ASIAN TERMINALS, Inc. (ATI) said it has commissioned two ship-to-shore (STS) cranes to increase handling capacity and operational efficiency at Manila South Harbor, its flagship international container terminal.

“The deployment of these two new cranes significantly boosts Manila South Harbor’s capacity and efficiency, allowing us to handle larger vessels and more cargoes, which directly benefit the Philippines as an emerging economic center in the region,” ATI Director William Khoury said in a media release on Thursday.

ATI said the additional cranes at South Harbor will complement its 11 STS cranes, hybrid and conventional rubber-tired gantries, and other cargo-handling equipment.

The company said the cranes are critical to the modernization of Manila South Harbor and aligned with future market requirements.

“This is well-timed with the scheduled completion of Manila South Harbor’s Pier 3 redevelopment, highlighted by its extended quay length to nearly 600 meters to accommodate more and bigger vessels deployed by ATI’s international carrier partners,” ATI said.

The newly deployed cranes are Neo-Panamax cranes manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries. These are the largest among ATI’s existing quay-side equipment and are considered the biggest in the Philippines, with an outreach of 58 meters.

“In partnership with the government, we are lining up more investments in the coming years to future-proof our gateway terminals in Manila, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna in support of the resilient and sustainable growth of the Philippine economy,” Mr. Khoury said.

In 2024, ATI handled a total volume of nearly 1.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking a 4% increase from the previous year.

The company said it is now capable of handling nearly 2 million TEUs in annual container throughput following the completion of its landside and seaside development projects, along with the deployment of new cranes.

At the stock exchange on Thursday, shares in the company gained 18 centavos, or 1%, to close at P18.16 apiece. — Ashley Erika O. Jose