Philippines’ Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) and its strategic partner, DP World of Dubai, unveiled the PhP 5.7 billion extension project of Pier 3 berth, boosting the capacity and capability of Manila South Harbor (MSH) and creating a world-class facility for the Philippines’ premier international trade gateway.
ATI President Eusebio Tanco and DP World’s senior leadership, led by His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, along with Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, and major industry stakeholders, were present at the ceremonial launch of the ship-to-shore cranes on May 2, 2025, graced by Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon.
Capacity
The modernization project at Manila South Harbor includes extending the 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 the purchase of eco-friendly landside equipment.
This investment increases MSH’s annual throughput capacity to over two million TEUs, growing capacity by over 25 percent from the previously recorded 1.45 million TEUs. This enhancement enables the terminal to accommodate more cargo volume and larger 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 are 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, including intelligent sensing systems for monitoring speed, vibration, and temperature, trailer positioning, anti-collision mechanisms, 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.
More projects
In a speech, DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem revealed they are seeing huge economic potential and are “lining up more investment projects in the coming years to future-proof the gateway terminals in Manila, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna in support of the resilient growth of the Philippine economy.”
He expressed his appreciation for the Philippine government and its partner ATI for their commitment to port modernization infrastructure.
“ATI. Investment in ports and logistics brings greater value down the value chain and prosperity to communities, a commitment which we embody in DP World as a trade enabler and leader in smart logistics,” he said.
For his part, Mr. Tanco commented that ATI and DP World’s investment reflects strong confidence from the private sector in the Philippine economy under President Marcos. He stated that ATI shares the objective of building a robust supply chain. With the expansion of the Pier 3 berth, he expects the country to be able to move trade faster and smarter.
“We are very pleased to inaugurate these major development projects that collectively enhance 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,” Tanco said.
World Class
Secretary Dizon cited the world-class ATI terminals when he visited the Batangas passenger port in preparation for Holy Week and shared, “I saw the best and most modern terminal in the country. I thought I was in Singapore. I hope all passenger terminals will be like Batangas. This is the way to go.”
Dizon emphasized that Filipinos do not deserve the kind of terminals the country has had in the past—hot, uncomfortable, and lacking proper seating. “We deserve terminals like those in Batangas,” he said, extending his gratitude to ATI and DP World for the world-class infrastructure expected to facilitate robust trade in the Philippines as an emerging economic powerhouse in the Asia-Pacific region.
PPA’s Santiago cited the new equipment saying, “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.”
“With bigger and more efficient facilities, through our partners in the private sector, we are elevating the capacity and capability of the country’s ports, particularly the Manila South Harbor, to connect the Philippines with the rest of the world and serve as a catalyst for long-term growth and prosperity in support of port stakeholders.”
In 2024, MSH handled around 1.3 million TEUs, nearly 8 percent higher than the total volume it handled the previous year, reflecting 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% 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.
