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Subic Bay International Terminal Corp is deploying additional reefer racks and four near-zero emission RTG cranes at Subic port’s NCT 1 and 2 by Q4 2026
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Automated gates and a one-stop shop consolidating all port and regulatory agencies will go live in Q1 2027
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Four post-Panamax quay cranes will be added by 2032, enabling the port to handle vessels of up to 8,500 TEUs
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The upgrades are part of ICTSI’s $130-million investment plan to grow Subic port’s combined annual capacity from 600,000 to 1 million TEUs
Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) is pressing ahead with a multi-year infrastructure push at Subic port, with a series of upgrades scheduled through 2032 as part of a $130-million investment plan.
Additional reefer racks, reefer plugs, and four near-zero emission (NZE) rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs) are set for deployment at New Container Terminals (NCT) 1 and 2 by the fourth quarter of the year. The NZE RTGs align with parent company International Container Terminal Services, Inc’s (ICTSI) commitment to more energy-efficient and eco-friendly terminal operations, according to ICTSI vice president for Philippines Portfolio Phillip Marsham at the recent 4th Central Luzon Transport & Trade Conference & Exhibit 2026.
READ: SBITC future proofs Subic port with more equipment, technologies
Gate automation and a revived one-stop shop (OSS) for port and government services are targeted for the first quarter of 2027. The automated gate system will use cameras and optical character recognition to automatically detect container numbers, truck plate numbers, and container damage — improving both safety and efficiency.
The OSS will consolidate all port operations and regulatory agencies — including Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Bureau of Customs, Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Philippine Economic Zone Authority — under one roof, sparing customers the need to visit multiple offices to clear cargo. A similar facility operated at Subic port from 2015 until it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Four next-generation post-Panamax quay cranes will be deployed in 2032, enabling the port to handle vessels of up to 8,500 twenty-equivalent units.
Marsham said the investments are aimed at securing Subic port’s long-term future and sustaining its current yard utilization rate of 60%.
The full-investment plan targets an increase in NCTs 1 and 2’s combined annual capacity from 600,000 TEUs to 1 million TEUs, covering civil infrastructure and additional equipment.
SBMA extended SBITC’s and ICTSI Subic Inc.’s contracts by 25 years last year, running until 2058.
Subic port is currently served by 11 shipping lines with direct connections to Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Brunei, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. — Roumina Pablo
