To capitalize on the Philippines’ steady trade outlook despite US tariffs, Manila South Harbor, the nation’s leading international trade gateway, is expanding its cargo handling capabilities.
Asian Terminals Inc. and DP World invested P5.7 billion on projects which include the extension of Pier 3 berth to over 600 meters, yard expansion to accommodate 20,000 TEUs, the addition of two new Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, and purchase of eco-friendly landside equipment.
In all, the recent development projects bring MSH’s annual throughput capacity to over two million TEUs, growing capacity by over 25% from 1.45 million TEUs, previously. This enables the terminal to accommodate more cargo volume and bigger ships deployed by international carriers, providing faster and safer turnaround times to support the country’s international trade.
The two neo post-panamax STS cranes, manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, are the largest among MSH’s 11 quay-side equipment and among the biggest ever deployed in the Philippines. With an outreach of 58 meters, each STS crane can handle vessels carrying up to 20 containers wide. Each crane is equipped with modern safety and operational features such as intelligent sensing systems for monitoring speed, vibration, and temperature, trailer positioning, anti-collision, and automated diagnostics.
Plans are also underway to deploy electric and hybrid landside equipment, including yard tractors, container loaders and rubber-tired gantry cranes in support of MSH’s carbon reduction initiatives.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon led the formal unveiling of the newly completed infrastructure on May 2, 2025, emphasizing its impact on accelerating and modernizing Philippine trade.
“I commend GM Jay (Santiago) and his team for really pushing the private sector partners to provide these world-class facilities not only for our passengers but to really improve our supply chain,” Dizon.
He noted that what used to be substandard port facilities are now world-class—aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision. Dizon also praised the Batangas Port Passenger Terminal Building as one of the country’s largest and most modern terminals.
“Our people do not deserve the kind of terminals we had in the past—hot, uncomfortable, and lacking proper seating. We deserve the ones like those in Batangas,” he added.
PPA General Manager Jay Santiago highlighted the project’s significance: “These are the largest cranes in the Philippines and we’re proud to say they are fully electric—environmentally responsible. With these new cranes, we expect to increase Manila South Harbor’s capacity from 1.4 million to over 2 million TEUs annually. That’s an additional 600,000 TEUs—faster and more efficient cargo handling.”
DP World Group Chairman and CEO His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem reaffirmed their commitment to the Philippines: “At DP World, we consider the Philippines a major port and logistics hub. That’s why we’re investing in projects like in Batangas, as well as this new expansion.”
“A lot of people see problems. We see opportunities, and we believe that the Philippines will be able to take advantage of whatever happens in the world today. Even with the height of the custom duty, the Philippines still has the lowest among all the Asian countries in their export to the United States,” he added.
Regarding the recent United States tariff increases, GM Santiago assured that the Philippine trade outlook remains stable and even promising.
“So far, we see no negative impact. In fact, the Philippines now has one of the lowest tariffs imposed by the U.S. among Southeast Asian countries, which could make us a more attractive trading partner,” he said.
With the expanded infrastructure and new cranes, the PPA expects faster processing and shorter ship queuing times at Manila South Harbor, ultimately boosting trade flow and efficiency.
“We are very pleased to inaugurate these major development projects that collectively enhances 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,” Eusebio Tanco, ATI president said.
In 2024, ATI handled almost 1.6 million TEUs in cumulative container volume, over 4 percent higher as compared to 2023. Of this, MSH handled around 1.3 million TEUs, nearly 8 percent higher than the total volume it handled the previous year, reflective of the expansion of the country’s economy.
For the first quarter of 2025 alone, MSH handled over 350,000 TEUs of international container boxes, over 25 percent higher compared to the same period in 2024, signaling the strong and resilient growth of the economy.
ATI is the local partner of DP World in the Philippines operating Manila South Harbor, the Integrated Batangas Port, Cavite Barge Terminal, and strategic inland logistics terminals which bring cargoes closer to beneficial cargo owners. The partnership leverages the local expertise of ATI and DP World’s global network and expertise to deliver comprehensive and innovative trade solutions for a more robust Philippine supply-chain.
