TIM eMagazine Volume 3 Issue 5 | Page 13

TIM eMagazine Vol.3 Issue 5 MV Trans Harmony 2 Credits : ati.com ATI welcomes newest Toyofuji car carrier to Batangas port B atangas Port, the country’s largest car carrier port managed by listed Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), recently welcomed MV Trans Harmony 2, the newest pure car carrier of leading vehicle transporter Toyofuji Shipping, as she officially entered service for the growing car market. Trans Harmony 2 boosts Toyofuji’s capacity and efficiency in the region, following the launch of her sister ship Trans Harmony 1 early this year. Trans Harmony 2 runs a weekly rotation through Japan, Hongkong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Batangas. Consistent with her name, Trans Harmony 2 strikes a harmonious balance between humans and the environment, designed with safety as the highest priority, while incorporating features that improve ecological performance and working environment for its crew and port workers. The 200-meter vessel with 9 vehicle decks is equipped with the latest technologies for better and safer sea navigation, including infrared night vision camera system, the latest hull design that reduce seawater and wind resistance, thermal insulating paint to help prevent excessive vessel temperature, and energy-saving automated navigation systems, to name a few. The vessel, manned by 23 Filipino sailors led by Captain Nimrod Boston, can haul a maximum of 3,000 car units in one sailing. Fair ATI vice president Patrick Chan (right) hands over a commemorative plaque to Toyofiji Shipping senior managing director Yasushi Nitobe to mark the official launch of MV Trans Harmony 2 in Batangas Port. Credits : ati.com Shipping & Agency Inc. serves as the general agent for Toyofuji Shipping in the Philippines. Trans Harmony 2’s maiden voyage and official launch in Batangas signifies confidence in the growing Asian car market and the Batangas Port as the preferred hub for completely-built imported car units (CBUs) into the Philippines. Last year, ATI Batangas handled nearly 200,000 CBUs, representing majority of nationwide car sales. Batangas Port is an ideal hub for CBUs given its efficiency and proximity to the major car manufacturing centers and leading distributorships in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Metro Manila. It also serves as a strategic link for car deliveries to other island provinces and the Visayas through interisland vessels regularly calling the port. Meanwhile, in related developments, ATI’s Multilevel Car Storage Facility (MCSF) is nearing full completion. Currently, four levels of the five-storey structure is now operational to support the influx of CBUs. The MCSF is designed to park over 5,000 CBUs at any one time. ati.com 13