ATI, Shipping Lines join hands to improve port trade flow
February 19, 2019
Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) and its international shipping line partners have come together to improve trade flow via Manila South Harbor to proactively address current logistics challenges, particularly the build-up of empty containers in the supply chain.
In a collaborative session hosted by ATI recently, major international shipping lines have agreed in principle to cooperate and share vessel resources to immediately evacuate empty containers from Manila and surrounding areas through Manila South Harbor. For its part, ATI will dedicate ample resources to handle the requirements of the shipping lines to ensure quick turnaround time.
The participating shipping lines, namely: CMA-CGM Group, T.S. Lines, Evergreen,Yang Ming Lines, Wan Hai Lines and Hyundai Merchant Marine, will jointly pullout over 10,000 teus (twenty-foot equivalent units) of empty containers from the port for recirculation to other Asian destinations on a weekly basis. Other major shipping lines may join the initiative in the near future.
This synergy shows good faith among the shipping lines in support of government’s efforts to ease the flow of trade into the country.
Over the past weeks, the industry has seen high inventory of empty containers which has hampered normal truck cycles and has adversely impacted port efficiency levels.
“The idea is that after cargo discharge, the vessels docked at the port will load empty containers, regardless of which shipping line owns such container,” ATI executive vice president William Khoury said.
Doing so will greatly improve the entire container recirculation process,fast-track truck turnaround time and ultimately bring port operations to optimum levels.
“Today we have come together as one port community, showing that we are committed to improve trade flows for our customers and for the benefit of the entire economy,” Khoury said.
“We believe this is the right direction to solve the industry-wide problem,”he added.
Meanwhile, ATI continues to encourage its clients to expediently pullout laden boxes, especially during weekends and holidays, optimizing such periods when there is less traffic volume on major roads.
Manila South Harbor is open for business 24/7.
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