Philippine cargo throughput grew 5.55% in the first months of the year anchored on strong performance of the export sector and a healthy rise in domestic container traffic.
Latest data from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) showed total volume reached 72.649 million metric tons (mmt) from January to May compared with 68.830 mmt in the same period last year.
Foreign volume reached 41.888 mmt, 8.85% more than last year’s 38.484 mmt. Of the total, export volume accounted for 18.387 mmt, advancing 11.31% from 16.519 mmt.
Import volume also improved to 23.501 mmt from 21.964 mmt, reflecting a 7% rise.
Domestic cargo volume reached 30.761 mmt, inching up 1.37% from 30.345 mmt in the previous year.
Container traffic registered a 3.81% uptick to 2.063 million TEUs from 1.987 million TEUs.
Foreign containerized cargo posted a decline of 0.55% from 1.234 million TEUs in January-May 2011 to 1.228 million TEUs in the comparable period this year.
Boxed export traffic dipped 3.17% to 603,694 TEUs from 623,436 TEUs while boxed import volume increased 2.11% to 624,397 TEUs from 611,505 TEUs.
Domestic containerized cargo volume jumped 10.96% to 835,190 TEUs from 752,689 TEUs last year.
The port of Puerto Princesa saw the biggest increase in cargo volume of 75.15% or 1.989 mmt from January to May, thanks to high imports of chemicals and coals and exports of nickel silicate ore.
“The upward trend is expected to continue as the government thrust is presently leaning towards boosting mineral exploration and production co-ventures with local and foreign investors,” PPA said in a performance report.
“It remains to be seen, judging from current developments if the volume of agricultural exports, for instance bananas, will show a certain degree of weakening as China, the country’s third largest market for this fruit has recently imposed some trade restrictions on its banana imports from the country,” PPA added.
Shipcalls for the period rose 2.16% from 144,683 in 2011 to 147,808. The number of domestic vessels grew 2.37% while foreign vessels decreased 4.39%.
The ports of Batangas, Iloilo, Pulupandan, Tacloban, Nasipit and Surigao registered the biggest declines in shipcalls from January to May.
Passenger volume for the period reached 23.41 million, 1.92% higher than same period last year.
Photo courtesy of International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
