Mindanao shippers call for hub ports on island

Mindanao shippers call for hub ports on island Shipping interests in the Philippines island of Mindanao are pushing for the government to convert the island's two ports into hub ports that could attract larger vessels and more cargo, a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer said Saturday.
   Those pushing for more trade on the island say the infrastructure does not exist to allow growth in cargo volumes, despite the fact that the Mindanao Container Terminal has draft deep enough to accommodate large vessels. Currently, most of the ocean trade to the island is conducted with small vessels. Another port in Davao City handles most of the trade volume, but doesn't have the modern equipment and draft that the one-year-old MCT facility does.
   According to the report, 'consolidation of export shipments to these two ports would translate into savings for shippers and more efficient services,' if the government formulated a plan to make the ports hubs.
   Mindanao is the second-biggest island in the Philippines.