Cebu Port Authority to build P400-M terminal

• Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/06/05/cebu-port-authority-build-p400-m-terminal-477690
• Saturday, June 4, 2016

By Elias O. Baquero

THE Cebu Port Authority (CPA) will start the public bidding process for the P400-million one-stop-shop fastcraft terminal at the Cebu Base Port once the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) will approve its loan application.

CPA General Manager Edmund Tan said the agency’s loan application with DBP in Cebu has been sent to the DBP-Manila for approval.

“Hopefully, it will be approved so we can start the process of bidding our fastcraft terminal at the Cebu Base Port worth P400 million,” Tan said.

Tan said that the Robinsons Galleria Cebu has a pending proposal to construct a skywalk or flyover to connect the newly-opened mall at the North Reclamation Area (NRA) to the fastcraft terminal at the base port, better known as Pier 4.

“But they will only build the skywalk once our terminal will start construction or completed, depending on what Robinsons management decides,” Tan said.

The future fastcraft terminal will be located at the area formerly occupied by Supercat and 2Go. The area was abandoned after it was damaged by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol on Oct. 15, 2013.

Tan said a new and world-class terminal will be the exclusive berthing area for all fastcraft vessels of Oceanjet of Ocean Ferries Inc., Supercat, Weesam and the proposed airport shuttle ferry service where airplane passengers can check-in at the terminal and ride a fast ferry going to the airport via the Anton’s wharf in Lapu-Lapu City.

At present, Tan said taxi drivers and drivers of privately-owned vehicles are confused in conveying their passengers who are taking fastcrafts because some are berthing at Piers 1, 2 and 3.

An exclusive fastcraft terminal will clear this confusion, Tan said.

Aside from the P400 million loan application for the fastcraft terminal, the CPA is also applying for another loan in the amount of P600 million for the expansion of a domestic port beside the Cebu International Port (CIP) so that a quay crane can be installed for domestic port operations.

“Once money is available, which is a requirement before we can start the procurement process, the two projects (terminal and port expansion) can be finished within one-and-a-half year,” he said.

The income of CPA, which reached P1.3 billion in 2015, is seen to increase once the Cebu Port Commission and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) will succeed in reversing the income sharing of port charges at CIP.

At present, CPA is only receiving 20 percent of the CIP income on cargo handling charges, and the 80 percent goes to the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corp., an exclusive cargo-handling provider at CIP.