The P16.9-billion New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP) is targeted to be operational by the second quarter of 2028 and will help save on vessel waiting costs and reduce cargo transport and congestion-related expenses, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The DOTr, Cebu Port Authority and HJ Shipbuilding and Construction broke ground Wednesday for the new port project in Consolacion, Cebu, which will rise on a 25-hectare reclaimed island with a 500-meter berth length and a water depth of negative 12 meters.
The NCICP is set to accommodate two 2,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit vessels which will increase the operational capacity of the main cargo gateway in Central Visayas and decongest the roads in the Cebu baseport area.
The NCICP will address congestion at the Cebu base port as it will open up space for vessels and cargoes, ensuring efficient and faster turnaround of commercial vessels, while improving handling and container stacking facilities, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said in a statement released Feb. 5.
“This redistribution will pave the way for a seamless flow of goods and services, ensuring our economy remains robust and dynamic,” Bautista said during the groundbreaking ceremony in Barangay Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu.
He noted the various benefits of the NCICP: alleviating bottlenecks in the logistics chain, promoting faster and more cost-efficient transport of goods, and enhancing the competitiveness of local businesses and industries.
“The benefits of this project extend far beyond its physical structure. It is expected to generate a wide array of advantages for users, the local community, and the public sector,” Bautista said.
With the new cargo port, users can save in vessel waiting costs, reduce cargo transport and congestion-related costs, and increase income from land leases, he added.
Other expected benefits are job creation, local business opportunities, development of regional industries, global competitiveness of Cebu industries and establishing Cebu as regional logistics hub, Bautista said.
He also said national and local governments will have increased tax revenues as well as environmental cost savings due to better operational efficiencies and modern technology.
The cargo port project is implemented under an official development assistance scheme from the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) and transaction adviser International Finance Corp. of the World Bank.
After the groundbreaking of the NCICP, Bautista met with KEXIM senior executive director Kiyeon Hwang, discussing other transport projects in the aviation, road and railway sectors.
Other big-ticket projects supported by the Republic of Korea, through KEXIM, are the Maritime Safety Enhancement Project, relocation of the New Dumaguete International Airport, Light Rail Transit line 2 extension up to Cogeo in Antipolo, Automated Fare Collection System, Pangasinan New Airport and a New Airport Backup System.
