01/08/2025
DOTr set to transform Batangas town into second largest container terminal in PH
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced plans to transform Bauan, Batangas into the country’s second-largest container terminal and its first fully automated one, as part of efforts to decongest Metro Manila and boost trade in Southern Luzon.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the Luzon International Container Terminal (LICT) in Bauan could handle up to 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), second only to the Manila International Container Terminal.
“This is very important in the Calabarzon area because we know that Calabarzon is the industrial capital of the Philippines,” Dizon said.
He emphasized that the terminal will create thousands of jobs and trigger the rise of industrial and manufacturing parks nearby.
Dizon and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Santiago met with local officials and ICTSI, the private partner behind the project, to assess the development timeline on Friday.
Dizon said construction was expected to begin by September and Phase 1 could be completed by end-2027.
Only 14 private landowners remain to be consulted to clear right-of-way issues, and Dizon expressed confidence that with LGU support, full completion could happen in two and a half years.
“This will create a lot of jobs not only in Bauan, Batangas, but also in the entire Region 4A,” Dizon said.
A direct access road from the terminal to the Start All Way is also planned to avoid disrupting local roads, with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) leading the roadworks.
Santiago added that the facility will be fully automated, following ICTSI’s model in Melbourne, Australia.
“The cranes will be remote-controlled. Even the docking of containers will be automated. No need for a physical driver to ensure safety,” he explained.
He said shifting cargo movement to Southern Luzon would help “future-proof” the country’s logistics chain and relieve pressure on Manila ports.
“This used to be a car terminal,” Santiago said. “Now it will be primarily for containers, which is needed to support the rise in trade and manufacturing in the Calabarzon area.”
The Bauan site, Santiago noted, was naturally deep, making it capable of accommodating large vessels, not just feeder ships.
“This port has long been identified as a deep harbor port,” he said. “With ICTSI’s expertise, we can match the capacity of Metro Manila terminals.”
The facility is expected to significantly contribute to the decentralization of port operations and promote regional economic growth.