ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 18 Feb) – The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) announced that the P95-million dredging project at the port of Zamboanga will start by the second quarter of this year.
Engr. Liberto dela Rosa, port manager, said the contractor has yet to complete the other documentary requirements before it can start work although the project has already been awarded.
He said the dredging project will cover the expanded portion of the local port which has a length of 170 linear meters. This part was earlier completed in June 2014.
Dela Rosa said there is a need to undertake the dredging project since the expanded area of the local wharf could not accommodate large ships since the place has a depth of only 2.4 meters.
He said dredging is important because of the volume of maritime traffic, so that more ships can dock at the same time, and for larger vessels to be accommodated.
Dela Rosa disclosed that at present, only small vessels could dock at the port’s expanded area.
He said the dredging project, which will take eight months to complete, is to increase the depth to 11 meters.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa said the port’s P13-million passenger terminal 2 will start operations in the second quarter of this year.
He said construction was completed last Jan. 31 but they are still waiting for the arrival of the aircondition units, public address system equipment, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, chairs and other things needed for the terminal.
Dela Rosa said the passenger terminal 2, which has a capacity of 250 people, will serve passengers bound for Sandakan, Sabah and Manila.
He said passenger terminal number 1 will then be solely for passengers bound for the other parts of the region as well as to Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi once the newly-completed passenger terminal 2 starts operations.