ICTSI’s Subic unit gears up for surge in holiday shipments

MANILA, Philippines — ICTSI subsidiary Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) is ready to accommodate the annual surge in shipments to meet the growth in consumer demand this holiday season.

“The country’s appetite for imported goods is typically highlighted during the Christmas holiday up until Chinese New Year.  With a healthy GDP outlook, we can expect this trend to remain a key driver in container volume growth in the months to come,” SBITC said.

SBITC, the container port operator of Subic Freeport Area, said cargo volume has experienced continuous growth for 13 straight months since 2017.

“Recently, we have confirmed further investments in port equipment and systems to continuously outpace market growth.  This allows the terminal to remain healthy from a utilization standpoint which we continue to deliver to our customers both at the quay and our gates,” SBITC said.

Goods that commonly pass through Subic Freeport include agricultural equipment, grains and fertilizers, electronic parts and general department store merchandise for North and Central Luzon businesses, particularly in Pampanga and Bulacan.

Aside from shipments coming in from Manila, SBITC said it has seen an influx of inquiries from markets in Visayas and Mindanao who see the SBMA and SBITC as key levers to their supply chain strategies for their respective markets. 

“Businesses in North and Central Luzon benefit most from our services, but we have seen shipments destined not only for Manila, but in Visayas and Mindanao as well. SBITC works with other ports in the Philippines to ensure operational excellence is attained as goods move through these key markets that are in and out of the Philippines,” it said.

SBITC said its utilization of the one-stop-shop would further ease shipments since all necessary documentations with its key partners will be accomplished inside the terminal. 

“From enough space and manpower to increased efficiency through our one-stop-shop, our terminal is ready to accommodate the surge of cargo handling services not just this holiday peak season, but well into 2019 and beyond,” SBITC said. 

SBITC is a common-user and multi-purpose terminal, providing on and off-dock marine port cargo and container handling services.