JANUARY 26, 2017, MANILA— The strong emergence of BIMP-EAGA and the massive developments along the Asean logistics gateways toward the completion of the Asean Economic Community will highlight the 9th Ports and Shipping Conference to be held in the country next month.
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is hosting the February 22-24, 2017 event at the Peninsula Hotel Manila wherein more than a hundred decision makers, shipping lines, cargo handlers and port operators and other logistics stakeholders are attending.
PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the holding of the event is very timely considering the vast developments being carried out along the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) as well as along the trading corridors of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
“This is a great opportunity for the Philippines, through the PPA, to showcase the developments like the Ro-Ro link between the Philippines and Indonesia that is set to start late April this year,” Santiago said.
“All the players within BIMP-EAGA and Asean are closely looking at the developments of this Ro-Ro route which will serve as the springboard for future links between and among the member nations,” Santiago stressed.
“The Philippines is also in the process of modernizing its Ro-Ro vessels and ports to easily adapt to the demands of the Asean-wide Ro-Ro operations in the future that is also brought about by the AEC,” Santiago added.
The Philippines and Indonesia, as of the moment, is finalizing some details of the Ro-Ro route that is meant to strengthen trade relations between the two neighboring countries, which will reduce travel time to and from the two countries from 5 weeks to 3 days.
The new 3-day trade route will start in Davao City or General Santos City and will sail southwards to cross the Celebes Sea and go directly to Bitung City.
PPA is also advocating that member ports of the Asean Ports Association should align their policies and port infrastructure improvements to take advantage of China’s Maritime Silk Road (MSR), which is a sea route from the South China Sea and South East Asia, through the Indian Ocean and Middle East area into the eastern Mediterranean. It also extends in other directions. Its main feature is port infrastructure projects, some linking with the parts of the land-based projects.
This event is the biggest biennial Ports, Shipping and Transport Logistics B2B Exhibition and Conference in BIMP EAGA – Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area.
The 9th Ports and Shipping Conference, meanwhile, will feature 30 world-class conference speakers addressing topical issues and challenges on the BIMP-EAGA that is also expected to be flocked by some 400 senior government officials, industry principals, decision makers, academics, harbor masters, harbor engineers, port engineers, maintenance supervisors and procurement decision makers together with the region’s leading shippers, cargo owners, importers / exporters, shipping lines, freight forwarders, logistics companies, ports, terminal operating companies, railway operators, port equipment and services suppliers from countries.
There will also be an Exhibition of 50 international shipping lines, container ports, logistics companies, IT companies, container terminal equipment, services providers and event sponsors.
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