Propelling The Philippines’ global trade ambitions

ECU Worldwide Philippines is among the few international forwarders with wide presence across five offices in all three island clusters of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the largest import consolidator in Manila, Cebu and Davao and among the top export consolidators in Manila and Cebu. It is a market leader in consolidation in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan De Oro and Subic and has the largest product portfolio in Manila with 24 direct and weekly sailings. Backed by industry-leading customer service, customers in The Philippines—and beyond—get seamless connectivity because of ECU Worldwide’s global network and convenience too, as a result of digital tools like ECU360 and technology that optimises operations.

Located over 420 km east of the capital city Manila, Bicol is best known for being home to the world’s largest fish—the Butanding or the Whale Shark—and the majestic Mayon Volcano. Despite these natural riches, this region in Luzon – one of over 7600 islands that are part of this country’s territory – is an economic laggard. To try to catalyse growth in regions like Bicol, The Philippines government has been pouring investments into infrastructure in these backward regions to ignite growth and economic prosperity.

To do this, administrators have had to take some unusual measures to bring infrastructure such as power lines and transmission lines to this region of around six million inhabitants. Recently, Swedish power equipment maker ABB and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines did just this when they imported a transformer from China and enlisted ECU Worldwide Philippines to execute a mid-sea transfer from the mother vessel, transportation by land and unloading of the 245-ton, 495 MVa transformer, bringing power to a very underdeveloped region in South Luzon. To achieve this tricky transfer, these organisations leant on the strengths and capabilities of ECU Worldwide Philippines’ services.

Industry-leading capabilities

ECU Worldwide Philippines has been a force to reckon with for 20 years now. As a market leader in consolidation in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan De Oro and Subic, ECU Worldwide Philippines has the largest product portfolio in Manila with 24 direct and weekly sailings. Backed by industry-leading customer service, customers in The Philippines—and beyond—get seamless connectivity because of the global network and convenience too, as a result of digital tools like ECU360 and technology that optimises operations.

On the ground and in the sea, this means ECU Worldwide Philippines is among the few international forwarders with a wide presence across five offices in all three island clusters of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the largest import consolidator in Manila, Cebu and Davao and among the top export consolidators in Manila and Cebu.

“Over the past two decades, we have built a deep understanding of The Philippines’ market and our wide breadth of services can help you make the most of the opportunities here,” says Kaushal Shetty, Country Manager, ECU Worldwide Philippines. “We look forward to working with you as you enter this thriving country or plan to expand the size of your business here,” he states.

Vast network

ECU Worldwide Philippines, being an early entrant to the market has been able to really understand it and capture a significant share. It is today the only provider with regular consolidation in Subic, Davao and Cagayan De Oro. With the largest service portfolio in the country with 14 direct weekly destinations for export and 26 direct weekly import origins, ECU Worldwide Philippines is a household name in logistics. The company provides door-to-door services in six continents. ECU Worldwide Philippines has achieved the milestones of regular imports of close to 5000 cbm each month and exceeding 2000 cbm of export volume for the first time.

These capabilities are ideal for a country in a hurry. Over the past few years, The Philippines has emerged as an economic star of South-East Asia. According to Nomura Global Markets Research, the nation’s GDP is forecast to grow above 6% for the eighth consecutive year. Driven by rapid urbanisation, many English speakers, trade openness and a growing population, The Philippines is amid an economic upgrade.

The current President, Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s campaign and the focused agenda to ‘Build, Build, Build’ has several projects in the works and completed to improve infrastructure, power and logistics across the nation. A recently revised list has 100 projects —up from 75— including airports, railways, dams and roads, which make up half of the (approximately USD 50 billion by 2022) planned spending under Duterte’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ programme. It also expects at least 54 projects to be completed by 2022, up from 21 in the old line-up. It also expects at least 54 projects to be completed by 2022, up from 21 in the old line-up.

Growth driver

These massive investments are required to sustain the country’s rapid economic growth. Overseas remittances are a big part of The Philippines’ GDP, which funnels a lot of investments in real estate and is driving construction activity. ECU Worldwide Philippines’s offices across the nation, with teams equipped to handle LCL, air, project and brokerage services make it ideally placed to manage this growth.

Besides the Bicol project, ECU Worldwide Philippines has leant its extensive logistics expertise to other marquee initiatives. For example, it has helped bring transmission towers along the Western Luzon (south of Manila) region to address the load growth in the region and worked in collaboration with its Indonesian colleagues on their client’s project for seamless delivery of gensets to one of the most remote islands in the country called Tawi, with an area of roughly 1,000 square kilometres. The project was completed in 2017 bringing power to about 300,000 of the residents of the island.

Besides this infrastructure build out, The Philippines’ foreign trade is driven by electronics, semiconductors and computer parts, machinery and auto parts, precious metals and optical gear (with companies ranging from Texas Instruments to Essilor). And with a vision to be among the top five players in other logistics sectors like project logistics, ECU Worldwide Philippines is ideally placed to help businesses across the spectrum to tap into this booming market and benefit from being part of The Philippines’ unceasing growth story.