Port of Iloilo

The Port of Iloilo, Iloilo, Philippines, is the port serving the general area of Iloilo and the premier port on Panay Island. The new port of iloilo is strategically located at a new site away from the older port facilities. Situated in the Southern coast of Panay Island, in the Panay Gulf, it has one of the country’s safest and most natural harbors. Guimaras Island guards the port from violent storms and makes it ideal for harboring ships and vessels. [http://www.ppa.com.ph/Port%20Profile/Visayas/iloilo/sub-iloilo-baseport.htm "PORT OF ILOILO - General Information"] ]

Location

Iloilo harbor is part of the Iloilo Strait bounded by imaginary lines at the north entrance from Dumangas River across the Iloilo Strait to Navalas Point on Guimaras Island and at the southern entrance by an imaginary line extending from the Lusaran Point, Guimaras Island to Surraga River in the municipality of San Joaquin Island of Panay. The shoreline of the two (2) islands define the limits of Iloilo Harbor.

Profile

The Port of Iloilo, considered the leader of trade and a commercial hub for Western Visayas is also one of the safest natural seaports in the Philippines. The Port has a number of Facilities available among others. The Iloilo Commercial Port Complex is located on 20.8 hectares of reclaimed land. It has modern facilities that include 11,400 sq. meters of open space for unhampered operations, supplemented by a backup area of 97,000 sq. meters, a crane, rails of 348 lineal meters; roll-on-roll-off support; a 7,800 container freight stations; and a 720 sq. meter passenger shed. The port complex is ideal for ships plying international routes having a berth length of 400 meters, a width of 26.26 meters and a berthing depth of 10.50 meters.

The Port is ideally located, as 75% of the country’s land area lies within 500 km radius of Iloilo, encompassing Metro Manila City and the nation’s main industrial centers. Thus, the port could well serve as a consolidation center for both importable and exportable commodities. Within this area is a potential market of more than 32 million people. [ [http://iloiloonline.blogspot.com/2006/03/port-of-iloilo.html "Iloilo: Port of Iloilo"] ]

There are a number of Regular Shipping Companies that use the Port of Iloilo, Aboitiz Shipping Company, Amigo Shipping Company, New Panay Shipping Company, Negros Navigation Company, Sulpicio Lines, William Lines and Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. Fast ferries serve Iloilo-Bacolod routes eight times daily. Negros Navigation and Superferry dock to the city where it serves routes going to Manila, Bacolod, Cebu, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro City.

Roll-on/roll-off ferry service, known in as RO-RO, is available from to Iloilo City. There is also a ro-ro service to Cebu via Negros.

It is ranked third in terms of shipcalls at 11,853, fourth in cargo throughout at 491,719 million metric tons and fourth in passenger traffic at 2.4 million annually.

History

The Port has been serving international shipping as early as 1855, handling sugar and fertilizer shipments for the international market. The opening of the port of Iloilo to world trade in 1855 saw Iloilo emerge to become the biggest center of commerce and trade in the Visayas and Mindanao, second only to Manila. [ [http://www.iloilocity.gov.ph/history.php "Iloilo City - History"] ]

Facilities

Bunkering

Bunkers are available from Pilipinas Shell, Petroleum Corporation, Caltex Philippines Inc. and Petrophil Corporation.

Pilotage

Pilotage is Compulsory for all vessels of 75 GRT and above. Pilotage services are rendered by the Iloilo Harbor Pilots’ Association.

Towage

Towage service is by RETRANSCO of Lapus, Iloilo City, 36 hours prior notice is required.

Data

The Port of Iloilo also offers Open Storage facilities, Data listed below:

External links

* [http://www.ppa.com.ph/Port%20Profile/Visayas/iloilo/sub-iloilo-baseport.htm Iloilo Port Information]
* [http://www.ppa.com.ph/ Philippine Ports Authority]

References