Ang Pahayagan

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — A surge in cargo volume driven by a 47 percent upsurge in grains and petroleum products imports in this free port boosted port operations revenue for the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) by 13 percent in January.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said the agency’s Port Operations Group recorded a P113.7 million income in January, compared to the P100.4 million posted in the same period last year.

He said the growth in SBMA’s port income reflected increased imports of rice, which grew by 484 percent, corn by 230 percent, wheat by 48 percent, soya by 3 percent, and petroleum products by 46 percent.

“The bulk of the revenue continues to be driven by seaport operations, underscoring Subic’s strategic role as a key logistics and trade hub,” Aliño pointed out.

“The strong start in 2026 highlights Subic’s growing importance in handling bulk commodities and supporting national supply chains. Continued demand for agricultural products and energy imports is expected to sustain port activity in the coming months, reinforcing Subic’s position as a vital gateway for trade,” Aliño added.

The SBMA Port Operations Group broke down the agency’s total January port income into three: seaport operations, which contributed P97.7 million; trade facilitation and compliance services, which netted P11 million; and airport operations that came up with P5 million.

SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Port Operations Ronnie Yambao further traced the uptick in port revenue to a 52 percent increase in cargo handling services due a surge in non-containerized or dry bulk cargo, a 59 percent rise in vessel charges, and a 38 percent growth in cargo charges.

He said Subic had recorded 149 ship calls in January, or up by 17 percent, due to increasing trade.

Yambao added that the bulk of SBMA’s share from port operations, which grew by 52 percent, was delivered by Mega Subic Terminal Services Inc. (MSTSI), Amerasia International Terminal Services, Inc. (AITSI), and Subic Bay Freeport Terminal Services, Inc. (SBFGTSI).

Last year, SBMA’s port operations generated revenues totaling P1.77 billion, a 4.2 percent increase over the total collections of P1.7 billion recorded in 2024.

Seaport operations also contributed the bulk of this income, with a P1.47 billion total.

Subic boasts of 15 operational piers and wharves, including the 300,000-TEU New Container Terminals 1 and 2, a bulk fertilizer terminal, a bulk grains terminal, and a general cargo terminal.

A P1.2-billion cruise ship berth and passenger terminal being planned by the SBMA and the redevelopment of the Boton Wharf here into a 12.8-hectare warehousing terminal are expected to further expand Subic’s port operations in the future. (Taktikom News and Features)

📸Ang Pahayagan file photo