Navis system boosts Davao port operations
The Davao International Container Terminal (DICT) has greatly improved its ship turnaround time after installation of its Navis N4 terminal system, the port’s Vice President said.
DICT Vice President Bonifacio B. Licayan explained that speeding up operations at the terminal, which boasts on its website that it is the most modern container terminal in the Philippines, is critical because a large part of its freight volume is fresh fruit and other produce.
More than 80 percent of the terminal’s exports are refrigerated containers of fresh produce, Licayan said. The terminal opened for operations in 2013, and presently handles about 260,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of container cargo annually.
DICT selected the Navis N4 system as it allows more predictable and reliable arrival and departure of containerships with time-sensitive cargo, Licayan said.
“As a relative newcomer to the container terminal business, we needed to make sure we had the best technology in place to help us compete with other, more seasoned operators,” he explained. “Navis trained our staff to get up and running on N4 and our knowledge, combined with the dependability of the software, has allowed us to focus our efforts on other aspects of the terminal’s operations and quickly resolve any operational problems that occur.”
Licayan said that DICT improved its efficiency with the new system, and can deliver the fastest turnaround time for both ships and trucks of any terminal in the region.
Navis’ Vice President for Japan and Asia Pacific Mark Welles in a separate statement noted, “As ports throughout Asia become increasingly congested and more expensive due to tariff increases, international shipping lines are looking to DICT as a key transshipment hub.
“Within its second year of operation, DICT was already feeling the demand for increased capacity and as a result, constructed and finished its second container terminal berth last year.
“There is so much potential for growth in the region and we partnered with DICT to help them upgrade their operations to meet the demand from shipping lines, exporters and importers. We’re happy to announce that we were able to successfully complete the project with no disruption to service, delivering the best customer experience that is so important to the terminal.”
The Navis system has proved popular with terminal operators, the company said. 43 terminals installed the N4 system in 2016, more than double the company’s sales the previous year, it said.
Read More: Manila Times
