Experts say operating ratio of Batangas port remains low

MANILA, Philippines - An expert commissioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said the operating ratio of the Batangas Container Terminal being considered as alternative to the Port of Manila amid the truck ban imposed by the city government of Manila remained low.

In a report, Ryujiro Sasao, external evaluator of IC Net Ltd., said the volume of container cargo to be handled by Batangas Port has fell short of the target volume since the completion of the project in March of 2010.

“The operating ratio of the container terminal constructed by this project remains low, falling short of the target volume of container cargo to be handled. For this reason, the project has shown only an extremely limited effect on local employment and the economic growth of local businesses, thus its effectiveness and impact is low,” he said.

He also pointed out that the number of container ships servicing the Batangas Port is only one ship a week.

“Currently, the number of container ships scheduled for service at Batangas Port sits at only one ship per week,” he added.

The review puts into question the supposed capability of the Batangas Port to provide an alternative to the busy port of Manila.

According to the assessment the start of full-scale operations at Batangas Port was significantly delayed beyond the original plan of March 2002 to December 2007 due to prolonged land acquisition and resettlement.

“Although the project cost was within the plan, the project period significantly exceeded the plan therefore efficiency of the project is fair,” he said.

Sasao said the total amount of container cargo handled on Luzon plateaued as the shift in the handling of container cargo from the Port of Manila to Batangas Port has not occurred resulting in the low level of achievement of project goals in the Batangas Container Terminal.