Subic port reinstates free accreditation fee for new, old applicants

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Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is reintroducing its free accreditation fee initiative for container port-related businesses from April 13 to December 31, 2018.

SBMA first introduced the initiative last year, from October 18 to December 31, to “showcase and broaden industry awareness of the use of Port of Subic Bay’s container terminal” and to increase container port traffic and utilization rate.

Following last year’s guidelines, SBMA will waive the US$200 accreditation fee for the first 80 new business entrants and for the first 20 accredited entities that are due to renew their accreditation certificate. The project covers ship agents, freight forwarders, customs brokerage firms, and trucking services.

Firms with an accreditation certificate should make a guarantee to bring in at least one container within one month from filing, or lose their entitlement to the waiver of renewal of accreditation certification.

If the applicant-proponent fails to meet the requirement, he must pay the accreditation fee. Requirements prescribed under SBMA’s policy on accreditation remain in effect.

“The free accreditation initiative received positive feedback which is why we are bringing it back this year to encourage more businesses to make use of the Port of Subic’s container terminals,” SBMA chairperson and administrator Wilma T. Eisma said in a statement.

Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), operator of New Container Terminals (NCT) 1 and 2, sees the extension as an opportunity for more firms to invest in Subic and as a means to promote the freeport.

“We commend SBMA for continuing this initiative. SBITC will do its part in ensuring support and quality service to businesses that will use our container freight station and container terminals,” SBITC president Roberto Locsin said.

Decongesting Manila

SBMA, through this initiative, also aims to help decongest the Port of Manila, broaden industry awareness of the availability of Subic port’s NCTs 1 and 2, and increase container port traffic and utilization rate in Subic.

The program also aims to accommodate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in line with Eisma’s 10-point agenda and as part of the agency’s contribution to the promotion of inclusive business.

Subic port has been seeing improved volumes since 2014. Latest data show that the volume of containerized cargo at Subic port grew to 139,980 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2017 from 124,707 TEUs in 2016.

SBITC said this is due to new customers using the port, whose cargoes included fashion accessories like bags from Bataan; trucks and agricultural equipment from Subic; grains, feeds, and fertilizer from Bulacan; and electronic parts and general department store merchandise from Clark.

Shipping lines calling NCTs 1 and 2 include APL, Wan Hai Lines, Maersk Line, MCC Transport, Swire, NYK Line, K Line, SITC, Samudera, Sinotrans, Evergreen Shipping, and Inter-Asia Lines.