Philippines: Cebu Port Dredging Plan Introduced

The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) is all set to implement a P480-million dredging project at the Cebu port to allow the entry of bigger vessels, a CPA official said.

CPA committee on business and finance chairman, CPA commissioner Charles Co said the dredging will include sea lanes from Pier 1 near the South Road Properties (SRP) up to the Cebu International Port (CIP).

Co said funds for the dredging project will be taken from the proceeds of a loan obtained from the Development Bank of the Philippines.

Said dredging work, Co said, will be done to enable the entry of big vessels into Cebu port during low tide.

He said depth or the draft at the CIP currently is only eight meters. “What will be done is to dredge up to 12 meters so that cargo vessels from more countries can easily enter the area,” he said, underlining that “this dredging project is important as we want to increase trade with other countries.”

CPA General Manager Dennis Villamor said the project was supposed to have been started last year but was delayed because of additional requirements that the CPA had to meet.

“We have to follow the law in the implementation of projects including the new guidelines set by the present administration,” Villamor said.

The other CPA commissioners who supported the dredging project are Joselito Pedaria, Benjamin Akol, Vicente Suazo and Tomas Riveral.

“Import and export cargoes must be moved fast inside the port to reduce transport cost,” Akol said, stressing that if a vessel delivering imported goods to the CIP will be delayed even for just one day, the shipping lines will charge additional service fee to the consignee.

[mappress]

Press Release, March 6, 2013