SUBIC FREEPORT — Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC) has procured two new additional empty handlers from Kalmar, an industry forerunner in terminal automation and energy-efficient container handling, as part of its efforts to boost port operations in 2019.
SBITC said that the Kalmar empty container handlers will be used to directly support the latest offering of the terminal – the Empty Container Depot, which is ready to serve the region and the rest of Luzon’s growing need to move empty containers in and out of the country.
“Our new containers are part of this year’s port improvementplan and will be used in our empty container depot. In fact, our terminal has increased its mobile stacker fleet by 100% compared to January this year,” said SBITC.
Empty container handlers are specialized forklifts designed to efficiently stack empty containers and handle fully loaded containers in the Freeport. Each handler has a lifting capacity of 9 metric tons and can stack empty containers up to 6 feet high, which is essential for port operators to fully maximizespace to load and unload containers.
SBITC expects that the two new container handlers will be fully operational by June 2019. According to the port operator, there will be another equipment arriving within the year to fulfill its port augmentation this year.
“We’re looking forward to the arrival of more cranes later this year to complete our 2019 port improvement plan. We will continue to invest in improving our facilities as a world-class freeport for the benefit of our locators and port users,” SBITC said.
Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation is one of the leading port operators in the world which leverages on fast, reliable, and cost-efficient system. It is the container port operator of the Subic Freeport Area in Subic, Zambales, and serves the industries in Northern and Central Luzon.