International Container Terminal Service : Full utilization of Roxas Boulevard service roads to improve supply chain

Full utilization of Roxas Boulevard service roads to improve supply chain

Monday, May 15, 2017

The move of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to fully utilize the Roxas Boulevard service roads for moving vehicles and clear it of road obstruction will benefit businesses, especially improving the supply chain.

MMDA´s recent clearing operations in Roxas´ service roads has gained private sector support with port operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), representing stakeholders of the Port of Manila, saying that a wider Roxas Boulevard will significantly improve the movement of goods.

'We welcome MMDA's move to optimize the service roads of Roxas Boulevard for the use of moving vehicles, and to improve the flow of traffic in one of Metro Manila's busiest thoroughfares by discontinuing its use for vehicle parking,' says Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI Senior Vice President and Head of Asia Pacific Region.
'This would also allow container trucks to travel at a faster pace in Roxas' TABS lane, improving the flow of hinterland trade south of Metro Manila, in and out of the Port,' he adds.

The TABS lane, exclusively designated for container trucks with TABS booking, covers a long stretch of Roxas Boulevard leading to South Harbor and ICTSI's flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) via Bonifacio Drive and Delpan.
TABS or the Terminal Appointment Booking System is an MMDA-endorsed, online scheduling system that manages truck movement over a period of 24 hours in and out of the Port of Manila.

'Aside from improving flow of trade and easing the traffic in Metro Manila roads, TABS works side by side with the MMDA's move to clear the Roxas service roads of parked vehicles and other obstructions,' says Mr. Gonzalez.

'All of these redound to faster movement of people and goods, resulting in improved economic activity,' he adds.
Launched in 2015, TABS facilitated a more organized flow of containerized cargo, which resulted in a more efficient and productive supply chain. Container trucks without TABS appointments are subject to the truck ban and are restricted from entering the terminal.
Aside from helping ease the burden of the commuting public, TABS also paved the way for MICT to operate more efficiently by improving yard utilization and reducing both vessel and truck dwell times.

TABS is a partnership of ICTSI, South Harbor operator Asian Terminals Inc., and the city government of Manila, and engaged all port users and supply chain stakeholders in the Port of Manila. Developed by Australia's 1-Stop Connections Pty. Ltd., a similar system has also been implemented at ICTSI's recently opened Victoria International Container Terminal in Melbourne.

About MICT
In 1988, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) won the 25 + 25 years concession to operate the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) in an international tender. Since ICTSI's takeover, MICT has increased its annual capacity five-fold, expanded its container handling fleet to make it the largest and most modern container terminal in the Philippines, and switched from a manual control system to an integrated real-time IT terminal control system. MICT is ICTSI's flagship operation. (www.mictweb.com)

About ICTSI
Headquartered and established in 1988 in Manila, Philippines, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) is in the business of port development, management and operations. As an independent business with no shipping, logistics or consignee-related interests, ICTSI works and transacts transparently with any stakeholder in the port community. ICTSI's portfolio of terminals and projects spans developed and emerging market economies in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa. ICTSI has received global acclaim for its public-private partnerships with governments divesting of their port assets to the private sector. (www.ictsi.com)