PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) has welcomed the three-year performance of the terminal operators at two of its international port facilities.
The Lae and Motukea International port facilities, owned by PNG Ports, are exclusively managed and operated by a global company, International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) South Pacific.
In September 2017, PNG Ports and the government signed a 25-year terminal management agreement with the ICTSI Group to run these two port facilities.
Lae port now trades as the South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT) and Motukea, located outside Port Moresby, as the Motukea International Terminal (MIT).
The agreement with ICTSI was aligned closely with the country’s estimated continued development and growth in the international trade.
Managing Director of PNG Ports, Fego Kiniafa, this week welcomed the performance of ICTSI over the last three years.
Statistics show vessels waiting at anchor to berth at port facilities is now on average one hour, compared to 2015’s average waiting time of 16 hours, while the time spent in port while cargo is being off loaded and loaded has been reduced from at least two days on average to about less than a day now.
Ship turnaround times had decreased on average by half from 38 hours to 18 hours, truck turnaround which was 50 minutes is now an average of 25 minutes, while berth productivity time and the documentation process have also seen a huge cut.
Electronic data interchange and vessel productivity reports which used to take about 12 hours now take around two hours.
“The country’s decision to modernize our two international terminals has achieved results over the last three years,” Mr Kiniafa said.
“The government has planned for continued growth and development in the international trade arena and PNG Ports is pleased to have entered a productive partnership with ICTSI.”
“We look towards enhancing our partnership over the next two decades as we work together to maximize both ports’ potential of bringing high standards of operational efficiency to the two ports for the greater benefit of our port users and the country.”
ICTSI South Pacific is part of the ICTSI Group, a key player in the global ports industry with over 30 years of experience. The ICTSI has its headquarters in Manilla, Philippines, and operates 32 terminals in 19 countries, the closest ones being in Melbourne, Australia, and South Sulawesi in Indonesia.
