In response to growing container volumes coming in and out of the island of Luzon, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) recently deployed new generation reach stackers in its Manila and Subic operations.
The four new units of the mobile container handling equipment are stationed at ICTSI’s flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) and at the New Container Terminals 1 and 2 at the Subic Bay Freeport. The Subic terminals are operated by ICTSI subsidiaries Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. and ICTSI Subic, Inc. The new reach stackers, the first of their kind to operate in the Asia-Pacific region, brings to a total of 27 mobile container handling equipment deployed at the MICT and Subic terminals. This fleet of reach stackers and empty container handlers is the largest in the Philippines to date. Supplied and manufactured by Kalmar, the port equipment and technology unit of Cargotec Oy of Finland, the Gloria or Generation G reach stacker takes productivity to a whole new level with its 45-ton total lift capacity, which is an industry-best for its class. Aside from exceptional performance, it offers three ECO driving modes, namely power, normal and economy, making it the most energy efficient reach stacker in the market today. Gloria also sports an automatic stop-start function, which is responsible for reduced emissions and fuel efficiency of up to 10 percent. Antonio Coronel, ICTSI Purchasing Director, is pleased with the new equipment and believes they will contribute to improved port operations in more ways than one. He also praised Kalmar’s “understanding of the critical requirements of our business.” “They don’t just provide highly productive and reliable equipment; they appreciate the dynamics of the business and as a result, can provide solutions that boost productivity yet reduce our costs of operation. We have an ambitious development strategy to become one of the world’s leading port management companies and on the same global stage, Kalmar is clearly a trusted partner,” he added. Björn Jonasson, Kalmar Asia Sales Director expressed his delight at ICTSI becoming “the first customer to specify Kalmar Gloria reach stackers in Asia and particularly so soon after their launch into the region. We have enjoyed considerable success in launching Gloria into other key territories and the product has now become the benchmark for reach stacker performance throughout the industry.”