VICTORIA International Container Terminal is in the midst of a project to increase its size and capacity, with the first phase due to be operational in 2024.

Recently appointed VICT CEO Bruno Porchietto said the $235 million expansion will enable VICT to handle two 336-metre vessels simultaneously.

“Once the project is complete, our operations will expand from five quay cranes to eight, adding three new-generation cranes, 10 new automatic stacking cranes and 50% increased yard capacity,” Mr Porchietto said.

 “VICT will be able to handle neo-Panamax vessels of up to 14,000 TEUs, providing shipping lines with the opportunity to leverage economies of scale and thereby reduce supply-chain costs.”

The expansion comprises two stages. Phase 1 is to increase VICT’s container capacity by 25% to 1.25 million TEUs. This phase includes two new quay cranes along with six new automatic stacking cranes.

The third quay crane and the other four ASCs are part of Phase 2, which will be scheduled for completion in line with market demand.

Mr Porchietto was appointed CEO of VICT in February following a four-and-a-half-year stint as CEO of TecPlata, ICTSI’s business unit at the Port of Buenos Aires in Argentina.