New Cebu international port project may start in August
Lorenciana, Carlo and Braga, Michael Vencynth (2016, June 24). The Freeman. New Cebu international port project may start in August. Retrieved from http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2016/04/29/1577985/new-cebu-international-port-project-may-start-august
CEBU, Philippines – The new Cebu international container port may start construction by August this year if the National Economic and Development Authority Board would approve the project.
Cebu Port Authority General Manager Edmund Tan, however, could not say if the port project will be approved within President Aquino’s term which ends this June. The President chairs the NEDA.
Tan said he was hoping the project would be approved as soon as possible.
Speaking at the Visayas Shipping Conference 2016 yesterday in Cebu City, Tan said NEDA is currently awaiting from the Department of Transportation and Communications “the submission of requisite documents for the said project to facilitate NEDA Board-ICC (Investment Coordination Committee) processing and approval.”
These documents include the feasibility study which was completed in July 2015 and ICC project evaluation forms.
The project, Tan added, is scheduled to be presented to DOTC secretary for approval and subsequent endorsement to the NEDA Board-ICC.
According to the project’s implementation timeline, the target schedule for the construction is August this year and completion is second quarter of 2019.
The feasibility study on the new Cebu port, done by Korean experts, pointed a location in Tayud, Consolacion as the project site.
Among the study’s recommendations include funding from the Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund as the project, which has an estimated project cost of P10 billion, has a poor financial viability.
Tan said the new port will need an access road to connect the port to and from the Cebu North Coastal Road.
The study noted that the traffic on the existing road linked to the access road to the new port will increase due to the increased cargo transport.
“It is recommended to expand lane of the existing road and set up a countermeasure for traffic improvement,” Tan said.
He said the CPA will have to ask the Department of Public Works and Highways for the possibility of funding the road access project.
The study also recommended the application of Korea’s container port development experience to Cebu new port.
The new container port is geared to meet the demands of dynamic and growing economy of Cebu and of the region.
It is expected to provide a long-term solution to the congestion at the existing Cebu International Port due to increasing cargo volume and the shallow water depth of its container berths.
The new port project was included in the Comprehensive and Integrated Infrastructure Program (CIIP) on April 11.
The municipality of Consolacion welcomes the idea of establishing the international port in Barangay Tayud.
Mayor Teresa Alegado believes that transferring the port to other areas like Consolacion will decongest the traffic in the cities of Mandaue and Cebu.
She added that it would also spur economic development of the town.
The traffic congestion at the Cebu International Port area is reportedly caused by big trucks hauling cargoes inside the area.