ICTSI unit begins operations in Papua New Guinea

A UNIT of global port operator International Container Terminal services, Inc. (ICTSI) has started operations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) after obtaining the go-signal from the government.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said ICTSI South Pacific International Container Terminal ( SPICT) will kick off the transition by rolling out the terminal’s new operating system Navis N4 — a first of its kind in PNG and the global standard for container terminal planning and operations management.

The system is expected to streamline the flow of information at Lae’s international container terminal and increase seaside and landside productivity levels.

“We anticipate further benefits from delivering (mobile harbor cranes or MHCs) to the site and look forward to seeing a continuous improvement in operations at SPICT from the deployment of the (terminal operating system) to achieving the first MHC move in the near term,” ICTSI Head of Asia Pacific Christian R. Gonzalez was quoted in the statement as saying.

ICTSI expects that a full and stable suite of modules will be operational and ready in time for the arrival of SPICT’s MHCs in April that will further boost productivity levels at Lae and deliver vessel handling capabilities previously unattained in PNG.

ICTSI South Pacific’s investment in IT systems and infrastructure is expected to surpass 3 million Kina (P47.5 million) this year.

SPICT signed a 25-year terminal operations agreement with state- owned PNG Ports Corp. Limited last July. The ICTSI unit will handle the deployment of cranes and other equipment at Port of Lae, the largest container handling facility in Papua New Guinea.

Shares in ICTSI added P3.50 apiece or 3.18% to close at P113.50 apiece on Wednesday. —