Friday, December 20, 2024

ICTSI secures 25-year extension to operate Mindanao Container Terminal

Mindanao International Container Terminal Services Inc. (MICTSI), a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), has secured a 25-year extension to operate and manage the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT).

 


The extension, awarded by the PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority, allows MICTSI to continue managing the MCT until 2058.

 

Located within the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, the MCT serves as a key gateway for trade in southern Philippines.

 

To enhance the terminal’s capacity and efficiency, MICTSI plans to invest more than US$100 million in infrastructure upgrades. The investment includes a 300-meter berth extension and the acquisition of new equipment to handle the expected growth in cargo volumes. These enhancements are projected to significantly boost the terminal’s annual capacity from its present 350,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). 

 

The new berth will enable the shipping industry to deploy larger ships on new service routes to support growth and demand from Mindanao's importers and exporters. Additionally, the expansion project will further promote PHIVIDEC’s agenda to grow its locator base.

 

“ICTSI is proud to continue our work at Mindanao Container Terminal, a critical hub for trade in southern Philippines,” said Aurelio C. Garcia, MICTSI president and general manager. “This extension allows us to implement our vision for the terminal’s future, with significant investments in new technology and infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of our customers and the region.”

 

PHIVIDEC administrator and CEO Atty. Joseph Donato J. Bernedo said, “Today’s signing ceremony reflects our commitment to growth and sustainability of PHIVIDEC-IA under this administration, and we will continue to grow with our other projects and initiatives that are lined up to benefit not only Northern Mindanao but also the entire country. I would like to thank Mr Aurelio C. Garcia, president and general manager of MICTSI, PHIVIDEC-IA’s chairman Engr. Augustus N. Adis and the members of our Board for their support in making our dream of expanding our MCT Port into a reality.”

 

The extension highlights the strong partnership between ICTSI and PHIVIDEC-IA in developing critical infrastructure to facilitate trade and drive economic growth in Mindanao.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Appoints Eisaku Ito as Next President

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) on 18 December announced executive-level personnel changes effective March 31 and April 1, 2025, and made nominations for Members of the Board to be proposed at the 100th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled on June 27, 2025.


MHI also announced the appointment of current Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Eisaku Ito, as President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective April 1, 2025. He succeeds Seiji Izumisawa, who will take on the role of Chairman of the Board after six years as MHI's top executive. These appointments were approved at a meeting of MHI's Board of Directors held in Tokyo today.

Mr. Ito will assume the role of President & CEO after serving as Executive Vice President, CTO, and Head of the Technology Strategy Office since April 2020, his latest position in a career that spans over 30 years at MHI. In a previous role, Mr. Ito promoted the development of a wide range of our company's technologies and businesses, the improvement of business processes, and the marketing of new products and services. He also played an important role in responding to the rapid evolution of digitalization and AI technologies by establishing the Digital Innovation Headquarters. Going forward under Mr. Ito's leadership, we will work to achieve further growth as one of Japan's leading manufacturing and technology companies.

During his tenure as President & CEO, Mr. Izumisawa led the restructuring of the thermal power business, the discontinuation of SpaceJet development, and the divestment of the machine tools business. In FY2023, the final year of the 2021 Medium-Term Business Plan, order intake, revenue, and profit reached record highs, making a significant contribution to improving the company's margins. In addition, Mr. Izumisawa has been working to enhance our future growth areas, including the businesses related to the Energy Transition.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Izumisawa said, "MHI Group is now working to strengthen our portfolio of businesses by leveraging the business and financial foundations we have built over many years, while contributing to societal challenges such as the realization of Carbon Neutrality and addressing national security concerns. We must steadily develop our growing core businesses-Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (GTCC), Nuclear Power, and Defense-while striving to commercialize our future growth areas. For this reason, MHI now requires a leader with knowledge of a wide range of businesses and technologies, fairness, a sense of responsibility to resolve a variety issues, and a determination to take on the challenges of the future. Mr. Ito has deep insight into MHI's core businesses, including gas turbines, and a wide range of technical expertise. Moreover, he has succeeded in resolving many product development issues in the past, and I am confident that his tenacity and leadership will enable MHI to achieve further growth."

Mr. Ito commented, "The reforms enacted by Mr. Izumizawa have further advanced MHI Group's position as a global company. Following the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, both revenue and profit are now at record highs. As we continue to receive strong orders, we will work to build a robust business structure and value chain to reliably deliver products and solutions to our customers. We will also focus on developing diverse talent and technological infrastructure while promoting digitalization and automation. I am honored to be able to take on the challenge of leading MHI and of joining our Group employees in efforts to optimize the portfolio of businesses, execute our growth strategy, and fulfill our commitments to solve long-term societal challenges-including through MISSION NET ZERO (2040 Carbon Neutrality Declaration)-all with the goal of achieving further growth."

Contecon Guayaquil Receives Pacific International Lines’ Largest Vessel


Contecon Guayaquil S.A. (CGSA), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) Ecuadorian business unit, received the inaugural call of Kota Eagle, the largest and most modern container ship of Pacific International Lines (PIL). This marks a significant development for Ecuador’s foreign trade and confirms Guayaquil as a strategic port on global shipping routes.

 

The Kota Eagle features low environmental impact technology, operating entirely on liquefied natural gas (LNG) – one of the cleanest fuels on the planet. The technology highlights PIL’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Measuring 335 meters long with a capacity of 14,000 TEUs, the vessel is a prime example of innovation in sustainable shipping.

 

“We are proud to welcome the Kota Eagle to our terminal. This event reflects the confidence of important shipping companies such as PIL in our operational capacity, consolidating Guayaquil as an essential port for the growth of their business in the country,” said Javier Lancha, CGSA chief executive officer.

 

“We ratify our commitment to innovation and sustainability, ensuring that our operation consistently meets the highest quality standards and contributes to the development of Ecuador’s foreign trade,” he added.

 

Contecon Guayaquil continues to move towards more responsible logistics, reinforcing its commitment to being a strategic partner for Ecuador’s economic development and for the promotion of foreign trade. Offering robust logistics solutions to boost the success of its partners and customers, Contecon Guayaquil remains firmly committed to enhancing Ecuador’s connection to the world.

 

About Contecon Guayaquil S.A. de C.V.
In March 2007, ICTSI was awarded by the port authority of Guayaquil, Autoridad Portuario de Guayaquil (APG), a 20-year operating concession for the Container and Multipurpose Terminals in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Later in May, a contract was formally signed between APG and Contecon Guayaquil SA, ICTSI’s local operating unit. The terminal handles containerized, general and bulk cargo. (
www.cgsa.com.ec)

 

About International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI)
Headquartered and established in 1988 in Manila, Philippines, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) is in the business of port development, management and operations.  ICTSI’s portfolio of terminals and projects are located in developed and emerging market economies in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  Independent with no shipping or consignee-related interests, ICTSI works and transacts transparently with all stakeholders of the supply chain.  ICTSI continues to receive global acclaim for its public-private partnerships, which are focused on sustainable development, and supported by corporate social responsibility initiatives. (
www.ictsi.com

Monday, July 8, 2024

TG REPORT: US Commission recommends Sri Lanka is added to watchlist for 'severe violations of religious freedom'

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended that the US State Department adds Sri Lanka to a special watchlist for "severe violations of religious freedom" in its latest report. 

The report states that in recent years, the Sri Lankan government has implemented discriminatory policies against religious minorities, and societal actors have increased violent attacks against religious minorities across the country. The findings of the report are based on a visit by the USCIRF delegation who travelled to Sri Lanka in October 2023 to assess religious freedom. This update in the report arises from their observations of the current precarious religious freedom conditions in Sri Lanka. Key observations from USCIRF’s trip include: religiously motivated land disputes, registration challenges, and the use of discriminatory legislation to target and detain religious minorities. The commission previously noted that the Sri Lankan government implemented and enforced policies that disproportionately targeted religious minorities, including the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act, and the Online Safety Bill.  

Land disputes 

The report highlights ongoing land disputes in the North-East where the Sri Lankan military continue to occupy large swathes of land as well as the expropriation of Tamil and Muslim sites by Sri Lanka's archeology department to construct Buddhist temples. The report states that Sri Lankan "authorities have restricted access to places of worship, claiming ongoing 'archeological research'. 

The USCIRF features Kurunthurmalai, where the Athi Aiyanar temple, a native place of worship of Tamils in Mullaitivu, has been targeted by intense landgrab efforts by Sinhala Buddhist monks over recent years. Although a court order in 2018 stated that no changes should be made to the site, Sinhala Buddhist monks aided by Sri Lanka's archeology department and the military have illegally constructed a Buddhist temple. 

Places of worship 

The report goes on to detail how religious minorities  "continue to face challenges in registering their places of worship". In 2022, a circular issued by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs states that new places fo worship or any establishment engaging in collective worship must register.  However, the report states that although the circular applies to new places of worship, "local authorities have attempted to retroactively enforce the circular to existing places of worship."

Hindu nationalism and anti-Muslim sentiment 

In the report, the USCIRF note that that there has been a rise in Hindu and Sinhala Buddhist nationalist sentiment which has affected Christian and Muslim communities. There has been a rise in anti-Christian and anti-Muslim, particularly on social media. The report also highlights that anti-Muslim sentiment has been "proliferated by Buddhist nationalist groups". 

The report highlighted that a racist Sinhala Buddhist monk,  Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara who is the General Secretary of the extremist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) was sentenced to four years of imprisonment over his anti-Muslim remarks he made in 2016. 

The Sinhala chauvinist monk has a history of racist rhetoric against Muslims and Tamils. In 2014, before the anti-Muslim riots, he told a cheering Sinhala nationalist crowd in Aluthgama that “if one marakkalaya ( Muslim) lays a hand on a Sinhalese that will be the end of all of them”. The resulting violence killed four people and left 80 injured, with hundreds left homeless. Amongst the sites attacked were mosques, Muslim homes, businesses, and even a nursery.

Gnanasara has vehemently opposed Tamil’s rights to self-determination, threatening in 2020 of a “river of blood”. “We will not allow the Tamils to find a solution through devolution," he said. "If they demand a separate state again, a river of blood will flow in the North and East.”

Anti-terrorism bill 

For years, the international community have been calling on Sri Lanka to replace the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been used  to detain Tamils and Muslims and supress civil society on the island.

In 2023, Sri Lanka proposed the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), which expanded on the provisions under the PTA. The international community and civil society expressed their concerns over the proposed legislation as it included broad definitions of terrorism. The report states such broad definitions "allow for wide interpretation of who can be accused of terrorism and subjected to arrest."

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act has also been used on the island to "has been used to target religious minorities for the peaceful expression of their views or beliefs."

The report also details the arrest of four Tamils in Trincomalee in May 2024,  under the ICCPR Act, for distributing Mullivaikkal kanji as a form of remembrance during Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week. 

Surveillance of Religious Minorities and Advocates

The Sri Lankan government published the Online Safety Bill in 2023 which has been slammed by rights groups as it contains vaguely defined terms and defintiions of offences that could lead to arbitrary and subjective interpretation. The international community and rights groups have expressed concern over the legislation as it could criminalise nearly all forms of legitimate expression. 

The USCIRF concluded that in the absence of policy change, pending legislation such as the Online Safety Bill and the ATA, "risk further marginalising and targeting" religious minorities.

Source: https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/us-commission-recommends-sri-lanka-added-watchlist-severe-violations-religious-freedom

ICTSI secures 25-year extension to operate Mindanao Container Terminal

Mindanao International Container Terminal Services Inc. (MICTSI), a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), ha...