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The Philippine Coast Guard and PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority have set up an advanced vessel traffic management system at the Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental
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The Coast Guard on March 28 offloaded equipment from its 44-meter Multi-Role Response Vessel, marking the start of its collaboration with PHIVIDEC to enhance maritime safety and security in Macajalar Bay
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The VTMS equipment includes radar systems, automatic identification system, and very high frequency radio
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The new equipment is part of the MOA signed by both parties on March 28 that renews the expired MOA signed by both parties in 2009
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Under the agreement, PHIVIDEC will provide infrastructure and utilities at the Mindanao Container Terminal complex while PCG will install and operate the VTMS, targeting full functionality within one year
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority (PHIVIDEC-IA) have set up an advanced vessel traffic management system (VTMS) at the Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
The Coast Guard of March 28 offloaded the equipment, which includes radar systems, automatic identification system, and very high frequency radio from its 44-meter multi-role response vessel, marking the implementation of a new memorandum of agreement signed by PCG and PHIVIDEC also on March 28.
The MOA, which renews an expired agreement signed by both parties in 2009, is aimed at replacing PHIVIDEC-IA’s obsolete VTMS to enhance vessel traffic monitoring and prevent collisions at Macajalar Bay. It includes providing PCG with billeting and berthing facilities in the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate-Misamis Oriental (PIE-MO).
Under the agreement, PHIVIDEC-IA will provide infrastructure and utilities at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) Complex while PCG will install and operate the VTMS, targeting full functionality within one year. MCT is located inside PIE-MO.
This initiative complies with international maritime standards, such as the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea Convention, and strengthens vessel traffic management, safety, and law enforcement in the region.
“This partnership with the Philippine Coast Guard is a testament to our dedication to safety and progress. Together, we are building a stronger, more secure maritime future for Mindanao,” PHIVIDEC-IA administrator Atty. Joseph Donato Bernedo said in a statement.
“The VTMS at MCT Complex will elevate our ability to protect lives, secure our waters, and uphold maritime laws. We are proud to collaborate with PHIVIDEC-IA in this vital endeavor,” PCG deputy commandant for operations Edgar Ybañez said.
PHIVIDEC-IA said the 10-year partnership, renewable for another decade, underscores its commitment to fostering a safe and efficient maritime hub in Northern Mindanao, with tangible progress already underway.
Earlier, PHIVIDEC-IA said the VTMS “will be of great advantage to the entire industrial zone in preparation for the MCT expansion, attracting international shipping lines as well as new and potential investors.”
MCT operator Mindanao International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (MICTSI) earlier said it plans to invest more than $100 million to extend the terminal’s berth from the current 300 meters to 600 meters, build other support infrastructure, and purchase additional equipment to significantly increase capacity from its present 350,000 twenty-foot equivalent units.
PHIVIDEC-IA said the expansion project will address the need to expand the terminal’s current container volume handling capacity or utilization rate, which reached maximum capacity in 2020.
PHIVIDEC-IA also extended for another 25 years, or until 2058, MICTSI’s concession term to operate and manage MCT.
READ: ICTSI firm secures 25-year extension to operate Mindanao Container Terminal
