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Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. is future proofing Subic port by investing in more equipment and technologies
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The Subic port operator is deploying four new near-zero emission rubber-tired gantry cranes, four new post-Panamax quay cranes, additional reefer plugs and racks, and automated gates
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SBITC is also reviving its one-stop shop for port and government services, and has begun implementing a new digital platform for online payments and truck appointments
Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) is future proofing Subic port by investing in more equipment and technologies, said Mikkel Puyat, commercial director-Philippines cluster of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), parent company of SBITC, at the recent 3rd Central Luzon Transport & Trade Conference and Exhibit 2025.
SBITC is deploying four new near-zero emission (NZE) rubber-tired gantry cranes, and four new post-Panamax quay cranes, as well as installing additional reefer plugs and racks, and automated gates at New Container Terminals 1 and 2 in Subic port.
In addition, the company is reviving its one-stop shop (OSS) for port and government services, and has begun implementation of its new digital platform for online payments and truck appointments.
These investments “are future-proofing Subic and positioning it to support regional and trans-Pacific trade routes,” and reflect the port operator’s “long-term confidence in the growth potential of Central Luzon as a trade and logistics hub,” Puyat said at the conference organized by PortCalls and the Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association, Inc.
The improvements in Subic port are part of ICTSI’s development of hubs outside its flagship in Manila, providing customers “multimodal options and solutions,” Puyat told PortCalls at the sidelines of the event.
He noted strong volume growth in Subic port, with terminal capacity utilization “at a very healthy figure of around 60%, a very good industry benchmark standard for international container terminals.”
Another area of growth is cold chain logistics, he said. With reefer services in high demand in Central Luzon, SBITC is increasing its reefer capacity from 675 plugs to 1,000 plugs with proper reefer racks by the end of 2025.
“All of these will give agro-industrial exporters and frozen goods importers all the flexibility they need here at the terminal,” Puyat said.
For next year, four latest generation NZE hybrid cranes are expected to be delivered at Subic port. These cranes consume just 0.8 liters of fuel per hour and their use is a major step toward reducing the terminal’s operational and carbon footprint. They support ICTSI’s long-term commitment to more energy efficient and eco-friendly terminal operations, Puyat said.
READ: ICTSI targets 26% cut in GHG emissions by 2030
Also for next year, SBITC will roll out its automated gates system featuring cameras and the latest optical character recognition to automatically detect container number, truck plate number, and check for damages in the container, all in the interest of improving terminal safety and efficiencies.
Puyat said the system will eventually reduce truck dwell times, enable better flow of control, and contribute to safer and more efficient yard operations. ICTSI’s flagship, the Manila International Container Terminal, already employs automated gates.
By mid-2026, an OSS will come into operation. It will house 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 into a single zone so that customers will no longer need to physically go to different regulatory offices to clear their cargo. Puyat said the OSS aims to minimize delays and boost ease of doing business at Subic.
An OSS was opened in Subic port as early as 2015 but closed during the pandemic.
Looking further ahead, SBITC expects delivery in 2032 of four newer generation post-Panamax quay cranes (18 rows across). The cranes will allow the port to serve post-Panamax vessels, which are up to 8,500 twenty-foot equivalent units in size.
Puyat said the larger vessels will benefit consumers and exporters who will have access to “even larger global markets at a more increased economic scale.”
Navigate digital platform
Last December, ICTSI launched the Navigate platform in Subic port as pilot terminal.
Navigate is a digital platform that streamlines container flow, simplifies truck schedules, and provides 24/7 online payment.
It became mandatory use for Subic port clients early this year. Puyat said compliance is now 99%, with payments done 100% online; truck appointments are close to 99% in compliance.
After Subic port, ICTSI eyes implementation of Navigate in NorthPort, its domestic port in Manila North Harbor.
ICTSI also has its own mobile application that gives port users access to the company’s digital services, including monitoring of truck, container, and vessels, billing computation, and online payment.
Meanwhile, a 24/7 customer support team for Subic was deployed earlier this year to provide clients all information they need at their fingertips.
Connecting to Asia
Aside from equipment upgrades and use of digital technology, Puyat said Subic port is now directly connected to key Asian markets, including Japan, China, Vietnam, and Singapore, which are major transshipment hubs that connect to other parts of the world.
“All of these links are enabled by frequent regular weekly vessel calls from all the major carriers, which open broader opportunities to all the shippers in the region. This is really a game changer here as it allows Central Luzon [to] no longer be dependent on a port like Manila, but to have its own backdoor gateway, such as Subic to reach all these important regional and international markets,” Puyat said.
Recent service additions this year include Hapag-Lloyd’s China-Philippines Feeder service, which includes Subic port in its rotation Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, Batangas, Manila, and Subic.
Also this year, SITC’s China-Philippines Express 4 (CPX 4) service was introduced, with calls to Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya, Shanghai, Wenzhou, Subic Bay, and Manila South. – Roumina Pablo
