P16.93B new Int’l Container Port soon to rise in Consolacion, Cebu

CONSOLACION, Cebu—The Department of Transportation (DOTr) led by Secretary Jaime Bautista with Consolacion Cebu Mayor Teresa Alegado, CPA General Manager Francisco Comendador III with the officials from the Korean Embassy and the EDCF Korea Eximbank and other hosts of local officials inaugurated the New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP) in Consolacion, Cebu on February 5 marking the start of the P16.93 billion port infrastructure projects in Cebu Province. 

“The NCIP is more than just a port, but a symbol of progress, commitment and efforts to meet the future demands of the maritime industry. The project is seen to improve port capacity, not only meets but exceeds the current demands of the transportation industry,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said in his opening message.

According to Cebu Port Authority general manager Francisco Comendador, III that the New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP) is a P16.93B infrastructure project that involve the construction of an international container port equipped with five quay cranes in a reclaimed land of 25 hectares with a 500-meter berth length; 14,000 container yard capacity, and water depth of (-12) meters to accommodate two 2,000 twenty-foot equivalent (TEU) vessels.

Comendador added that the project was awarded to a Korean HJ Shipbuilding & Construction Co., Ltd., and is expected to be completed by 2028.  Once completed, the NCICP increases the operational capacity of the main cargo gateway in the Central Visayas Region by redistributing the international container volume from the existing Cebu International Port to the NCICP, which will improve handling and container stacking facilities.

The project will also alleviate road congestion around Cebu Base port and provide a more efficient and reliable port infrastructure for the unimpeded flow of goods and services. This development is crucial to meet the increasing cargo demand and support the growth of commerce and industry in the Visayas and Mindanao Regions, Comendador said.

“This collaborative project symbolizes the enduring friendship and partnership between Korea and Philippines.  The transformative impact of this project is elevating Cebu’s role as  a key maritime hub of South East Asia,” Senior Executive Director Kiyeon Hwang of the EDCF Korea Eximbank said.

Hwang added that the project plays a crucial role not only make goods more affordable but will also create jobs and opportunities for port related activities that could improve local and global supply chain not only in Cebu but the entire country.

Bautista on the other hand added that the key objective of NCICP is to redistribute international container volume, to improve handling and container capacities, seamless flow of goods and services, ensuring the economy to remain robust and dynamic.

Also present during the ground breaking and time capsule laying ceremony were Senior Executive Director Kiyeon Hwang of the EDCF Korea Eximbank, Executive Vice President Kim Yong-Woon of the HJ Shipbuilding and Construction and Country Manager of the Yooshon Engineering Corporation Jin-Ho Lee; Ako Bisaya Party-list Representative Sonny Lagon and Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), Usec. Terence Calatrava.

It can be recalled that in December 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing of several key transport deals expected to improve the country’s transportation system including the signing of the contract for the construction of the New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP), Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (Cebu BRT), modernization of Bohol-Panglao International Airport, as well as the Agreements for the New Dumaguete and New Siargao airports. (Photos: Cebu Port Authority)