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The Philippine Ports Authority is bidding out the supply and installation of a vessel traffic management system for Panay/Guimaras port
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PPA will spend P400 million of its corporate budget for the project, which also includes construction of a central control center
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The VTMS will monitor and manage vessel traffic, “ensuring ensure optimal coverage and response in navigational waterways”
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is bidding out the supply and installation of a vessel traffic management system for its Port Management Office (PMO) in Panay/Guimaras, which covers Visayas Container Terminal (VCT), among others.
In an invitation to bid, PPA said it will spend P400 million of its corporate budget for the project that involves procurement, installation, testing, and commissioning of a VTMS and construction of a central control center.
PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago earlier said the agency is bidding out the VTMS that will cover VCT as the terminal handles more foreign ships following the takeover of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) this year.
READ: PPA to invite bids for Iloilo terminal vessel traffic system
ICTSI last January won the 25-year contract to operate and develop Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC), which it renamed VCT. The terminal started commercial operations under ICTSI last April.
READ: PPA hands over Iloilo Commercial Port to Visayas Container Terminal
PPA earlier said that from April to August 2024, VCT experienced a 16% year-on-year increase in foreign vessel calls, and a 79% rise in foreign cargo throughput.
VCT is one of the ports covered by PMO Panay/Guimaras, including the base ports of Fort San Pedro and Iloilo River Wharf, and other ports in Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Guimaras.
The VTMS in PMO Panay/Guimaras will be PPA’s third, aside from the VTMS covering the ports of Manila and Batangas.
In its bid documents, PPA said the VTMS, which will be integrated with the Central Monitoring and Information System at PPA’s head office in Manila, will monitor and manage vessel traffic, “ensuring ensure optimal coverage and response in navigational waterways.”
The system will be compliant with International Association of Marine Aids to navigation and Lighthouse Authorities standards, and includes operational support, a two-year warranty, and three-year maintenance support.
Key components such as sensors, communication, and navigation equipment will complement existing VTMS systems across Manila and Batangas, providing seamless compatibility and improved maritime safety, PPA noted.
The system also aims to ensure compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s Safety to Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention to uphold international maritime standards.
It also aims to enhance the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic in harbors and approach zones to reduce accident risks, protect the marine environment by minimizing the chances of vessel-related operational oversight, and provide vessels with critical navigational information and guidance for safe passage.
The system will also act as source of information exchange for the port and maritime sectors, especially during emergencies or search and rescue operations by the Philippine Coast Guard.
Project implementation period is within 18 months from the issuance of the notice to proceed, while the 24-month warranty period will start the day after the completion of the project.
Interested parties may submit their bids to PPA on or before January 22, 2025, the same day for the opening of bids for the project. – Roumina Pablo
