Container volume at the Batangas Container Terminal (BCT) grew by as much as 254 percent as of the second quarter of 2014, sustaining its momentum from a strong first quarter.

Eight vessels are now servicing BCT, which connects shippers of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon) directly to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and other key regional and global markets.

More international carriers are expected to include BCT to their port rotations, according to the port’s operator Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI).

“We have a great product in Batangas Port which is fully equipped with all the industry expertise one could expect from an experienced Filipino port operator backed by global port leader DP World,” ATI executive vice president Andrew Hoad said.

ATI said the port’s performance since the fourth quarter of 2013 improved even before the Manila’s truck ban.

In the first quarter of 2014, cargo grew by 194 percent.

BCT’s container volume from January to June already surpassed its 2013 full year mark.

Hoad stressed that the port is capable of handling Calabarzon’s current and future cargo.

Source: ABS-CBN News