Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) has soft launched a vehicle appointment system to alleviate congestion.
Terminal Appointment Booking System (TABS) is an electronic platform for selected user groups to book containers at Manila’s two international ports, said MICT’s parent company ICTSI in a 3 September statement.
Scheduled for its official launch in October 2015, the system was started early to prepare for the seasonal end-of-year rally.
TABS is designed to optimise the entry and exit of containerised cargo at MICT by scheduling specific slots.
In a pointed reference to a Manila City Government truck ban that choked the port for several months last year, ICTSI described the plan as “a proactive alternative to counterproductive truck bans”.
“The implementation of TABS is a move in the right direction,” said MICT General Manager Mohamed Ghandar in the statement.
“It is the port sector’s contribution to easing road congestion in the Philippine capital by implementing a system that will schedule movements of trucks in and out of the port.”
TABS will allow truckers to plan and increase their trips, enable cargo owners to move goods more promptly, and help terminals to allocate resources by making volumes and times more predictable.
The system will make truck movements at the Manila ports more organised and ensure a managed and consistent flow of trucks throughout the entire day, according to ICTSI.
Supply chain stakeholders, the Manila City Government, and Australia’s 1-Stop Connections helped with the scheme, the statement added.
This post was sourced from IHS Maritime 360: View the original article here.
