Subic cargo firms promise better handling of produce

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

5 Sep 2010

Cargo handling companies in Subic are prepared to invest more capital at the freeport even as they work to improve the flow of agricultural products to and from Northern and Central Luzon “Cargo handling operations at Subic have remained efficient over the years due to our investment in infrastructure and equipment here at the freeport,” said Mario Lorenzo A. Yapjoco, president of Amerasia International Terminal Services, Inc. (AITSI), one of three major cargo handling firms holding service provider contracts with SBMA.
“We were the first cargo handling company to operate at Subic when the US Navy left in 1992," Yapjoco added.
AITSI, together with Subic Seaport Terminal, Inc. (SSTI), Mega Subic Terminal Services Inc. (MSTSI) and several other small cargo handling firms hold service contracts with SBMA.
These cargo handlers have directly and indirectly contributed to SBMA a total of over P1 billion in the last decade.
“AITSI alone paid SBMA approximately P400 million over the last 15 years representing various fees and charges, including SBMA’s share in AITSI’s revenues from stevedoring and arrastre operations," Yapjoco noted.
In 2009, the cargo handlers surpassed their annual quota, for which achievement the SBMA hosted an appreciation cocktail party in their honor.
 “We have been presented by SBMA with various citations, awards and certificates of appreciation on several occasions in recognition of our contribution to SBMA’s repeated achievement of their revenue target goals,” explained Yapjoco.
Over the years and with the coming and going of SBMA administrators, the cargo handlers, backed by their years of experience, expertise, integrity and strong reputation in the cargo handling business, slowly developed the seaport infrastructure and cargo handling industry at Subic.
With service contracts renewed annually, the cargo handling companies ventured into investing at Subic, giving rise to modern cargo loading/unloading equipment, bagging, warehousing and other stevedoring and arrastre facilities at Subic.
These investments were made possible by Subic’s incentive package of duty-free importation of capital equipment at the Freeport.
“Our more than P115 million investment over the last ten years in equipment and facilities enabled us to handle different kinds of break bulk cargo such as rice (in bags), general cargo, live cattle, steel, heavy equipment and project cargo. AITSI is also the preferred stevedoring and arrastre company of more than 41 shipping agencies and consignees, including the National Food Authority (NFA)," said Yapjoco.
Other AITSI clients Asian Shipping, Eastern Shipping Lines, Inc., JBA Shipping, MIZZEN Shipping, Royal Cargo Lines, Altis International Trading Inc., Autowide International, Aviva International Brokerage, Inc., Bataan Automotive Corp., among others.
SSTI, on the other hand, which exclusively handles fertilizer cargo, has invested more than P300 million over the last ten years.
In 2004, SSTI opened a P200-million modern fertilizer terminal facility at Boton Wharf that subsequently benefited farmers in Northern and Central Luzon by reducing the cost of fertilizers. The now busy Boton Wharf used to be one of the most neglected wharves at Subic until SSTI developed it from the ground up, bringing in new equipment.

Source: Manila Bulletin