North Harbor operator to put up new terminal

A new modern passenger terminal will rise at the Manila North Harbor, the country’s busiest domestic seaport, by this time next year, the government said.

The P200-million passenger terminal that would triple the facility’s capacity is part of a larger P4.9-billion two-year expansion program for the privately-run Manila North Harbor.

“The concessionaire will expand the capacity to 3,000 passengers a day. Today, the capacity is only 1,000,” Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Juan Sta. Ana told reporters Monday.

Speaking at the sidelines of President Aquino’s inspection of Manila’s port district Monday, Sta. Ana said the P4.9 billion to be invested by the private concessionaire would be the first phase of the North Harbor’s overall expansion.

The Manila North Harbor is run by Manila North Harbour Port Inc. (MNHPI), a joint venture between the Romero family’s Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. (65 percent) and San Miguel Corp.-led Petron Corp. (35 percent).

MNHPI was originally a partnership between the Romero family and the group of Manuel V. Pangilinan. The latter left the company after failing to wrest control of the company from the Romeros.

The new passenger terminal will be completed by early next year. Construction started last month. The rest of the works under the first phase would be done by the end of 2013.

Sta. Ana said to help MNHPI, the PPA was also talking with the Manila City local government to help in the relocation of over 700 informal settlers residing insider and around North Harbor.

In the meantime, Globalport 900 Inc., the listed holding firm owned by the Romero family, said it had acquired Platinum Dredging Inc. from Sultan 900 Inc.