, Batangas, will commence in September, according to Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon in a media briefing following the terminal’s site inspection on August 1. Completion of the first phase is eyed by the end of 2027.
Dizon said LICT is an important project considering the Calabarzon Region–which includes Batangas–is an industrial powerhouse that hosts many manufacturing sites. According to the Bauan local government, there are also plans for industrial and manufacturing sites near LICT, Dizon said.
At the same briefing, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the opening of LICT will help decongest Manila port, and is in keeping with the government push to move cargoes to Southern Luzon and encourage more manufacturing sites to locate in Calabarzon.
He described LICT as a “future-proofing” project of ICTSI for the logistics industry.
Santiago said he believes the opening of LICT will not affect volumes that currently go through Batangas Container Terminal in Batangas City. Instead the two terminals will complement each other, and that the situation will result in more competitive rates and facilities.
“We trust the private sector na hindi naman sila magi-invest nang ganung kalaki (will not invest that much unless) they know that the market is there and unless they know that they will be able to fully utilize the facility and to bring the market to that area,” Santiago noted.
While LICT is not under a concession with PPA, Santiago said the ports authority will still have regulatory oversight on the terminal, including in design, operational and safety standards, and collection of government share on wharfage.
ICTSI in May 2024 announced it was investing $800 million to build LICT. The terminal will be the largest privately-funded marine terminal investment in the country and will eventually be the second-largest container facility after ICTSI’s flagship, the Manila International Container Terminal.
READ: ICTSI to build $800M international container terminal in Bauan, Batangas
The port operator said LICT “will become a catalyst for economic growth across Southern Luzon, creating jobs and accelerating regional development,” adding it is also expected to play a role in providing the marine handling needs required by the country’s renewable energy transition strategy for Southern Luzon.
ICTSI earlier said LICT, together with MICT, will allow the port operator to efficiently balance capacity needs across both the Metro Manila consumption center and Calabarzon.
Upon completion in 2028, LICT will feature up to 900 meters of quay and at least eight ship-to-shore gantry cranes and 20 rail-mounted gantry cranes. It will be able to accommodate mega ships, handle over two million twenty-foot equivalent units per annum, and integrate eco-friendly practices.
The first berth is targeted for completion by the end of 2027.
The project encompasses the development and construction of modern port facilities across a 56.21-hectare land area, including an offshore area with depths of up to approximately 18 meters, essential for accommodating next-generation vessels.
Upon full build, it will have a wharf frontage/quay length of up to 750 meters, with berths capable of berthing vessels ranging from 50,000 DWT to 188,000 DWT. Berth depth will be up to 18 meters.
A key feature of LICT is its ability to handle mega ships, a growing trend in global shipping aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impact. These larger vessels can carry significantly more cargo, offering several environmental benefits, ICTSI noted.
The terminal will have direct access to Southern Luzon’s expressways through the completion of the Bauan-San Pascual-Batangas-STAR tollway diversion road. Additional expressway projects from Cavite to Bauan by Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and San Miguel Corporation are expected to further enhance the new port’s connectivity, making it the most efficiently connected maritime facility in Luzon by both capacity and route access, ICTSI added. – Roumina Pablo
