BOC to develop Port of San Fernando into cargo hub

The Bureau of Customs on Monday announced plans to transform the Port of San Fernando in La Union into a major cargo hub. By the end of the month, a containerized vessel is set to sail its maiden voyage to the Port of San Fernando, Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said. The plan to turn the port into a cargo hub is not new — the bureau in the early 1990s planned to introduce a container system in the port for big companies such as Bacnotan Cement, San Miguel Corp. and Philipps Mining. The plan however, did not push through because of the lack of funds to upgrade its structural foundation. The port can only support bulk and break-bulk shipments but not container van shipments. This time, the bureau plans to use a mother vessel to gather Region 1-bound shipments from the Port of Manila where they will be transshipped to San Fernando via smaller containerized feeder vessels. The smaller vessels, Alvarez said, would require smaller equipment for loading and discharging. Alvarez said that these developments are expected to attract investors and create more job opportunities. The vessel that will sail for the Port of San Fernando at the end of May will be supported by the Poro Point Industrial Corp., a company with a 25-year contract as an exclusive cargo handler at the pier. Port authorities have offered to reduce port-related fees, a container yard that accommodates 1,000 twenty-foot equivalent and a provision for reefer containers, dangerous cargo area and other cargo trucks. The Poro Point Management Corp., the management arm of the Bases Conversion Development Authority for the Poro Point Free Port Zone has also pledged to provide a holding area and a Customs examination are for the container shipments. Companies such as Thunderbird Pilipinas Resorts & Hotel and Casino, LATIMCO and the Mama Sita Corp. are expected to benefit from the new system, the Customs Bureau said. — BC/VS, GMA News