The Madagascan subsidiary of Philippine-based International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI), has announced the completion of its US$30 million first phase modernisation programme for Madagascar’s main port in Toamasina.

The multi-million investment at Madagascar International Container Terminal Services Ltd (MICTSL) covers modern container handling equipment, infrastructure and information technology.

Container handling equipment introduced at the terminal include a $5.2 million twin-lift mobile harbor crane from Gottwald, four rubber tired gantries (RTG) from Noell-Reggiane costing US$5 million, and miscellaneous equipment from Kalmar including terminal trucks and reach stackers worth US$2 million.

Other investments include the US$7m rehabilitation and development of the terminal’s container yard to enable the use of RTGs and over US$1 million dollars in terminal operating systems from NAVIS SPARCS.

Speaking on the inauguration of the investments, Enrique Razon, ICTSI chairman and president, said that the recent development at the terminal was a milestone in the continuing history of Malagasy port development.

He thanked the Malagasy government, in particular port authority Société du Gestion du Port Autonome de Toamasine (SPAT), for promoting the robust foreign investment environment in the country.

He said that the investment was a major step in achieving ICTSI’s vision of transforming the terminal into one of the most modern and most efficient ports in Africa.

Razon also pledged support for the government’s “Madagascar Action Plan”, a programme by the Malagasy Government to address development challenges and strategies in the country with the emphasis on infrastructure.

“We hope that through current and future modernisation plans here at MICTSL, we will be able to do our part in helping Madagascar achieve a vibrant, high growth economy that is able to meet the demands of globalisation,” he said.

"We shall continue initiating more modernisation projects over the next few years, and see to it that the terminal responds to the forthcoming challenges in regional and global trade.”