ATI deploys more cranes in South Harbor to support PHL trade

March 05, 2025

Listed trade enabler Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) recently took delivery of two state-of-the-art Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, boosting the capacity and capabilities of its flagship terminal Manila South Harbor (MSH) to support the robust growth of the Philippine economy.

The deployment of the cranes marks a significant operational milestone for MSH which is now complemented by a fleet of 11 modern STS cranes alongside hybrid and conventional rubber-tired gantries and other cargo handling equipment to make trade flow faster, safer, and smarter.

The cranes are integral to the continuous modernization program at MSH in response to evolving customer needs, future market requirements, and in line with ATI’s long-term investment commitment with the Philippine Ports Authority. This is well-timed with the scheduled completion of MSH’s Pier 3 redevelopment, highlighted by its extended quay length to nearly 600-meters to accommodate more and bigger vessels deployed by ATI’s international carrier partners.

The Neo-Panamax cranes, manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, are the largest among ATI’s existing quay-side equipment, and are considered among the biggest deployed in the Philippines to date. With an outreach of 58-meters, each STS crane can handle vessels carrying up to 20 container rows wide. Backed by eco-friendly powertrains, along with innovative technologies and safety features, the cranes can execute quicker container cycles which would redound to faster vessel turn-around time.

“The deployment of these two new cranes significantly boosts Manila South Harbor’s capacity and efficiency, allowing us to handle larger vessels and more cargoes which directly benefit the Philippines as an emerging economic center in the region,” ATI director William Khoury said.

“In partnership with government, we are lining up more investment in the coming years to futureproof our gateway terminals in Manila, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna in support of the resilient and sustainable growth of the Philippine economy,” Khoury added.

In 2024, ATI handled a cumulative volume of almost 1.6 million teus (twenty-foot equivalent units),over 4% higher compared to 2023. Of this, MSH handled nearly 1.3 million teus, or around 8% higher than the total volume it handled the previous year, reflective of the growth of the country’s economy.

Following the completion of its land- and sea-side development projects, along with the deployment of new cranes and other systems upgrades, MSH is now positioned to handle nearly 2.0 million teus in annual container throughput, from its previous capacity of 1.45 million teus.