Manila South Harbour (MSH), the Philippines’ premier international trade gateway, has received a significant operational boost following the completion of milestone projects. DP World and its strategic partner, Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), have announced a joint investment of approximately US$100 million aimed at promoting long-term economic growth and trade for the Philippines and the Southeast Asia growth corridor.
Major Infrastructure Enhancements
The comprehensive investment includes:
- The extension of Pier 3 berth to over 600 meters with a depth of 13 meters
- Expansion of container yards to achieve a static capacity of more than 20,000 TEUs
- The addition of two new Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, among the largest ever deployed in the Philippines
- The purchase of eco-friendly landside equipment
These recent development projects collectively increase MSH’s annual throughput capacity by over 25%, from 1.45 million TEUs to nearly two million TEUs. This expansion enables the terminal to accommodate higher cargo volumes and larger vessels from international carriers, ensuring faster and safer turnaround times to support the country’s international trade.
The two new neo-post-Panamax STS cranes, manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, are the largest among MSH’s 11 quay-side equipment. With an outreach of 58 meters, each crane can handle vessels carrying up to 20 containers wide and is equipped with modern safety and operational features, including intelligent sensing systems for monitoring speed, vibration, temperature, trailer positioning, anti-collision, and automated diagnostics.
Plans are also underway to deploy electric and hybrid landside equipment, such as yard tractors, container loaders, and rubber-tired gantry cranes, in support of MSH’s carbon reduction initiatives.
Official Ceremony and Leadership Remarks
An official ceremony was held earlier today at MSH to celebrate this significant development. The event was led by Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon and attended by senior leadership from DP World, including His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, as well as Philippine Ports Authority’s General Manager Jay Santiago, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, ATI President Eusebio Tanco, and other major stakeholders, customers, and industry partners.
His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman & CEO, commented: “DP World is honored to be partnering the Philippine government in modernizing and advancing its critical trade infrastructure, by working closely with our local partner ATI. Investment in ports and logistics brings greater value down the value chain and prosperity to communities, a commitment which we embody in DP World as a trade enabler and leader in smart logistics.” He also indicated plans for “more investment projects in the coming years to future-proof the gateway terminals in Manila, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna, in support of the resilient growth of the Philippine economy.”
Hon. Vince Dizon, Department of Transportation Secretary, remarked: “The modernization projects at MSH are a testament to the long-standing private-public-partnership to enhance the country’s trade facilities and capabilities, which are crucial in sustaining the country’s economic growth momentum.” He extended gratitude to ATI and DP World for their operational knowledge, expertise, and resources in enabling robust trade for the Philippines as an emerging economic powerhouse.
Jay Daniel Santiago, Philippine Ports Authority General Manager, stated: “With bigger and more efficient facilities, through our partners in the private sector, we are elevating the capacity and capability of the country’s ports, particularly the Manila South Harbour, to connect the Philippines with the rest of the world, and serve as catalyst to long-term growth and prosperity, in support of port stakeholders.”
Eusebio H. Tanco, ATI President, added: “We are very pleased to inaugurate these major development projects that collectively enhance our capacity and capability in delivering comprehensive and market-responsive services to our customers and stakeholders. ATI, alongside our partners from DP World, stands proud of our contribution to powering economic progress by ensuring supply chain efficiency through ATI’s strategic ports and logistics assets.”
Strong Performance and Future Outlook
In 2024, ATI handled almost 1.6 million TEUs in cumulative container volume, representing over a 4% increase compared to 2023. MSH alone handled approximately 1.3 million TEUs, nearly 8% higher than the previous year, reflecting the country’s economic expansion. For the first quarter of 2025, MSH processed over 350,000 TEUs of international container boxes, a robust 25% increase over the same period in 2024, signaling continued strong and resilient economic growth.
ATI serves as DP World’s local partner in the Philippines, operating Manila South Harbour, the Integrated Batangas Port, Cavite Barge Terminal, and strategic inland logistics terminals. This partnership leverages ATI’s local expertise with DP World’s global network to deliver comprehensive and innovative trade solutions for a more robust Philippine supply chain.
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