Madagascar terminal investment rolls out

Philippine firm International Container Terminal Services has started rolling out investment at its new terminal in Madagascar through its subsidiary, Madagascar International Container Terminal Services.

Independent shipping analysts forecast that container traffic through the city, which totaled 104 000 TEUs in 2004, is expected to double by 2009.

The next 24 month period will see significant investment in infrastructure, including the rehabilitation of 280 meters of quay; the strengthening of the terminal's berth C2 so as to be able to accommodate mobile harbor crane operation; on the landside, the rehabilitation of 12 hectares of container stacking area; and the construction of a gatehouse, operations control center and administration building.

The total investment in civil works alone over the next 24 months is expected to exceed $13-million.

Significant investments in container handling equipment have also been undertaken including three reach stackers and 17 terminal tractors acquired from Kalmar, 21 terminal trailers, Stinis autotwist spreader systems, and empty handling equipment.

This initial handling system investment, equivalent to nearly $3-million, will be supplemented over the next 12 months with a further $5-million outlay for the purchase of additional reach stackers and the introduction of rubber tired gantries (RTGs), as well as a phased equipment training program for terminal operations and maintenance staff.

Information technology (IT) system deployment is also a priority. MICTSL has invested in bespoke gate and yard management systems as well as container terminal billing systems developed in-house and first successfully deployed at ICTSI's flagship, Manila International Container Terminal, in the Philippines.

IT systems will continue to be further expanded and refined with the implementation of a full Terminal Operating System (vessel, yard, gate, EDI) by the third quarter of 2006, the installation of an in-house developed productivity yard and monitoring system, and establishing direct links to customs, SGS and Tradenet.

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