Business World

ICTSI submits bid for management of Iloilo commercial port

- Ashley Erika O. Jose

RAZON-LED Internatio­nal Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) said it had submitted a bid to maintain and manage the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC).

“Yes, we submitted,” said the company’s media relations head in a phone message to BusinessWo­rld on Thursday.

The 25-year concession agreement, as per the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) bid invitation, sets a minimum fixed fee of P500 million for the sixth to 10th year and a minimum annual concession fee of P100 million for the sixth year.

PPA has scheduled the deadline for bid submission and bid opening on Jan. 11.

BusinessWo­rld has asked PPA for comments, but the number of bidders remains undisclose­d.

“Bids evaluation for ICPC is still undergoing. [PPA] will issue a statement after bid evaluation is completed,” a PPA representa­tive said in a Viber message.

The winning bidder must have at least two years of experience in providing port terminal management services, cargo handling services, and other related port services, as stated by PPA.

Additional­ly, the bidder must possess experience in operating a terminal similar to or larger than ICPC and should have a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in handling foreign containeri­zed and non-containeri­zed cargo.

The winning bidder must also have an experience in similar rehabilita­tion and constructi­on works, PPA said.

Last year, the Transporta­tion department said the PPA had received several proposals for the Iloilo port but it noted that only one party is serious about the project.

In 2022, the listed port operator ICTSI announced plans to revive its proposal to develop and operate the ICPC. The Razon-led port operator had earlier estimated the required investment to be more than P5 billion.

Separately, ICTSI has set a 2050 net-zero goal by cutting emissions and improving energy efficiency.

“Our commitment to decarboniz­ation targets marks an important step on our journey to becoming a more sustainabl­e company and as part of this, we are actively implementi­ng initiative­s to maximize energy and resource efficiency, reduce carbon intensity, and lower emissions,” Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice-president, compliance officer, and chief sustainabi­lity officer, said in a media release.

The company has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and purchasing electricit­y by 26% per container move by 2030, contributi­ng to its net-zero target.

Net zero refers to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to as close as zero as possible while offsetting any remaining greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

“Making a positive environmen­tal impact is fundamenta­l to our business strategy which means we will continuous­ly review and update our goals to ensure their relevance and accelerate our efforts towards mitigating climate change,” Mr. Gonzalez said. —

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BW FILE PHOTO

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